Bushfire Risk in Highfields, NSW: 2026 Assessment

Highfields, New South Wales· UNKNOWN
Highfields has a high bushfire risk due to its proximity to bushland areas. Hot, dry conditions exacerbate the risk, and climate change is projected to worsen these conditions.Updated 21 May 2026

Bushfire Risk Score

6.0/10

Highfields has a high bushfire risk due to its proximity to bushland areas. Hot, dry conditions exacerbate the risk, and climate change is projected to worsen these conditions.

Key Facts

Bushfire Risk
Highfields has a high bushfire risk due to its proximity to bushland areas. Hot, dry conditions exacerbate the risk, and climate change is projected to worsen these conditions.
Trend
increasing
Suburb
Highfields, NSW
Overall Risk
Medium
Postcode
2289
Region
Regional
Median property value
$500,000
Dominant hazard
extreme heat (5/10)
Highest high-risk exposure
15.1% of land (surface flood)

Bushfire Risk Analysis

Highfields, New South Wales, has a highfields has a high bushfire risk due to its proximity to bushland areas. hot, dry conditions exacerbate the risk, and climate change is projected to worsen these conditions. bushfire risk profile. Key factors include distance to classified bushland, vegetation type, slope, and historical bushfire activity in the region. The New South Wales fire authority maps bushfire-prone areas and assigns BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) ratings.

Highfields is designated as a bushfire-prone area.

CSIRO research indicates climate change is extending fire seasons and increasing the number of severe fire weather days across southern and eastern Australia. For Highfields, this may mean shifts in bushfire risk levels over the coming decades, making property-level BAL assessment increasingly important.

Use ClimateNest for a complete address-level bushfire risk report for Highfields including BAL zone assessment, evacuation route mapping, and property-specific risk mitigation recommendations.

Highfields sits within ClimateNest's suburb-level hazard model for bushfire risk. 9.3% of the suburb's land area is mapped in high-risk bushfire zones and 70% in moderate-risk zones, based on the national hazard overlay. Exposure at this scale varies street by street, which is why an address-level check matters before you buy or insure a specific property in Highfields.

On ClimateNest's 0–10 suburb hazard index, Highfields scores 3 for bushfire risk — a lower exposure relative to the Australian suburb range. For comparison, properties in Highfields can still sit well above or below this suburb average depending on elevation, distance to waterways or vegetation, and local drainage.

Highfields located in Regional (postcode 2289), is a New South Wales suburb tracked by ClimateNest. The suburb's median property value is $500,000, and understanding climate exposure is becoming a standard part of due diligence for buyers, lenders and insurers pricing property in Highfields.

Across the six hazard axes ClimateNest models, the dominant climate risk in Highfields is extreme heat (score 5/10), with moderate exposure. Insurance signals for the suburb point to premiums rising moderately (+25% by 2030). These suburb-level signals help prioritise which properties need the closest look — the actual risk of any single home can only be confirmed with an address-level report.

Whether you are buying, selling or renovating in Highfields, extreme heat is the hazard to weigh first. Local council planning controls, state hazard mapping and lender climate policies each reference this kind of suburb-level signal, and property decisions in Highfields are increasingly made with an address-level climate report in hand.

Local Hazard Evidence

Distance to BushlandAdjacent to bushland areas
BAL Overlay / ZoneCheck NSW RFS website
Bushfire Prone AreaYes

Historical Events

2020
Major

Widespread bushfires impacted the region around Highfields, causing significant smoke haze and some property damage.

2013
Moderate

A bushfire near Highfields threatened properties, requiring residents to evacuate.

Adaptation & Mitigation Actions

Improve drainage infrastructure

Near-term

Upgrade drainage systems to handle increased rainfall intensity and reduce flood risk.

Est. cost: Medium

Implement bushfire management strategies

Immediate

Conduct regular fuel reduction burns and maintain firebreaks to protect properties from bushfires.

Est. cost: Medium

Develop a heatwave response plan

Near-term

Establish cooling centers and provide support to vulnerable residents during heatwaves.

Est. cost: Low

Promote water conservation

Long-term

Encourage residents to conserve water to reduce strain on water resources during droughts and heatwaves.

Est. cost: Low

Strengthen building codes

Long-term

Update building codes to require more resilient construction materials and designs that can withstand extreme weather events.

Est. cost: High

Council & Emergency Services

UNKNOWN
Emergency Services

Data last updated: 21 May 2026

Explore Highfields Risk Reports

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Highfields in a bushfire prone area?

Parts of Highfields may be designated as bushfire prone land. Based on available data, Highfields has a notable bushfire risk. Check your specific property for BAL ratings through ClimateNest or your local council.

What BAL rating applies to properties in Highfields?

BAL ratings in Highfields depend on the property's distance from classified vegetation, vegetation type, and slope. A site-specific assessment under AS 3959 is required to determine the exact BAL rating for any property within the suburb.

Does bushfire risk affect insurance in Highfields?

Yes, properties in bushfire-prone parts of Highfields may face higher building insurance premiums. Insurers assess bushfire risk based on BAL rating, fire history, and proximity to bushland. Some insurers may restrict cover in very high-risk locations.

What bushfire mitigation measures help protect homes in Highfields?

Effective bushfire mitigation includes maintaining cleared asset protection zones, using ember-proof mesh on vents, installing metal gutter guards, using non-combustible building materials, and maintaining defendable space. Consult the New South Wales fire authority for property-specific guidance.

What are the main climate risks in Highfields?

ClimateNest's suburb model rates Highfields's dominant climate risk as extreme heat at 5/10 on a 0–10 index, followed by damaging wind (4/10) and severe storm (4/10). These are suburb-level averages — an address-level report is needed to confirm the risk of a specific property in Highfields.

What share of Highfields is exposed to high surface flood risk?

ClimateNest's hazard overlay maps 15.1% of Highfields in high-risk zones for surface flood, with a further 68% in moderate-risk zones. Suburb-level exposure is not uniform — individual properties can differ from these averages, so an address-level check is recommended.

Is Highfields Safe from Climate Risk?

Enter your address below for an instant climate risk assessment for Highfields, New South Wales, covering flood, bushfire, sea level rise and more.

Free instant previewCSIRO-powered data

What A$69 could save you from

$7.2B
2022 insured disaster losses*
$300B+
climate risk to property by 2050*
30-120%
insurance premium increases in high-risk areas*

*Industry sources: ICA, APRA, RBA

Full report from A$69 · Australian addresses only · 8 hazard scores · Insurance trajectory · 2030 & 2050 projections