Fire Hazard Reduction Notice

Dead Flammable Material (DFM)

Reduce and/or maintain all dead flammable material below 8 tonne per hectare (see definition FUEL LOAD).

Slashing

Slash, mow, or trim unmanaged grasses or dead grasses/weeds, dead shrubs, and dead plants to a height no greater than 50mm.

 

Clean Gutter Debris 

Gutters, roofs, and walls of all buildings to be free of flammable matter and maintained.

 

Asset Protection Zone (APZ)

Maintain a fuel reduced zone around all buildings or assets which extends 20 metres from the outermost point of the building or asset.

• Gutters, roofs, and walls of all buildings to be free of flammable matter and maintained.
• Fuel load within the 20-metre zone is reduced and maintained to no more than 2 tonne per hectare.
• Trees over 5 metres in height within the 20-metre zone to be under pruned up to 2 metres.
• Trees or shrubs within 2 metres of the asset shall be pruned to a height no greater than 2 metres and/or pruned away from the asset to a distance no greater than 2 metres.

Fire Breaks

Fire Breaks are to be installed or upgraded to:

• 3-metre-wide,
• 4-metre-high clearance,
• Continuous (no dead ends) and trafficable
• As close to as possible directly inside the entire perimeter of the land.

Maintained, reticulated living lawns that are kept completely green is acceptable in conjunction with, or in lieu of a fire break/s (see definition FIRE BREAK).

Dead Flammable Material (DFM)

Reduce and/or maintain all dead flammable material below 8 tonne per hectare (see definition FUEL LOAD).

Slashing

• If the land is an area above 5000m2 and less than 50,000m2 slash mow or trim unmanaged grasses or dead grasses/weeds and dead shrubs and plants to a height of 50mm. This is additional to Firebreak requirements.
• If the land is an area of 50,000m2 (5 hectares) or greater the grass must be maintained on the land to a height no greater than 50mm for a distance of 10 meters from any firebreak.
  

Asset Protection Zone (APZ)

Maintain a fuel reduced zone around all buildings or assets which extends 20 metres from the outermost point of the building or asset.

• Gutters, roofs, and walls of all buildings to be free of flammable matter and maintained.
• Fuel load within the 20-metre zone is reduced and maintained to no more than 2 tonne per hectare.
• Trees over 5 metres in height within the 20-metre zone to be under pruned up to 2 metres.
• Trees or shrubs within 2 metres of the asset shall be pruned to a height no greater than 2 metres and/or pruned away from the asset to a distance no greater than 2 metres.

You may be required to carry out further bushfire property preparedness works on your land to reduce any fire hazards considered necessary by a Community Bushfire Preparedness Officer. If required, these will be outlined in a ‘work order’ and sent to the address of the owner and/or occupier.

If you know, suspect or are unsure whether you live at a property with environmental sensitivities or you plan to clear part of your property you MUST enquire first with the relevant agencies or departments prior to starting any works. There is legislation in place to protect the environment and land in Western Australia and without prior approval or authorisation you may face penalties.

Download Guide for applying the Bushfire Risk Treatment Standards appendix 1 to identify which agency you may need to contact.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANS AND CITY APPROVED TREATMENT PLANS

All properties and/or land subject to a Bushfire Management Plan, Emergency Management Plan, or an approved Bushfire Attack Level assessment (BAL), as a result of subdivision, development application or a City approved treatment plan, must comply with the listed requirements in their entirety. Compliance with any additional plans does  not constitute compliance with this Notice.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND HERITAGE CONDITIONS

Any property subject to environmental and heritage value such as, but not limited to, Threatened Ecological Communities (TEC), Bush Forever sites, Declared Rare Flora and Fauna (DRF) sites and Aboriginal heritage sites, etc. should seek further information about what can or cannot be done prior to carrying out requirements under this Notice.

 

From 1 November until 31 March each year, all landowners and/or residents are subject to a fire hazard assessment against the Fire Hazard Reduction Notice by a Community Bushfire Preparedness Officer.

Officers aim to strategically assess properties across all suburbs within the City. After a fire hazard assessment is completed and fire hazards have been identified by the Community Bushfire Preparedness Officer, you may receive a work order which will outline the actions that need taking.

If you have any questions regarding property preparedness or regarding your work order, contact the City.

Landowners and/or occupiers can engage a contractor to conduct works as outlined on the current Fire Hazard Reduction Notice. It is the landowner and/or occupier’s responsibility to ensure the work is being completed in full and to the requirements on the Notice. It is suggested that the landowner and/or occupier advise the City that a contractor has been booked with the start and end dates to ensure compliance.

The City of Kalamunda has a Contractor List available that has been prepared to assist residents in the City of Kalamunda to meet their obligations as property owners and is for information only.
NOTE: The City accepts no liability, nor endorses or recommends any of the contractors on this list.
View/Download current Contractor List

The Notice is distributed and available:

• Each year with your Rates.
• On the City of Kalamunda website.
• At the City of Kalamunda libraries.
• At the City of Kalamunda recreation centres.
• At various community engagement events.
• At the City’s administration office front desk.

Property owners and residents are encouraged to read the Notice in full and keep it on hand in preparation for the fire hazard assessments that commence from 1 November each year.

 

Fire Break:

A strip of land free of all flammable and combustible material with the intention of preventing the outbreak of a bush fire and provides a visible safe access on the property for emergency vehicles and other firefighting operations. It is acceptable to install a firebreak around naturally occurring obstacles. Fire breaks may be constructed by one or more of the following methods: ploughing, cultivating, scarifying, raking, chemical spraying, or another method as approved by an Authorised Officer.

 

• Clearance must be no less than 3-metres wide and 4-metres in height inside and along all boundaries (including boundaries adjacent to roads, rail and drain reserves and all public open space reserves).
• Must not be more than 4-metres wide (further width extensions may be considered upon written application for approval to the City). Maintained, reticulated living lawns are lawns considered to be kept completely green. Driveways may be acceptable in conjunction with, or in lieu of, fire breaks. Contact a City Fire Officer for further assistance.
• Must have a corner turning radius of up to 10 metres.
• Must be a continuous trafficable surface for a 4WD vehicle, be clear of any obstructions and must not terminate in a cul-de-sac (dead end).
  

Fuel Load:

Can be live and dead vegetation that accumulates over time. This Notice refers only to dead vegetation.

Fine fuels include = leaf litter, grasses, weeds, twigs (up to 6mm diameter), bark etc.

Heavy (course) fuels include = branches, logs, stumps etc.

• A fuel load depth of 15mm (fine fuels) to the mineral earth is indicative of approximately 8 tonne per hectare. The more fuel load, the higher the flame height and increased fire intensity.
• Mulch piles, stored firewood and burn piles can contribute to fuel loading on land and must be stored safely away from assets, removed from the property, or actioned as directed by a Fire Officer.