Bushfire Information

SHIRE OF NAREMBEEN BUSHFIRE NOTICE – 2023/2024 SEASON

Bush Fires Act 1954

Notice to all owners and/or occupiers of land situated within Shire of Narembeen

As a measure to assist in the control of bush fires, or preventing the spread or extension of a bush fire which may occur, notice is hereby given to all owners and/or occupiers of land within the Shire of Narembeen that pursuant to the powers conferred in Section 33 of the Bush Fires Act, works in accordance with the requisitions of this notice must be carried out before the 1st day of November in each year, or within 14 days of becoming the owner or occupier of land if after that date. All work specified in this Notice is to be maintained up to and including the 30th day of April in the following calendar year.

Definitions

“Townsite Land” means all land within the boundary of the Narembeen Townsite.

“Rural Land” means all land within the Narembeen District not defined as Townsite.

“Firebreak Period” means that time between the 1st day of November in any year until the 30th day of April in the year following.

“Firebreak” means ground from which flammable material has been removed and on which no flammable materials is permitted during the firebreak period.

“Inflammable Material” means bush (as defined in the Bush Fires Act 1954), timber, boxes, carton, paper, and the like inflammable materials, rubbish, and any combustible matter, but does not include buildings, green standing trees and bushes or growing bushes or plants in gardens or lawns.

All owners or occupiers of land within the Narembeen Shire shall have firebreaks during the firebreak period of the dimensions prescribed within this notice.

If it is considered impractical or undesirable to provide firebreaks as required by this notice, the approval of the Council must be obtained for any variation. Approval will only be granted up to or before the 15th day of October and will not be granted unless prior consent of the appropriate Fire Brigade Officer has been obtained.

Fire Breaks

Rural Land:

Firebreaks 2.5 metres wide as follows:

  • Immediately adjacent to and surrounding all cleared land subdividing all cleared land into areas no greater than 400 hectares. Surrounding each building, haystack, fuel dump or ramp.

Townsite Land:

  1. Where the area of land is 2,000sqm or less clear all inflammable material on the land from the whole of the land.
  2. Where the area of land is more than 2,000sqm:
  3. Clear all inflammable material on the land from the whole of the land or
  4. Install a firebreak of not less than 2.0 metres in width immediately surrounding any building, along and within two metres of the external boundaries of the land is required. Firebreaks must be constructed and contained within the property. Footpaths, road verges, and roads will not be accepted as fire breaks.
  5. Fuel pumps and depots: remove all inflammable material from all land where fuel drum ramps or dumps are located and where fuel drums, whether containing fuel or not, are stored to a distance of at least fifteen (15) metres outside the perimeter of any drum, ramp, or stack of drums.

 

In addition to the requirements of this Notice, you may be required to carry out further works which are considered necessary by an Authorised Officer and specified by way of a separate written notice forwarded to the address of the owner/s as shown on the Shire of Narembeen rates record for the relevant land.

TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 33(4) of the Bush Fires Act 1954, where the owner and/or occupier of land fails or neglects to comply with the requisitions of this Notice within the times specified, the Shire of Narembeen may by its officers and with such servants, workmen and contractors, vehicles and machinery as the officers deem fit, enter upon the land and carry out the requisitions of this Notice which have not been complied with and pursuant to Section 33(5) of the Bush Fires Act, the amount of any costs and expenses incurred may be recovered from you as the owner and or occupier of the land.

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 1954.

The PENALTY FOR FAILING TO COMPLY with this Notice is a fine not exceeding $5000 and a person in default is also liable whether prosecuted or not to pay the costs of performing the work directed by this Notice if it is not carried out by the owner and/or occupier by the date required by this Notice.

By order of the Council

 

Paul Sheedy

Acting Chief Executive Officer

Shire of Narembeen

________________________________________

Additional Bushfire Information

A. Restricted / Prohibited Burning Period

The following restricted and prohibited burning times are in place for the Shire of Narembeen.

  • Restricted (Permit Required) 19th September to 31st October.
  • Prohibited 1st November to 31st January.
  • Restricted (Permit Required) 1st February to 15th March.

The following additional requirements for burning are also in place.

  • 1st February includes grass and raked cereal stubble and header windrows of non-cereal stubble including canola and legumes.
  • 1st March is header windrows and chaff dumps and cereal stubble fires.

Burning during restricted periods is allowed on Sunday's and Public Holidays with a permit.

Any questions about burning times should be directed to a Fire Control Officer or the Shire Office.

B. Harvest & Movement Bans

When Harvest Bans are instigated, they are broadcast over Radiowest and ABC radio. A harvest ban can be in two forms:

  • A Restricted Movement Ban – means that vehicles are only allowed to move on paddocks to water stock.
  • A Total Movement Ban – means that there is to be no movement on paddocks at all. 

The Shire of Narembeen imposes an automatic Harvest Ban and Restriction of Movement of Machinery on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Harvest bans are gauged not only on the temperature, but also on humidity and wind velocity and are monitored using scientific methods.

Community members may call the Shire’s Harvest Ban Hotline on (08) 9064 7689 which will provide advice on whether or not a harvest ban is in force.

Text message service – Community members to register their mobile number with the Shire by calling 9064 7308

Adopted Fire Behaviour Index 37 for harvest bans.

Fire Permit Issuing Officers

The following Fire Control Officers (FCO) are authorised Fire Permit Issuing Officers:

  • Murray Dixon – Chief Fire Control Officer 0427 645 026
  • Mitchell Miolini – Deputy Chief Fire Control Officer 0458 000 931
  • Joel DeLuis - Fire Control Officer (East Sector) 0427 617 013
  • Trevor Cole – Fire Control Officer (West Sector) 0428 647 038
  • Mitchell Miolini – Fire Control Officer (North Sector) 0458 000 931
  • Alan Yandle - Fire Control Officer (Central) 0408 945 452
  • Andy Hardham – Fire Control Officer (Central) 0429 647 173

The people listed above can issue burning permits and inform you of the laws and dates in regard to burning and required conditions. 

D. Emergency Bushfire Communications Channel

The dedicated Bush Fire Emergency Communication Radio Channel is 5.

E. Key Dates & Information to Remember for Burning

Grass Burning

  • Grass Burning is not permitted prior to 1st February.
  • Grass Burning is subject to Permit Conditions
  • No time restrictions for lighting/burning.
  • Burning permitted on Sunday’s or Public Holiday’s under permit.

Raked Windrows

Burning of stubble raked windrows is permitted at the commencement of the Restricted Burning Period:

  • Providing there are no time restrictions for lighting/burning.
  • Subject to normal permit conditions

Cereal Header Windrows & Chaff Dump

  • Burning of Cereal Header Windrows & Chaff Dumps is not permitted prior to 1st March.
  • A permit is required to burn between 1st and 15th March.
  • Chaff Dumps shall be deposited/located no less than 50 metres from the edge of the crop within your property boundary.
  • Chaff Dumps be pushed out to reduce burning times.
  • Consideration should be given to neighbours regarding wind and smoke directions.

Non-Cereal Header Windrows

  • Burning of Non-Cereal Header Windrows and Chaff Dumps is not permitted prior to 1st February
  • Burning of grass and raked cereal stubble and header windrows of non-cereal stubble including canola and legumes is not permitted prior to 1st February
  • A permit is required to burn between 1st February and 15th March.
  • Chaff Dumps shall be deposited/located no less than 50 metres from the edge of the crop within your property boundary.
  • Chaff Dumps be pushed out to reduce burning times.
  • Consideration should be given to neighbours regarding wind and smoke directions

Stubble Burning

  • Burning of Stubble is not permitted prior to 1st March in normal season conditions.
  • No lighting times.
  • Weather permitting.
  • Subject to permit conditions.

Please remember that in the event of an emergency call 000.