If your property is covered by the Bushfire Prone Area (BPA) or Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) you may be eligible to apply for a permit to burn for:
- fuel reduction reasons
- excess vegetation or topography issues.
To find out if your property is covered by the BPA or BMO use the Planning Report Tool by visiting the Planning Victoria website.
Applications are assessed on a case by case basis. Council officers will undertake a risk assessment of your property, taking the following into account:
- size of the land
- ability of the landowner to remove the vegetation via more appropriate methods,
- proximity to other landowners and
- risk of smoke nuisance
- potential for the fire to spread
- fire suppression equipment at the location.
Permits are subject to certain conditions, relating to fire size and location and are subject to the general conditions. Please make sure you are aware of all permit conditions, as a breach in a condition of the permit may result in the permit being revoked and infringements issued.
An authorised officer can request for a fire to be extinguished if it is deemed to be a health or safety risk even if a permit has been issued.