The State Fire Management Council is established under Section 14 of the Fire Service Act 1979 (Tasmania) as an independent body that has the responsibility of providing advice to the Minister and the State Fire Commission about the management of vegetation fire across Tasmania, particularly in the areas of prevention and mitigation of fires. It also formulates and promulgates policy in relation to vegetation fire management within Tasmania in relation to bushfire fuels and mitigation. Its primary function is to develop a State Vegetation Fire Management Policy that is used as the basis for all fire management planning.