Firebreaks & Fire Control

Firebreaks

Your Legal Requirements

Installing and maintaining firebreaks each year is a legal requirement for all land owners/occupiers within the Shire. Further information on firebreaks and your legal requirements can be found in the Shire's current Firebreak Notice.

Click here for a list of local Firebreak Contractors.

Variation to Firebreak Orders

If you consider you cannot clear firebreaks as required by the Firebreak Notice, you may apply in writing to Council requesting permission to provide firebreaks in an alternative position or take alternative action to comply with the Firebreak Notice.

Look at alternative ways to keep your firebreaks clear, spraying early will save you time and money when it comes time to clear the firebreak area.

For further information on Variation to Firebreak Orders, refer to the Shire's current Firebreak Notice. The Shires Ranger services will be able to assist you through this process.

Fire Control Information 2022/23

Current alerts and warnings can also be found here. 

Be prepared for Bushfire - take the 5 minute Fire Chat today

Important information relating to your responsibility as a landholder in the Shire of Waroona. With reference to Section 33 of the Bush Fires Act, 1954, you are required to carry out fire prevention work on land owned or occupied by you in accordance with the provisions of this order.

This work must be carried out on or before November 30th and kept maintained throughout the summer months until the close of Restricted Burning Period.

Persons who fail to comply with the requirements of this order may be issued with an infringement notice (penalty $250) or prosecuted with an increased penalty, and additionally, Council may carry out required work at cost to the owner or occupier.

If it is considered for any reason to be impractical to clear firebreaks as required by this notice or natural features render firebreaks unnecessary you may apply to the Council or its duly authorised officer not later than the 30th day of November for permission to provide a variation for firebreaks in alternative positions or to take alternative action to abate fire hazards on the land.  A Firebreak Variation Form can be found by clicking here.

All variation requests must be made by the property owner or person authorised to act upon the owners behalf.  Individual requests are required for each property.  If permission is not granted by the Council or its duly authorised officer, you shall comply with the requirements of this notice. You must have your variation in place and operational by the 30th November.  It is your responsibility to demonstrate that the variation will be maintained for the entire restricted and prohibited burning times.  Failure to demonstrate compliance and the ability to maintain the alternative solutions approved within the variation will automatically require total compliance with the firebreak order in its entirety.  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.

Prohibited Burning Times

The prohibited times for the Waroona District are:

1 December to 31 March each year (inclusive, and as varied pursuant to Section 17 of the Bush Fires Act 1954).

The above dates are subject to variation and any alterations will be published in a local newspaper circulating within the district.

Extension of Prohibited Burning Time

Restricted Burning Times

1 October to 30 November each year (inclusive) and 1 April to 15 May each year (inclusive, and as varied pursuant to Section 18 of the Bush Fires Act 1954).

Fire permits must be obtained from your relevant Fire Control Officer for burning off during the restricted burning time. Prior to commencement of a burn you are required to notify the Shire of Waroona Administration Office of time/s, date/s and location number/s.

Prior to commencement of burn you are required to notify the council office of times, dates and location numbers on 9733 7800.

• Click here to download Fire Control Information Brochure

• Click here to download the Firebreak Variation Form

• Fire Control Officers Contact Information

• Firebreak Contractors

Summary of Burning Information

Current Burning Times

Period	Starts	Finishes	Permits
Restricted Period	1 October	30 November	Permits Required
Prohibited Period	1 December	31 March	No Burning Permitted
Restricted Period	1 April	15 May	Permits Required

Subject to seasonal changes - check Burning Periods Notice for changes.

Prohibited and Restricted burning periods are declared by the Authority under section 17 and 18 respectively of the Bush Fires Act 1954. To obtain further information read the Shire’s Firebreak Notice, contact your local Fire Control Officer or contact the Shire Office on 97337800.

Fire Bans

Total fire bans are declared because of extreme weather conditions or when widespread fires are seriously stretching resources.  When a total fire ban is declared it is illegal to do anything that is likely to start a fire.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services - Total Fire Ban

Information on Total Fire Bans

Phone : 1800 709 355

Website:  https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/totalfirebans/#what-is-tfb 

Register your mobile for SMS Messages

The Shire of Waroona has implemented a SMS Notification Service for Total Fire Ban & Harvest & Vehicle Movement Bans, as well as information relating to restricted/prohibited burning periods. As soon as a Total Fire Ban or Harvest & Vehicle Movement Ban is called, all mobile phones registered will receive a SMS directly to their mobile phone. This service is free of charge. Please note Total Fire Bans are called by Dept of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) and Harvest & Vehicle Movement Bans are called by the Waroona Chief Bushfire Control Officer.  

To subscribe for this service please email your details to warshire@waroona.wa.gov.au or phone the Shire Office on 9733 7800.

Terms and Conditions

1. By subscribing to this service you agree to receive SMS messages from the Shire of Waroona regarding “Harvest and Vehicle Movement Bans” and other bans imposed during the fire season.
2. You accept that by subscribing to this service you will receive message for the current and future fire seasons.
3. The Shire of Waroona reserves the right to discontinue this service at any time. Any decision to discontinue this service will be advised via this SMS service.
4. You accept that radio announcements are still the primary means of notification of bans. In the event of a discrepancy between this SMS service and an announcement on the radio, the latter shall prevail.
5. You have the right to unsubscribe from this service at any time. To unsubscribe, please notify the Shire of Waroona in writing, via fax on (08) 9733 1883 or email warshire@waroona.wa.gov.au   Do Not attempt to unsubscribe via replying to an SMS notification.
6. You accept that the Shire may from time to time use this SMS service to send other topical messages.

If you have any further enquires please do not hesitate to contact the Shire of Waroona office during normal business hours on 9733 7800. 

Message from the Water Corporation

The Water Corporation is prepared for bushfire season however we cannot guarantee that water pressure or water supply will be maintained in the event of a bushfire.  We will always do all that we can to maintain supply however fire damaged infrastructure or a cut to power can result in a total loss of water.

If scheme water is available during a bushfire it is a bonus for property protection efforts, but it is not something that can be relied upon.  People who plan to stay and defend their property during a bushfire need to have their own independent water supply and pumping capability, and must not rely on the public water supply.

Details about how to prepare for the bushfire season can be found on the DFES website www.dfes.wa.gov.au or by clicking the image below.

Vehicle Identifier Sticker System (VIS)

The responsibility for individuals to fight fire on their own land has always been a part of Western Australia’s firefighting suppression regime. It has always been the custom and practice in Western Australia that members of the community attend fires with their own equipment to protect their property and that of others. For that matter, Bush Fire Brigades developed from such beginnings.

The Vehicle Identifier Sticker System has been created for the safe and effective recognition, organisation and coordination of farmer response and private contractor firefighting resources within the Shire of Waroona. This does not incorporate Forestry industries as they have established processes and procedures in place for the use of their private resources, including equipment standards.

VIS permits will only be available to vehicles/machines that can assist with fire suppression operations, requests for other purposes will not be considered.

The Shire of Waroona will be solely responsible to order, keep a register and issue VIS to local personnel. The Shire’s knowledge regarding the background and skills of the person applying makes them most qualified to assess and issue VIS.

Applicants must fill in the ‘Vehicle Identifier Sticker Permit Application Form’. Once completed the form is to be sent back to the Shire of Waroona.

Restricted Access Permit (RAP)

A restricted access area is a designated area within an incident area which authorised persons can enter for a period of time and for a specific purpose.

A restricted access permit may be granted for valid reasons, such as residents, business owners or utility companies inspecting vital assets and property inside a restricted access area.

Restricted access permits are issued with specific conditions, such as the address authorised to visit, how long the permit is valid for and whether the permit holder can re-enter the area. The permit can be a sticker to be placed on a vehicles’ windscreen or a paper permit. The permit must be shown at vehicle control points along with a current identity document.

More details: https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/regulationandcompliance/restrictedaccesspermits/Pages/default.aspx