Obviously beekeepers should always exercise caution when using a smoker, however the use of a bee smoker is listed as a standard exemption to Total Fire Bans. When a Total Fire Ban is declared, the following conditions apply, and it should be noted that sometimes a Total Fire Ban order might specify that bee smokers may not be used. 11. Bee hive smokers Fire lit, maintained or used in connection with the management of bees and bee hives, provided that: the fire is lit, maintained and used in a bee hive smoker that is commercially available, made of metal and designed to prevent the escape of fire, and the fuel for the bee hive smoker is lit inside a building or vehicle by a responsible adult person and the smoker is sealed prior to leaving the building or vehicle and being taken to the hives, and fire is not permitted to escape from the bee hive smoker, and the bee hive smoker is under the supervision of a responsible adult person at all times while it is alight, and the fuel for the bee hive smoker is totally extinguished inside a building or vehicle by the responsible adult person at the completion of use of the smoker. Please refer to the RFS website for more information: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fdr-and-tobans/schedule-of-standard-exemptions-to-total-fire-bans The NSW Rural Fire Service can be contacted on 1800 679 737 for clarification on any given day.