Booking choice: The short Scenic World day. Book this Tour details
Most fire-season days in the Blue Mountains are ordinary sightseeing days. The lookouts are open, the tours run, and the haze makes the ridges look bluer than ever.
A few days are different. This post covers the rules in force for 2026-27, what changes on a total fire ban day, how to handle the heat, and the pages to check the night before.
The quick answer
The bush fire danger period runs from 1 October to 31 March. NSW National Parks has a park fire ban in Blue Mountains National Park from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027: no campfires or solid-fuel barbecues. On a total fire ban day no fire may be lit in the open, and NPWS can close parks when the risk is high. Check the RFS fire danger rating and the NPWS alerts page the evening before you go.
When is bush fire season in the Blue Mountains?
The statutory bush fire danger period runs from 1 October to 31 March. The NSW Rural Fire Service can change it locally.
The NSW Rural Fire Service says the statutory bush fire danger period "runs from 1 October to 31 March", and that it "may vary due to local conditions". NSW National Parks gives the same October to March window.
For fire danger ratings, the Blue Mountains council area sits in the RFS Greater Sydney Region. That is the area to look up on the RFS fire danger ratings page.
Hot summer days are also when the blue haze is strongest. CSIRO links it to compounds from the eucalypt forest, and says it is most noticeable on hot summer days.
What does the 2026-27 park fire ban mean for visitors?
No campfires and no wood, charcoal or other solid-fuel barbecues or stoves anywhere in Blue Mountains National Park, from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.
NPWS lists a Park Fire Ban for Blue Mountains National Park from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. Campfires and solid-fuel barbecues and stoves are prohibited. Gas and electric barbecues are allowed if an adult supervises them, the ground within 2 m is clear, and water is on hand. NPWS lists a few campgrounds as exempt, such as Euroka, and says total fire ban rules are different.
For a day tour, this barely registers. A packed lunch needs no fire, and nobody on a lookout platform is lighting one. It matters more if you are camping or cooking your own lunch in a picnic area. The park is also a no-smoking area, as NPWS points out.
| Rule | Park fire ban (1 Oct 2026 to 31 Mar 2027) | Total fire ban day |
|---|---|---|
| Campfires | Not allowed (some campgrounds exempt) | Not allowed anywhere in the open |
| Wood, charcoal and other solid-fuel barbecues | Not allowed | Not allowed outside |
| Gas and electric barbecues | Allowed with adult supervision, 2 m clear and water at hand | Stricter rules; check the RFS list |
| Park access | Open, apart from listed closures | NPWS may close parks when the risk is high |
| Where to check | NPWS alerts | RFS ratings and bans |
What happens on a total fire ban day?
No fire may be lit in the open, anywhere in the declared area. NPWS can also close parks, and those closures appear on the alerts page.
The RFS Commissioner declares a total fire ban for days when fires are likely to escape and be hard to contain. NPWS says the decision is usually made around 5 pm, and the ban runs for the next day, from midnight, for 24 hours. During it "no fire may be lit in the open".
The RFS total fire ban rules ban solid-fuel barbecues outside. A gas barbecue is allowed only under strict conditions, including an adult present at all times, nothing flammable within 2 m, water to hand, and a location within 20 m of a home or in an approved picnic area.
For visitors, the bigger issue is access. NSW National Parks says it "may declare a park fire ban or even close parks and reserves" where the risk to visitors from fire is high. If tracks or areas close, they go on the alerts page.
| RFS fire danger rating | What the RFS says | For a Blue Mountains day |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Plan and prepare | Go as planned; carry water |
| High | Be ready to act | Go, but check alerts the night before |
| Extreme | Take action now to protect your life and property | Ask your operator; expect changes to walks |
| Catastrophic | For your survival, leave bush fire risk areas | Stay in Sydney and move your date |
Do Blue Mountains tours still run in fire season?
Yes. Tours run through the summer, and several listings say they run in all weather. On the worst days, guides change the route or the operator may cancel.
Fire season is also the busy summer season, and the tours keep going. Several listings, including the waterfall walk day and the Scenic World, wildlife and cruise day, say they run in all weather. If a lookout or track is closed, the guide swaps it for another, as they already do for the current track closures.
Every tour on this site cancels free up to 24 hours before. After that, several listings state there are no refunds, so look at the forecast rating two days out, not on the morning. If the rating for the Greater Sydney Region is Catastrophic, the RFS advice is to leave bush fire risk areas. Spend that day in Sydney.
On a hot day, a shorter trip makes sense. The short Scenic World day is back in Sydney after about seven hours, and much of it is on the rides, the boardwalk and at lookouts, not on long bushwalks.
Hot forecast? The short Scenic World day covers the Three Sisters, Scenic World, Cahill's Lookout and Leura, and is back in Sydney in about seven hours.
Book thisHow hot does it get, and how much water should you carry?
Katoomba's January average maximum is 23.4 °C, a little cooler than Sydney, but hot days happen. Carry more water than you think you need.
The Bureau of Meteorology's Katoomba station, at 1,017 m, records a mean January maximum of 23.4 °C, against 26.0 °C in Sydney. Averages hide the spikes, and the walks are where heat hurts. The Wentworth Falls track has about 200 steps to climb back up.
The NSW Police bush safety guide says to pack extra water, drink plenty in hot weather, avoid overexertion and rest often. It warns that hyperthermia can be fatal. Some listings, including the waterfall walk day, ask you to bring a reusable water bottle, and the secluded lookouts tour asks for a hat and sunscreen in summer.
Mobile reception is patchy below the cliffs. NPWS suggests the Emergency Plus app, and 000 in an emergency.
Where do you check fire danger and park closures before you go?
The RFS fire danger rating for the Greater Sydney Region, the Fires Near Me map or the Hazards Near Me app, and the NPWS alerts page.
Three checks cover it, ideally the evening before. Ratings and bans are set each afternoon for the following day.
| Check | What it tells you | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fire danger rating and total fire bans | Tomorrow's rating for the Greater Sydney Region, and any ban | RFS ratings and bans |
| Fires and warnings | Fires burning now, with warning levels, on a map | RFS Fires Near Me |
| Phone alerts | Fire and flood warnings for places you choose; the app formerly called Fires Near Me NSW | Hazards Near Me NSW |
| Park closures and fire bans | Closed parks, tracks and the park fire ban | NPWS alerts |
| Roads | Closures and detours, including Victoria Pass | Live Traffic NSW |
Frequently asked questions
When is bush fire season in the Blue Mountains?
The statutory bush fire danger period runs from 1 October to 31 March, and the RFS can change it for local conditions. NSW National Parks gives the same October to March window.
Can you have a campfire in Blue Mountains National Park this summer?
No, apart from a few exempt campgrounds. A park fire ban from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027 bans campfires and solid-fuel barbecues and stoves. On a total fire ban day no fire may be lit in the open.
Is the Blue Mountains closed on total fire ban days?
Not automatically. NSW National Parks may close parks when the fire risk to visitors is high, and lists any closures on its alerts page. Check it the evening before.
Should I cancel my Blue Mountains tour on a Catastrophic fire danger day?
Yes. The RFS advice for Catastrophic is to leave bush fire risk areas. Tours here cancel free up to 24 hours before, so check the forecast rating two days out.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option.
Waterfall Walk & Three Sisters Day Tour
- Minibus from Haymarket, back around 5:30 p.m.
- Guided 90-minute waterfall walk
- Three Sisters and valley lookouts
Wild Kangaroos & Sunset, Late Start
- Van pickup at Circular Quay, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. by season
- Guided bushwalks with easier options
- Pie lunch from Mountain High Pies
