A NEW Fire Danger Rating System (FDRS) effect from this week will seek to simplify decision–making for households and provide a more accurate appraisal of conditions in the local area.

The refined four–tier system will replace the six–tier warning system previously visible along roadsides and online through the CFA website from September 1.

New ratings of moderate, high, extreme and catastrophic fire danger are designed to create a clearer approach to managing fire danger and risk, with clear and concise instructions for each escalation, such as:

• Moderate – plan and prepare;

• High – be ready to act;

• Extreme – take action now to protect life and property; and

• Catastrophic – for your survival, leave bushfire risk areas.

CFA state deputy chief officer Alen Slijepcevic said the new nation–wide system would unify key safety messaging and could provide a detailed synopsis of anticipated fire behaviour tailored to regions within a fire district.

"Agencies provide information on fuel hazards across the landscape and terrain and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) inputs their modelling on what the weather will be like ove...