In 2014 the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC) contracted the Cube Group to provide an outline of how to approach the design and development of a new national fire danger rating system. The work produced represents the earliest thinking regarding the AFDRS.

In 2015 the Cube Group prepared further reports at the bequest of BNHCRC to analyse the costs and benefits of a new system and to generate an overall approach to its development. Although there has been further work both on costs and benefits and on design, these early documents provide the initial justification and guidance for the project.