Fire Breaks
Fire control concerns everyone in our community.
As Bunbury residents we are fortunate to live in proximity to a haven of natural bushland. However, embers from a bushfire can travel many kilometres and anyone can lose their home to an ember attack
Firebreaks help to reduce this risk and are a legal requirement under Section 33 of the Bush Fires Act 1954. See the Public Fire Notice below for a list of dates for restricted and prohibited burning times plus all the necessary information you need to ensure your property is compliant and not a Bush Fire Risk.
Where the area of the land is less than 2024 square metres:
Slash/mow all grass to a height no greater than 10 centimetres and remove all slashed materials and other flammable matter from the land.
Where the area of the land is greater than 2024 square metres:
Slash/mow all grass to a height no greater than 10 centimetres and remove all slashed materials and/or install a firebreak of three metres wide and four metres high, clear of all bush and flammable material along all external boundaries of the land.
Firebreaks must be a mineral earth firebreak or maintained living lawn with a continuous trafficable surface for a 4WD vehicle, clear of any obstructions and must not terminate in a dead end.
Firebreaks are intended to minimise the spread of a bushfire and provide safe access on your property for emergency vehicles.
Firebreaks are a legal requirement and failure to comply can result in a penalty of $250. All Rangers are Fire Control Officers and will be actively patrolling during Fire Season to ensure the safety of all our residents.
Where an owner or occupier fails to install or maintain a firebreak, the City will install the firebreak and recover the costs.
Additional things to help keep you safe from fire
There are many additional works that may be requested by Fire Control Officers, but we recommend all property owners consider anyway to further reduce the risk of fire and help you prevent unnecessary damage to your own property:
- ensure roofs and gutters of all buildings on the land are clear of flammable materials.
- remove accumulated fuel such as leaf litter, twigs, dead bushes and trees capable of
- fuelling a fire.
Visit DEFS and consider making a Bushfire Plan. It will take you five minutes and may help you further protect your home and family.
Total Fire Bans
Total Fire Bans are declared on days when fires will be very difficult to control and are most likely to threaten lives and property because there is extreme fire weather or widespread bushfires that are seriously stretching firefighting resources.
Total Fire Bans prohibit lighting open air fires which includes deliberately lit fires, burn offs, cooking with open-fire appliances or campfires; or carrying out business activities that could start a fire including incinerators, welding, grinding, soldering or gas cutting.
As of 2018 the State Government has increased penalties for anyone breaching a Total Fire Ban. An offence can incur an on-the-spot infringement of $1000. Repeat offenders or offences of a serious nature could result in prosecution with a fine of up to $25,000 and / or imprisonment for 12 months.
Visit the DFES website to find out more about Total Fire Bans.
Campfires, fire pits, barbecues and pizza ovens
While a permit is not required between 6 May and 31 October of each year, there are still conditions that must be observed.
No burning (including fire pits) is allowed on any day where the Fire Danger Rating (FDR) is high or above, and/or a Total Fire Ban is declared. You can visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au to find out the FDR at 4pm the day prior. Permits are required during the restricted burning period.
Council Policy also exists that prohibits any burning on land less that 20242m at any time. This would include a fire pit as it is an open flame burning off combustible materials. Pizza ovens and cooking appliances are fine but only as long as they are used for cooking.
None of these activities are permitted on any public land.
To apply for a permit to burn please visit the Burning Permits page on this website via the link below.