THE state government has awarded 28 local governments more than $3.3 million to undertake vital bushfire mitigation work to protect Western Australia’s communities and environment from the risk of bushfires.

Among those funded are the Shire of Mundaring allocated $456,819, Shire of Chittering $84,565, Shire of Gingin $251,236 and Shire of Northam $152,333.

The funding will help local governments reduce bushfire fuel loads, create firebreaks and improve access for firefighters.

Close to 550 mitigation treatments including mechanical works, firebreaks and planned burns will be undertaken on state-owned and local government-managed land across metropolitan and regional areas, including high-risk areas in the Perth Hills and Wheatbelt.

The funding is provided through the state government’s mitigation activity fund (MAF), with more than $65m invested through the scheme since 2017.

The grant allocation is in addition to the $3.1m in the 2025-26 state budget to expand the Department of Fire and Emergency Services’ state bushfire mitigation branch which works across bushfire risk.

Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia said WA was experiencing more extreme bushfire seasons and about 93 per cent of the state was bushfire prone.

“Last season, more than 3500 bushfires across the state burnt more than 400,000 hectares.

“The Bushfire mitigation activity fund is crucial in helping local governments all over WA safeguard their communities.

“Bushire mitigation work has a low impact on the environment and reduces the fuel available to burn, slowing down the spread of bushfires and assisting firefighters to bring them under control early.”