When a fire is burning, it is given a class rating from 1 to 3.

Class 0 - A non-bushfire activity such as a motor vehicle accident

Class 1 - A bushfire under the control of the responsible fire authority, which may include the provision of low level assistance by another agency

Class 2 - A bushfire involving more than one agency and where the local Bush Fire Management Executive have appointed a person to take charge of firefighting operations

Class 3 - Major bush fire(s) involving a number of agencies and requiring out of area resources. The declaration under Section 44 of the Rural Fires Act, 1997 has been made or is imminent giving the RFS Commissioner coordination of the incident through an appointed Incident Controller