Burning Off? Do it Safely

As the weather starts to fine up - but is not yet too hot – it’s a great time to start clearing sections and burn off excess dry material at your property.

But before you start burning off, it is important to understand the local laws and guidelines around doing so.

Restrictions on where and when you can burn off apply depending on where your property is located. You can use our handy “When can I burn off?” tool on our website – simply enter your address to confirm the restrictions that apply at your property.

 If you do get the all-clear to burn off, the local laws team provides guidance on how to burn off safely.

These guidelines include:

·        Burning dry material only – do not burn wet or green vegetation

·        Fires must be supervised by an adult at all times – please do not leave fires unattended

·        An adequate water source (such as a hose, or at least 10 litres of stored water) must be available at the site of a fire at all times

·        Material for burning must be stacked in a pile no larger than one cubic meter (imagine the size of a toppled fridge) at any one time

·        Only one fire can be alight at a time for Residential Bushland Areas

·        Burning off can only be done during daylight hours (between 8am and 6pm)

 

Remember too, to make sure that fires are completely extinguished (with water) at the end of a burn.

 

Embers blown from a smouldering fire can alight nearby trees or vegetation and cause a fire to spread very quickly, so keep an eye on sudden changes in wind condition as your burn draws to a close.

Just a reminder that burning off is not allowed during June and July, during the Declared Fire Danger Period (set by the CFA) or on CFA declared Total Fire Ban days. Please refer to the CFA website during these periods for updates.

The Council website has fact sheets for the burning off restrictions for urban, rural or residential bushland areas.

 

For more information on burning off -  or to confirm the burning off restrictions at your property – check out the Open Air Burning Off  page or contact Council on 1300 368 333.

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Winter Burning Off Restrictions

Winter burning off restrictions will begin at the end of next week.

Burning off in residential bushland zoned areas is not allowed during June and July.

The restrictions, under Council’s Open Air Burning Local Law, aim to help minimise the health and amenity impacts of smoke.

During June and July materials are at their wettest and if burnt can create excessive smoke. Burning wet material is prohibited under the local law.

The law aims to find a balance between burning off for fuel reduction purposes and reducing the impact of smoke on neighbours and the environment.

Residents in rural zones can still burn for fire prevention purposes in June and July, but are reminded that burning off is not permitted on Sundays, Smog Alert Days and Total Fire Ban Days.

Residents in urban areas cannot burn off at any time.

To find out more information about the open air burning restrictions in their area, residents can use the interactive tool on Council’s website – www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au

Click on Residents and then Open Air Burning then you can type in your address on the page and the relevant information will come up.

This interactive tool aims to make it easier for residents to understand the restrictions that apply to them.

Winter is the perfect time to consider alternative ways to reduce green waste around the house such mulching, a trip to the tip or requesting a green waste bin from Council.

Residential Bushland Zone includes all or part of the following areas;

Belgrave, Belgrave Heights, Belgrave South, Coldstream, East Warburton, Ferny Creek, Healesville, Kalorama, Kallista, Launching Place, Menzies Creek, Millgrove, Monbulk, Montrose, Mt Dandenong, Mt Evelyn, Olinda, Powelltown, Sassafras, Selby, Seville, Seville East, Sherbrooke, Tecoma, Upwey, Wandin North, Warburton, Wesburn, Woori Yallock, Yarra Glen and Yarra Junction.

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