Fire Regulations

Pursuant to the powers contained in Section 33 of the Bush Fires Act 1954 you are required to carry out fire prevention work on land owned or owned and occupied by you in accordance with the provisions of this Notice, to the satisfaction of Council or its duly authorised officers. This work must be carried out by 17 November or within 14 days of becoming the owner or owner occupier, should this be after that date and kept maintained throughout the summer months until 31 May. All properties are to be fire safe by 17 November. Rangers will inspect all properties from 18 November to ensure they comply with Council’s requirements.

Occupied or unoccupied land less than 4000m²

If your property is less than 4000m² then you are required to;

• Have the entire property clear of all flammable materials except for living standing trees
• Mow, slash, whipper snip to a height of no more than 4 cm
• Plough, cultivate, scarify or chemical spray, followed by slashing to 4cm or other approved method by the City.
• This includes the canal walls of properties situated in the various canal developments within the City of Mandurah boundaries.

Occupied or unoccupied land 4000m² and over

When the area of land is 4000m² and over, provide a trafficable mineral earth firebreak of 4 metres wide, with a height clearance of 4.2 metres:

• Inside all external boundaries on the property
• Surrounding all outbuildings erected on the property
• Surrounding haystacks, fuel storage or other flammable materials.

NOTE: A 4 metre firebreak may not be sufficient on properties with dense vegetation. Owners may be required to thin vegetation out to the satisfaction of the City to reduce any significant fire risk.

All properties within the City of Mandurah are inspected for fire safety.

All blocks less than 4000m² must:

• Remove any dead wood, dry grass and flammable material on the property.
• Cut all grass down to no higher than 4cm over the entire area of the property.
• Do not remove any living, standing trees and bushes
• This includes the canal walls of properties situated in the various canal developments within the City of Mandurah boundaries.

City of Mandurah Downloads

All owners and/or the occupiers of land in the district are required to carry out fire prevention work in accordance with the requisitions of this Notice by 30 November each calendar year or within 14 days of the date of becoming the owner or occupier of the land, should this be after 30 November each year. All work required by this Notice is to be maintained until 30 April in the following calendar year. The work required by this Notice is based on the land size and zoning.

Residential Zoned Land

Where the area of land is 4000m2 in size, a 3 metre wide fire break or less, all flammable material on the entire property shall be reduces and maintained to a heath of less than 5 cm. Where the area is more than 4001m2 in size, a three metre wide fire break shall be installed or constructed immediately inside all boundaries of the land also immediately surrounding all buildings situated on the land.

Rural Zoned Land

A fire break of at least 3 metres wide is to be constructed as close as practicable, but within 50 metres of the boundaries of the land, where the land abuts all made roads or railway reserves.

If the rural land adjoins any other type of zoned land a fire break of at lest 3 metres wide shall be constructed. Fire breaks of at lest 3 metres wide shall be constructed around buildings, sheds, haystacks and fuel depots.

Shire of Murray Downloads

Important information relating to your responsibility as a landholder in the Shire of Waroona. With reference to section 33 of the Bush Fires Act, 1954, you are required to carry out fire prevention work on land owned or occupied by you in accordance with the provisions of this order.

This work must be carried out on or before November 17th and kept maintained throughout the summer months until the close of Restricted Burning Period.

Urban Land

Land owned or occupied by you within the Waroona town site you shall:

1. Where an area is less than 2500 square metres you must remove all flammable material and the land except living trees, from the whole land
2. Where the area exceeds 2500 square metres you must provide fire breaks of at lest three metres wide immediately inside all areas external boundaries of the land and also immediately surrounding all buildings situated on the land. Where several adjoining lots are held or used by the owner/occupier, the fire breaks may be provided inside, along the external boundaries of the group lots

Rural Land

Fire breaks not less that 3 metres wide and four metres vertical must be provided in the following positions.

1. Within 60 metres inside and along the boundaries of all land including that which is uncleared, so as to form a continuous break around the holding
2. Not more than 100 metres and not less than 20 metres from the perimeter of buildings, haystacks and fuel installations

An inspection of fire breaks and hazard removal will be carried out in all areas of the Shire by authorised Officers on or after November 17th. Persons who fail to comply with the requirements of this order may be issued with an infringement notice (penalty $250) or prosecuted with an increased penalty, and additionally, Council may carry out required work at cost to the owner or occupier.

If it is considered for any reason to be impractical to clear fire breaks as required as required by this notice or natural features render fire breaks unnecessary you may apply to the council or its duly authorised officer not later than the 1st day of November for permission to provide fire breaks in alternative positions (strategic breaks) or to take alternative action to abate fire hazards on the land. If permission is not granted by the council or its duly authorised officer, you shall comply with the requirements of this notice. 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.

Shire of Waroona Downloads