Burning and Permits

Below is information on burning permits in Frankston City

Applying for a Permit to Burn 

Permit Fees

• Residential Permits - $71 per year
• Commercial Permits - $290 per year

Please note that Permit to Burn application fees are non-refundable even if the permit application is rejected. Please make sure you read the below eligibility conditions and consult Frankston City Council on 1300 322 322 if you are unclear about any of the restrictions.

Apply for a Residential - Permit to Burn

Apply for a Commercial - Permit to Burn

Before applying please be aware of the following:

Properties less than 1,600 square metres:

Burning off is not permitted on properties less than 1,600 square meters in total land size.

Residents of properties less than 1.600 square metres should take advantage of other green waste disposal options including the Frankston Regional Recycling and Recovery Centre or the Green Waste Bin service. 

Some fires are allowed on all land types and sizes if conducted safely. These include:

• A barbecue, pizza oven or other properly constructed appliance while it is being used for cooking food
• A fire in a brazier or chimenea while it is being used for heating however only clean, dry and untreated wood is permitted to be burnt.
• A tool of trade while being used for the purpose for which it was designed
• A fire lit during the course of duty by a member of a fire and emergency services agency

You should always look for alternatives to burning off to reduce the impact upon others. Even if the burning off is legal, you should always consider the needs of others and ensure that any impact of the fire is minimal. An authorised officer may request for the fire to be extinguished if it is deemed to be a health or safety risk.

Properties from 1,600 square metres up to 20,000 square metres in total land size:

Residents that need to burn off for fuel reduction reasons, excess vegetation or topography issues may apply for a Permit to Burn if the property is covered by the Bushfire Prone Area (BPA) or Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO).

To find out if your property is covered by the BPA or BMO check the Planning Report Tool of the Planning Victoria website:

• Planning Victoria - Planning Report Search

A Permit to Burn application is assessed on a case by case basis. A Council officer undertakes a risk assessment of the applicant’s property taking into account issues such as the size of the land, the ability of the landowner to remove the vegetation via more appropriate methods, the proximity to other landowners and the risk of smoke nuisance. Also taken into account is the potential for the fire to spread and 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 below. The permit holder should make sure they 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.

Properties greater than 20,000 square metres in total land size

A Permit to Burn is still required for properties larger than 20,000 square metres. A Permit to Burn application is assessed on a case by case basis. A Council officer undertakes a risk assessment of the applicant’s property taking into account issues such as the size of the land, the ability of the landowner to remove the vegetation via more appropriate methods, the proximity to other landowners and the risk of smoke nuisance. Also taken into account is the potential for the fire to spread and 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 below. The permit holder should make sure they 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 may request for the fire to be extinguished if it is deemed to be a health or safety risk even if a permit has been issued.

General Conditions:

• The Permit must be in the  physical possession of the person performing the burn-off;
• Not less than 24 hours or more than 7 days before commencement of burning a notice of intention to burn shall be given to each owner or occupier of land contiguous to the area to be burned;
• A suitable fire break be prepared around the perimeter of the area being burned that is not less than 3 metres wide and cleared of all flammable materials;
• Every reasonable precaution shall be taken to prevent any other material from catching fire and that any such fire which does occur shall be extinguished immediately; 
• The fire shall be lit from the leeward side of the area being burned;
• Burning off can only occur on a Friday and Saturday between 9am and 4pm;
• The fire must be supervised by an adult who is physically capable of containing and extinguishing the fire at all times;
• Sufficient fire  suppression equipment must be available to extinguish the fire if required, including at a minimum a hose attached to a water supply (either tank or mains) or a vessel containing at least ten (10) litres of water is available at the site of the fire at all times that the fire is alight; 
• The vegetation to be burnt must be dead and dry prior to lighting it; 
• At the site of the fire, the wind speed must not exceed 20 kilometres per hour  or the shade temperature must not exceeds 32 degrees; and
• The permit-holder must notify ESTA (Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority) on the day that they burn off. They can do so via firepermits.vic.gov.au or by calling 1800 668 511. For more information see CFA Register Your Burn Off. 

All Permits to Burn issued under the Council Local Law will expire as of 30 November or at the onset of the Fire Danger Period, whichever is earlier. 

Permits to Burn issued under the Council Local Law are not valid during the fire danger period or on a day of total fire ban as declared by the Country Fire Authority/ Fire Rescue Victoria or a smog alert day as declared by the Environment Protection Authority.

For further information about fire restrictions during the Fire Danger Period visit: CFA Warnings and Restrictions website or contact the Vic Emergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.

• cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/

Keep Informed and Be Vigilant

• Visit the CFA website
• Call the Vic Emergency Hotline 1800 226 226
• Listen to 774ABC Radio