FIRE BREAKS

In the event of a fire call 000

Fire Breaks

All Owners and/or Occupiers of Land within the Shire of Kulin are guided by the Bush Fires Act 1954.

Pursuant to the powers contained in Section 33 of the above Act, you are hereby required on or before 31st October and thereafter up to and including 15th March to have a 3 metre firebreak clear of all inflammable material on all rural and townsite land owned or occupied by you:

  1. Immediately inside all external boundaries of the land; and
  2. In such other positions as is necessary to divide land in excess of 200 hectares into areas not exceeding 200 hectares, each completely surrounded by a firebreak; and
  3. Immediately surrounding any part of land used for crop; and
  4. Parallel to and within 100 metres of the perimeter of all buildings, haystacks and fuel  ramps situated on the land; and
  5. Immediately surrounding any drum or drums or other receptacles situated on the land which are normally used for the storage of fuel, whether they contain fuel or not, provided that the firebreak required to comply with this paragraph only shall be not less than 5 metres wide; and
  6. Immediately inside land on which bush has been bulldozed, chained or prepared in any similar manner for clearing by burning (whether you intend to burn the bush or not); provided that the firebreak required to comply with this paragraph only shall be not less than 7 metres wide. Where the land is prepared for clearing by burning after 19th September you shall provide the firebreak immediately.

Townsites – area less than 1 hectare

All hazardous material must be removed from the whole of the land except living trees, shrubs and plants.  In the remaining area all vegetation is to be maintained to a height of no greater than 100mm, and;

It is recommended that at least a 2m wide area immediately within the external boundaries of the lot, be clear of all flammable material except for living trees, plants and shrubs.”

(Note: any land of one hectare or above - rural provisions apply.)

Firebreak Variation

If it is considered by the owner or occupier of the land that it is impractical to clear firebreaks to comply with this notice due to soil erosion, the spread of salinity or for any other reason, a request for a variation may be made to the Council not later than the 1 September of each year.

Such a request must be in writing and include a detailed farm plan showing the proposed location of firebreaks or of the alterative fire protection methods to be used.