Firebreaks
Firebreaks must be installed and maintained from
November 30th to March 31st
Council requires property owners or occupiers of land greater than 3,000 square metres in area to clear flammable material firebreaks not less than 3 metres inside all external boundaries of a property.
During an emergency, fire fighting personnel and fire appliances (3.4 and 4.4 Heavy Tankers and Light Tankers) may utilise established firebreaks to access fires. As a guideline property owners or occupiers of land are requested, in addition to the existing 3 metre standard, to clear any flammable material or obstructions (overhanging branches of trees etc.) which may impede the travel of the fire fighting personnel and fire appliances.
Firebreak Inspections
Firebreak inspections are carried out during the period
December 1st to the March 31st inclusive
FIREBREAK NOTICE
Bush Fires Act 1954
Shire of Mundaring
Notice To All Owners And/Or Occupiers Of Land
Situated In The Shire Of Mundaring.
As a measure to assist in the control of bush fires, or preventing the spread or extension of a bush fire which may occur, all owners and occupiers of land within the Shire’s district are required before the 1st day of December in each year, or within 14 days of becoming the owner or occupier of land if after that date, to clear firebreaks or take measures in accordance with this notice and maintain those firebreaks and measures in accordance with this notice up to and including the 31st day of March in the following year.
Pursuant to the powers contained in Section 33 of the Bush Fires Act 1954, you are hereby required to clear of flammable material firebreaks not less than 3 metres in width, and 4 metres in height, immediately inside all external boundaries of any lot owned or occupied by you and situated within the Shire of Mundaring. Such firebreaks may be constructed by one or more of the following methods:
PLOUGHING, CULTIVATING, SCARIFYING, RAKING, BURNING, CHEMICAL SPRAYING OR OTHER APPROVED METHOD,
The following land categories are to be cleared and maintained to the satisfaction of an Authorised Officer of the Shire.
1. All land zoned Residential with a building on it.
· Maintain all grass on the land to a height no greater than 5cm.
· Prune trees and shrubs, and remove dead flammable material around all structures to provide a building protection zone.
· Ensure the roofs, gutters and walls of all buildings on the land are free of flammable matter.
On any lot having an area of less than 4,000m² with a dwelling constructed on it, where the lot is substantially developed (i.e. at least 75% cleared of natural vegetation), the keeping of grass on the lot at all times covered by this notice to a height less than 5 centimetres will be accepted in lieu of clearing a firebreak. For the purpose of Section 1 grass kept at a height of less than 5 centimetres will be deemed not to be flammable material.
2. All vacant land zoned Residential.
· Maintain all grass and dead flammable matter on the land to a height no greater than 5cm.
· Install a 3 metre wide firebreak immediately inside all external boundaries of the land by removing all flammable matter within that 3 metre wide firebreak to a height of 4 metres.
3. All land zoned other than Residential, with a building on it.
· Maintain all grass and clear dead flammable matter on the land to a height no greater than 5cm.
· Install a 3 metre wide firebreak around all structures and immediately inside all external boundaries of the land by removing all flammable matter within that 3 metre wide firebreak to a height of 4 metres.
· Prune trees and shrubs, and remove dead flammable material around all structures to provide a building protection zone.
· Ensure the roofs, gutters and walls of all buildings on the land are free of flammable matter.
· Maintain fuel loadings in natural bush areas at less than 8 tonnes per hectare across the land.
Note: On average, leaf litter accumulates at approximately 1 tonne per hectare per year.
4. All vacant land zoned other than Residential.
· Maintain all grass on the land to a height no greater than 5cm.
· Install a 3 metre wide firebreak immediately inside all external boundaries of the land and within 20 metres of any haystacks or stockpiled flammable material, by removing all flammable matter within that 3 metre wide firebreak to a height of 4 metres.
· Maintain fuel loadings in natural bush areas at less than 8 tonnes per hectare across the land.
Note: On average, leaf litter accumulates at approximately 1 tonne per hectare per year.
(For the definition of flammable material and Building Protection Zone please refer to the Shire of Mundaring Fire and Burning Information Booklet.
5. Livestock
If the land is stocked, the livestock must graze the grass down so that the grass is no greater than 5cm high prior to the end of December of that year.
6. Fuel Dumps and Depots.
Remove all inflammable matter within 10 metres of where fuel drums, fuel ramps or fuel dumps are located, and where fuel drums, whether containing fuel or not, are stored.
7. Application to vary the above requirements.
If it is considered impracticable for any reason whatsoever to clear firebreaks or establish other arrangements as required by this notice, you may apply in writing to the Shire of Mundaring not later than the 15th day of November each year for permission to provide firebreaks in alternative positions on the land. If permission is not granted in writing by the Shire you must comply with the requirements of this notice.
In addition, you may be required to carry out further works which are considered necessary by an Authorised Officer of the Shire and specified by way of a separate written notice forwarded to the address as shown on the Shire of Mundaring rates record for the relevant land.
TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 33(4) of the Bush Fires Act, where the owner or occupier of land who has received notice fails or neglects to comply with the requisitions of the notice within the time specified, the Shire of Mundaring may by its officers and with such servants, workmen and contractors, vehicles and machinery as the officers deem fit, enter upon the land and carry out the requisitions of the notice which have not been complied with and pursuant to Section 33(5) of the Bush Fires Act the amount of any costs and expenses incurred may be recovered from you as the owner or occupier of the land.
All firebreaks and other alternative arrangements allowed by the preceding parts of this notice must be established by the 30th day of November each year (or within 14 days of you becoming the owner or occupier should this occur after that date) and maintained clear of flammable material up to and including the 31st day of March each year.
If the requirements of this notice are carried out by burning, such burning must be in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Bush Fires Act.
THE PENALTY FOR FAILING TO COMPLY with this notice is a fine not exceeding $5,000 and a person in default is also liable whether prosecuted or not to pay the costs of performing the work directed by this notice if it is not carried out by the owner and/or occupier by the date required by this notice.
By order of the Council
Jonathan Throssell
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER