Bush Fire Control & Prevention

The following information is abbreviated from Council’s policies on fire control. 

Burning Times    

 

Restricted Burning Times

  • 30th September to 31st October and
  • 15th February to 31st March inclusive

Prohibited Burning Times

  • 1st November to 14th February inclusive

Burning on Sundays and Public Holidays

There will be no burning within the Shire of Bruce Rock on a Sunday or gazetted public holiday during the restricted burning period. (30th September - 31st October and 15th February - 31st March).

The Chief Bush Fire Control Officer and Deputy Chief Bush Fire Control Officer, may also, at their discretion place a ban on burning on other days if they deem sufficient emergency fire services may not be available within the Shire.

Example would include;

  • Easter Saturday
  • When volunteers have been called to assist at a fire ground in another Shire or district.

High

 

 

Burning Permits

All Burning Permits are to be applied for via the online application form. No Permits are to exceed four days. Applicants will be advised of their approval or rejection within two business days. If you are unable to complete the online application form, please contact the Shire Office on 9061 1377.

The conditions and obligations of the fire permit holder are listed in brief in the application form, and in full on the signed permit.

The Shire of Bruce Rock reserve the right to cancel any open permits at their discretion. Permit holders will be contacted if this occurs.

Burning Permit Application

Harvest and Movement of Machinery Ban

Harvest bans will be placed after tests are completed by the Fire Weather Officers or their representatives.

37 on the Fire Behaviour Index (FBI) is considered high by the Shire of Bruce Rock and therefore a Harvest and Movement of Machinery Ban shall be placed when a reading on the FBI is at or above 37.

A SMS will be sent notifying of the placing or lifting of any bans, and the information will be posted on the Shire’s Facebook page. To register for SMS notifications, please complete the form found here.

When a fire, harvest related or not, breaks out within or extremely close to the Shire of Bruce Rock, an immediate harvest ban will be placed following consultation with the CBFCO or a delegated person. If the CDFCO or DCBFCO cannot be contacted, the ban will be placed at the discretion of the CEO or DCEO.

Movement of vehicles in paddocks can occur during a harvest ban if the movement is for tending of livestock and there are two able bodied persons and at least 400L of water.

Fire Breaks

Pursuant to the powers contained in Section 33 of the Bushfires Act 1954, you are hereby required on or before 25th October and thereafter up to and including 31st March to have firebreaks clear of all inflammable material in accordance with the following;

a. Rural lands, being all land outside townsites, fire breaks are required to be:

    1. Not less than 2.5 wide for each 440ha area inside, and within 10 metres of the external boundaries.
    2. Not less than 2.5 metres wide and within three metres of the perimeter of all boundaries and/or haystacks, or groups of buildings.

b. Townsite land, meaning all land within the gazetted townsites of Bruce Rock, Ardath, Babakin and Shackleton are required to:

    1. Where the area of land is 2,000sqm or less: all inflammable materials from the whole of the land are to be slashed, ploughed, scarified, cultivated or chemically treated so to negate any potential fire hazard. All vegetation must be at a maximum height of 10cm, and all slashed material must be removed.
    2. Where the area of land is more than 2,000sqm: A firebreak of not less than 2.5 metres in width immediately surrounding any building but not less than three metres inside, along and within two metres of the external boundaries of the land is required. Firebreaks must be constructed and contained within the property. Footpaths, road verges, and roads will not be accepted as fire breaks.

c. Fuel pumps and depots must remove all inflammable material from all land where fuel drum ramps or dumps are located and where fuel drunks, whether containing fuel or not, are stored      to a distance of at least five metres outside the perimeter of any drum, ramp, or stack of drums.