Lighting fires on your property can be extremely dangerous. The Prohibited and Restricted burning period dates are set according to seasonal conditions and may be adjusted. General information, legal requirements and dates are available in the document below.
Fire Break Order 2022/23
Prohibited Burning Period
Lighting a fire is prohibited between the dates of 15 December to 31 March annually. Burning is also prohibited on any day where the Fire Danger Forecast is High or above, or if a Total Fire Ban has been declared. As these dates are subject to change, please check with the Shire prior to lighting any fires.
Restricted Burning Period
Burning is restricted from 1 November to 14 December and 1 to 26 April annually. You are not permitted to burn without a Fire Permit during this period.
Permits can be obtained through your local Fire Control Officer listed in the Fire Break Order linked above. If the Fire Control Officer is not available, please contact the Shire Office during business hours.
Unrestricted Burning Period
Whilst in the unrestricted burning period, you may burn without a permit. The unrestricted period runs from 27 April until 31 October annually. Please note that these dates are subject to change, and are dependent on seasonal conditions.
Please be aware that, due to the impact of smoke, burning is still prohibited on land under 2000 m2.
Winter is an ideal time to start preparing your property for the upcoming fire season. Particularly if you choose to use fire to reduce the fuel load on your property. The Shire encourages property owners to take advantage of this safer period to conduct their fire hazard reduction burning.
When conducting a burn please note that care must be exercised:
- The burn must be conducted in an area that is surrounded by firebreaks
- Rake around dead trees to minimise the risk of them catching alight
- Notify your neighbours prior to lighting up
- Be in attendance and control of the burn at all times (preferably a minimum of two adult able-bodied persons should be present for the duration of the burn)
- Have the ability to extinguish the fire if the conditions change (water or manual methods)
- Do not burn damp, wet or green material as this will cause excessive smoke
- Fires are to be immediately extinguished should smoke blow across public roads causing visibility to be reduced.
Further advice on different planned burns can be found in the DFES publication linked below for your convenience.
DFES Burn Smart Guide
Fire Permits
Fire Permits to burn are required for all fires within the entire Restricted Periods.
Permits can be obtained from through your Fire Control Officer as listed in the 2022/23 Fire Break Order linked above.
Be advised that permits are unlikely to be issued by the Shire’s Health Services to burn garden refuse or other waste on lots within townsite, having less than 2000 square metres in size, as per the Shire’s Local Laws.
Affected neighbours must be notified at least four (4) days prior to any burning taking place. The permit holder must comply with the conditions set out in the permit and be in attendance at the fire at all times.
If you are interested in joining your local volunteer firefighters, please contact your local Bushfire Brigade via the phone numbers listed in the Firebreak Order above. Should you have any issues contacting them, please reach out to the Shire Administration for assistance.
Fire prevention measures must be completed and all properties cleared of fire hazards before 1 December each year to reduce the risk of fires during the bushfire season. The Shire of Donnybrook Balingup Rangers commence annual property inspections on the 1 December to ensure they comply with Council’s Fire Break Order.
Fire breaks shall be two (2) metres wide constructed to a mineral earth standard free of all flammable material and maintained throughout the entire compliance period.
The Shire will issue infringement notices from 1 December of each year for any non-compliant properties. Warning notices will not be issued for non-compliance unless suitable arrangements are made in writing, or there is an exemption to the Shire Fire Break Order. All applications for exemptions must be received by 30 September of each year.
Variations
All land holders within the Shire of Donnybrook Balingup are advised that the closing date for Fire Break Variation Applications is 30 September each year.
If you are a landowner who intends to apply for a variation from the typical annual firebreak order requirements, you must make an application using a Firebreak Variation Form (provided here):
Firebreak Variation Form
Applicants will be advised in writing by the Shire if their application has been approved. Should you require any further details, please contact the Shire Rangers via (08) 9780 4200.
Who can I ask for help?
For concerns about the native wildlife affected in the area of emergency, you can visit the DPIRD website or call (08) 9368 3333. If you're unsure, you can also give our Rangers a call on (08) 9780 4200.
If you have any further concerns and require support, you can contact:
RSPCA: Online or via 1300 278 358 for pets and livestock.
EASE WA: via 0436 389 445 for assistance with animal feed and care. This organisation also offers emergency evacuation services for all livestock.
RURAL AID: Online or via 1300 327 624. This organisation helps primary producers with finances, water, fodder, and other volunteer assistance.
You can contact the Department of Communities for assistance via 1800 032 965, or visit their website here (wa.gov.au/department-of-communities).
Alternatively, you can also apply for a Crisis Payment via servicesaustralia.gov.au/crisis-payment. This could provide you with a one-off non-taxable payment if you’ve experienced an extreme circumstance and are in severe financial hardship.
DPIRD (Agriculture and Food) is a Western Australian Government resource for those with a farm and who are recovering after being affected by bushfires.
For those who are concerned about local rivers and creeks, you can visit lowerblackwood.com.au for information and resources, including on fencing revegetation.
BlazeAid is a volunteer-based organisation that works with families and individuals in rural Australia after natural disasters such as fires and floods. Working alongside the rural families, these volunteers provide labour and tools to assist with rebuilding fences and other structures that have been damaged or destroyed. To get in touch with BlazeAid, please visit their website, or contact the Shire direct on (08) 9780 4200.
blazeaid.com.au
It’s likely that your gas, electricity and water have been shut off or disconnected during an emergency. You will need to wait for the suppliers to send a qualified tradesperson to inspect and repair any damage, plus arrange for reconnection.
If you are insured, your insurance company can organise this for you. If you are not, you will need to sort this out yourself.
You may be able to make a claim and receive compensation if you lost power for over 12 hours during an unplanned outage. Western Power has plenty of information and advice available on how to prepare for an outage. Make a Claim - Western Power
Water Corporation - Outages & Works map shows what is happening in your area, live. You can also call the Water Corporation 24/7 line for urgent assistance for faults during emergencies via 13 13 75.
Healthy WA has resources and information on what you can do if your drinking water is unsuitable for consumption, including advice for rainwater tanks.
Alternatively, here are some more resources available from Water Corporation:
Bushfire Help and Advice Water Issues Directory & Guides