Fire hazards

What happens when I report a fire hazard?

Your report will be recorded and scheduled for an inspection, generally within a week between November and May.  The Municipal Fire Prevention Officer (MFPO) or Assistant Fire Prevention Officer (AFPO) will inspect the property and determine whether they consider that there is a fire hazard.  Our Officers are trained and experienced in fire hazard inspections and fire prevention.

Fire Hazard Inspection Program

Our Emergency Management team proactively inspects over 5000 properties in the shire as part of our annual fire hazard inspection program based on areas of high fire risk according to the Victorian Fire Risk Register – Bushfire (VFRR-B).  In addition, we inspect up to 1000 properties which have been reported by residents. Generally, we commence pre-fire season inspections in early November, however we are guided by fire agencies in relation to seasonal outlooks for fire risk and may alter the commencement to suit the conditions.

What do we consider a fire hazard?

Whether or not the state of a property presents a fire hazard depends on a variety of factors.  The key consideration is the availability of fine fuels which may contribute to fire ignition and intensity.  Fine fuels ignite and burn easily and are generally grasses, shrubs and twigs with a diameter of less than a finger. Heavier fuels such as branches and logs are generally not considered fire hazards as they are less available to burn – retaining moisture longer than fine fuels – and take much more energy to ignite and burn.

We will consider:

• General bushfire risk in the area
• Risk of spread from any fires to adjoining properties  
• Topography of the area, including property aspect (which direction the block is facing)
• Land use 
• Vegetation type 
• Fuel loads, particularly low and fine fuels 
• Buildings and exposures (with special considerations for utilities, public assets or strategic/tactical roads)  
• Planning provisions including BPA and BMO 
• Residual risk after clearing 
• Whether other options are available, such as CFA programs. 

Follow the instructions in your Fire Prevention Notice

• If you receive a fire prevention notice, read it carefully. Make sure the works take place by the date stated in the notice.
• After this date, the land will be re-inspected to see if the fire hazards identified in the notice have been fixed.  
• If you do not comply with the notice, you may be fined up to $1,923, and/or you may need to cover the cost of us hiring a contractor to remove fire hazards, plus administration costs. Legal action may still proceed.

Hazards on land belonging to other government authorities

If the land belongs to another government authority, please report the issue to them as we are unable to enforce any fire prevention works on land owned by other authorities.

Report a fire hazard online

Report online

I reported a hazard, but nothing has happened.

If you have reported a hazard, we will inspect the property and may require the property owner or occupier to take action if the Authorised Officer believes that the vegetation presents a fire hazard.  This involves a legal process whereby the owner or occupier is given a reasonable period to undertake the works, which will be specified in the notice.  This may be up to three or four weeks as the notice to comply must be served by mail.  Sufficient time must be allowed for delivery of the notice and for the owner or occupier to arrange works to be done. 

If the required works are not done by the compliance date set by the Authorised Officer, Council will engage contractors to undertake the work.

In some circumstances when considering all the factors, we may decide that the situation does not present a fire hazard or is not unsightly as per the local law.  While we will endeavour to contact you to advise of this outcome, this is not always possible due to our workload over the fire danger period.

Snakes and vermin

Snakes are a protected species and in the rural-urban interface are a natural occurrence. Ensure you maintain a safe area around your house and outbuildings. Snakes are attracted to places we live as they provide shelter and food such as frogs and mice. Try to remove attractions for snakes from your property such as wood piles, stock feed and hay.

The Shire will not issue a Fire Prevention Notice solely to deal with issues such as snakes, rats or other pest related concerns.  However, if the issue is related to general amenity or potential fire risk, we will inspect and issue a notice to comply if the Authorised Officer considers the situation presents an issue.