The NSW Government has introduced legislation to transfer ownership of around 6,000 Rural Fire Service firefighting vehicles from local councils to the NSW Rural Fire Service, as part of a major overhaul of the state’s emergency fleet management system.
The Rural Fires Amendment (Fire Fighting Fleet) Bill 2026 was introduced to NSW Parliament on 23 September 2026.
If passed, ownership of the RFS “red fleet” will begin transferring from councils to the RFS from 1 July 2027.
$470 Million Investment Over 10 Years
The transition is backed by a $470 million investment over 10 years, aimed at improving fleet maintenance, reliability and long-term vehicle management.
Under the existing system, many RFS vehicles are legally owned by local councils even though they are operated and managed by the Rural Fire Service.
The proposed changes are designed to align ownership more closely with operational responsibility and establish more consistent statewide fleet standards.
The change also follows earlier parliamentary scrutiny of the existing ownership model.
A NSW parliamentary inquiry previously found that requiring councils to account for depreciation and other costs associated with RFS “red fleet” assets was increasingly impractical and recommended transferring those assets to the RFS.
Up to Eight Regional Maintenance Hubs
A major part of the reform will be the establishment of a network of up to eight regional maintenance hubs across NSW.
More than $29 million will be invested over two years to establish the network.
The hubs are expected to provide centralised maintenance and servicing for RFS vehicles while creating regional employment and apprenticeship opportunities.
The Government says councils and local mechanical workshops may continue to play a role in vehicle maintenance where appropriate.
A previous government response to the parliamentary inquiry acknowledged the importance of local workshops and committed to considering their continued involvement in future fleet servicing arrangements.
$106 Million for Maintenance and Safety Upgrades
A further $106 million over four years will be directed towards critical maintenance and safety improvements across the RFS fleet.
The investment is intended to improve vehicle reliability and establish a more consistent approach to lifecycle management, replacing the current system in which maintenance arrangements can vary between council areas.
The NSW Government says local councils will be consulted throughout the transition, including on existing maintenance arrangements and opportunities for local involvement.
Councils to Retain Broader Bushfire Responsibilities
While ownership of firefighting vehicles would move to the RFS, councils would continue to have responsibilities in areas such as bushfire prevention, hazard reduction and emergency management.
The reform is focused specifically on fleet ownership and management rather than removing the broader role of local government in bushfire preparedness.
Previous reviews of the system found that changes to vehicle ownership needed to be carefully separated from other RFS assets, including buildings, water tanks and equipment that may remain vested in councils.
Transfer Planned From July 2027
The Government plans to work with councils over the coming months to prepare for the proposed transfer.
If the legislation passes, the new ownership arrangements are scheduled to begin from 1 July 2027.
The reform represents one of the largest changes to NSW RFS fleet management in decades, covering approximately 6,000 firefighting and support vehicles and introducing a more centralised approach to ownership, servicing and long-term asset management.
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