Park closures / other alerts
Park and Track alerts – DBCA alerts on temporary closures of parks trails and roads or recreation areas (due to recent bushfires etc) and Bibbulmun Track conditions and updates.
Bushfire alerts – The bushfire season in the South West runs from November to April. Avoid walking trails through forests or coastal scrub in the hottest months, especially during periods of High to Catastrophic fire danger.
Be aware of the Fire Danger Ratings system; know the fire danger ratings 4-day forecast; and before you go near bushland on any hot and windy day check Emergency WA for Alerts of wildfires and prescribed burns, bushfire and smoke, and park closures. Also see the Bushwalking Manual (courtesy Bushwalking Victoria) for safety info. on bushfires and responding to other emergencies.
Prescribed burn alerts – Before heading out for a bushwalk check DBCA’ s “Today’s Burns” page to find out about burns due to start and those already in progress.See separate page on WalkGPS.
Unexploded Ordnance (‘UXO’) – Avon Valley National Park was the site of a former Department of Defence Artillery Training Area (1958-1966) and may still be contaminated with unexploded mortar bombs and artillery projectiles. UXOs have been found in the past. Park signs alert walkers to the Risk Areas. Off-track walking is allowed through the area and there is negligible risk provided walkers do not attempt to touch, handle, remove, or disturb in any way any UXO (or suspected UXO) that they may rarely come across.
Also see smartphone apps.