NOTICE:  Variation to the Restricted Burning Times

The City of Albany has amended the restricted burning periods for the north east and south west sectors and are opening the:

• North East Sector:  20 April 2023
• South West Sector:  1 May 2023

Dates for the prohibited and restricted burning times may change depending on prevailing weather conditions, so please check this website regularly for any changes.

City land owners or occupiers will no longer be required to obtain a permit to burn on or after these dates but are required to burn responsibly and follow the guidelines provided at www.dfes.wa.gov.au

Fire Management Notice 

Download your 2022/2023 Fire Management Notice here.

Managing the risk of bushfire is a shared responsibility: local government, state government agencies and the community all need to do their part. This page contains important information on what you need to do to ensure your property is well prepared for the threat of bushfire.

Every year the City of Albany issues a Fire Management Notice that outlines the minimum requirements for all land owners and occupiers to prepare for the bush fire season. The Fire Management Notice is issued under Section 33 of the Bush Fire Act 1954 and the requirements contained within  are required by law. Non-compliance with the notice may result in penalties up to $5,000 per offence.

In past years the Fire Management Notice would be included with the delivery of the rates notice. However this year the notice is to be published in the local paper, on radio and through electronic media for the 2022/2023 fire season.

The fire mitigation measures must be completed and remain in place for the following times (unless otherwise advertised):

1 October to 30 April in the north east sector of the City (east of Manypeaks) See Variation to Restricted Burning Times

1 December to 14 May in the south west sector of the City (west of Manypeaks).  See Variation to Restricted Burning Times

Variation to Fire Management Requirements

The City recognises that in some instances, land owners or occupiers may not physically be able to meet all of the fire management measures listed in the Fire Management Notice.

If this your situation, you must apply for a Variation to Fire Management Requirements to implement alternative fire mitigation measures. 

Your application must include supporting evidence of your capacity to prevent the start and spread of bushfire, which are at least as effective as the measures required in the Notice.

A Variation may be considered for the following reasons:

• Property is steep and inaccessible and the installation of firebreaks or other fire mitigation measures would be dangerous or impractical.
• Areas of rocky outcrops or cap stone naturally reduces the fire risk or prevents fire breaks from being installed.
• Parts of the property is permanently water logged. (If only seasonally water logged, the Fire Management Requirements must be met as soon as the area has dried out sufficiently.)
• Clearing of vegetation is likely to impact upon areas of declared rare flora or environmentally sensitive areas as defined under the Environmental Protection (Clearing of Native Vegetation) Regulations 2004.
• Building positioning on block prevents the installation of an Asset Protection Zone of the required size.
• For properties over 50ha that are bona fide agricultural operations:
  • the grazing of stock that results in grassland being maintained at a height of 50mm or less;
  • seasonal cropping that results in low fuel load being maintained. (Please note that the fire management requirements relating to Agricultural and Machinery Operations must be complied with.); and/or
  • heavy machinery available on the property to prevent the spread of fire (e.g. bulldozer, grader, plough, scarifier or front end loader).

Where a variation has been approved, any special conditions that have been placed on the variation must be complied with. Any requirements stipulated in the Notice for which a variation has not been granted must still be met.

How to apply for a variation:

• Fill in a Variation to Fire Management form  (Please note that incomplete applications will not be processed.)
• Include a detailed, legible map showing alternative fire mitigation measures
• Applications can only be made by land owners or by a person authorised to act on their behalf.
• The City will notify the applicant in writing of the outcome of the application.
• Where a fire management plan is provided as part of the application, it must be completed by an accredited Bushfire Planning and Design (BPAD) practitioner. Visit the Fire Protection Association (FPA) Australia at http://www.fpaa.com.au/bpad/practitioners.aspx to contact a BPAD practitioner.

Property Mitigation Requirements

Asset protection zones:

All properties are to ensure that there is an Asset Protection Zone (APZ) around all habitable buildings.

An Asset Protection Zone is at least a 20 metre area (as far as practicable) within a property boundary  to reduce the bushfire hazard and create a defendable space.

If the development of you property includes APZ conditions, those conditions must be adhered to.

For all other properties the following applies:

• Fine Fuel (combustible dead vegetation matter less than 6 millimetres in thickness) is to be reduced to and maintained at an average of two tonnes per hectare.
• Branches that have the potential fall on the house must be removed
• Clearance of 2.5 metres between trees and power lines.

Vegetable gardens, tended lawns, landscaped gardens and trees are acceptable if they are maintained. Fine fuel and dead vegetation must be reduced that in opinion of an inspecting COA officer it does not constitute an unacceptable fire risk

Additional information and recommendations on how prepare your property for the fire season can be found at www.dfes.wa.gov.au

Property Specific Requirements

The size and zoning of your property influences the type of mitigation measures you are required to enact. 

If you're unsure about the zoning of your property, visit the City's online map module.

 

 

 

 

 

Fire Breaks

For more information about constructing and maintaining your fire breaks download the DFES Guide to Constructing and Maintaining Fire Breaks.

Perimeter Fire Breaks

Perimeter fire breaks are required on properties larger than 4,000m2.

• Fire breaks must be 3 metres wide with 4 metres vertical clearance.
• The land must be ploughed, cultivated, scarified, chemically sprayed, slashed or otherwise cleared to a maximum vegetation height of 50mm.
• Any overhanging branches, trees, shrubs must be cleared to a vertical height of 4m over the designated fire break.
• A perimeter fire break should be constructed as close as possible to the property boundary and must be placed within 20 metres of the property boundary.
• Fire breaks longer than 400m should include a fire appliance turning area of at least 10 metre diameter at appropriate locations to allow fire vehicles to safely exit a property.

Hazard Specific Fire Breaks

If you have any of the following on your property, regardless of the property size, fire breaks must be constructed around them as follows:

• Green power domes –3 metre fire break
• Wood heaps and hay stacks – 3 metre fire break
• Fuel storage areas – 3 metre fire break
• Garden refuse piles – 3 metre fire break
• Power poles - 2.5 metre fire break

Fire Break Standards are Your Responsibility

If a contractor has been engaged to install fire breaks on a property, the landowner/occupier is responsible for ensuring that the fire break meets the required standards.

Strategic Fire Access Route (Strategic Fire Break)

A Strategic Fire Access Route (SFAR), previously referred to as Strategic Fire Break, is both a major fire access road and a major fire break designed to allow a heavy duty fire appliance to access properties.

Where a SFAR is located on your property, you will be required to install and maintain it, to the satisfaction of the City.

SFAR do not replace the requirement for individual perimeter fire breaks unless this is specified in an approved Bushfire Management Plan or Scheme plan .

The SFAR must not be obstructed by buildings, fences, tree planting and so on. Unlocked gates are to be provided on property boundaries where the SFAR crosses.

Strategic Fire Access Routes must meet the following conditions:

• be a minimum of 6m wide
• be maintained clear of all fire fuel
• have an all-weather trafficable surface of at least 4m
• have a vertical clearance of at least 4.5m
• include a turning area (minimum radius of 10m) approximately every 500m
• have places installed every 100m, which should be 20m long and 6m wide.

Details of the locations of SFARs are included in Bushfire Management Plans and sub-division guide plans or can be obtained from the City of Albany Planning Department.

Bushfire Management Plans

Where an approved Bushfire Management Plan is in place, all properties covered by the Plan are to comply with the conditions of that Plan.

This includes maintenance of all strategic fire access tracks, emergency access ways and fire service access routes that may be present on your property. If you are unsure if your property is covered by a Bushfire Management Plan, please contact the City of Albany Planning Department.

Please note that a Bush Fire Management plan approved by the City can be used to set the standard for or vary the fire management notice for an individual property or for a number of properties.

If you are unsure if your property is covered by a Bushfire Management Plan, please contact the City of Albany.

Bush Fire Prone Areas

Houses located in bush fire prone areas constructed after April 2016, or any extensions built from that time, must comply with the Department of Planning’s State Planning Policy 3.7. These dwellings shall comply with the definition of APZ as per section A2.1 of the Department of Planning’s Guidelines for Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas.

For more information visit the Department of Planning website.

A map of bush fire prone areas is available on the DFES website.

For more information visit the Department of Fire & Emergency Services Building Protection Zone webpage.

Inspections and Compliance

Officers authorised under the Bush Fire Act 1954 will be conducting inspections during the fire season to ensure compliance. 

Officers and contractors can legally enter your property for this purpose.

If you have concerns about a property not being compliant during the fire season, please contact the City of Albany on 6820 3000 or through the "Report It" online form.

Limitations and Clarifications

The Fire Management Notice is intended to be the minimum requirements a landowner or occupier is to enact. The clearing of native or protected bush may require additional approval.

The is beyond the notice to:

• Wholesale clear above the requirements of the notice,
• Force neighbour's to trim overhanging branches,
• Create a protection zone outside of your property boundary,
• Lower BAL conditions on neighbouring land,