Fire Ban and Zones
Firebreak Information Brochure 2018/19
Important Dates to Remember
Restricted Burning Times (Permit Required)
19 September - 31 October
1 February - 30 April
Prohibited Burning Times
1 November - 31 January
Firebreaks Must be in Place
1 November - 30 April (all dates inclusive)
Harvest Ban Hotline
The Harvest Ban Hotline is 9487 7191. This hotline is updated whenever a harvest ban has been put in place.
SMS
Please contact the Shire Office on 9890 2500 if you wish to be notified of harvest bans using SMS.
Useful telephone numbers:
For emergencies dial 000
Total Fire Ban information 1800 709 355
Shire of Lake Grace Harvest Ban Information 9487 7191
Useful websites
Department of Fire and Emergency Services website: www.dfes.wa.gov.au
Check out the Bureau of Meteorology web site http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/?ref=hdr for daily and seven day town forecast.
All fire zones in the Shire of Lake Grace will be on Channel 11 in an event of a fire
- When a fire occurs on a property in a zone a Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban will be imposed for the whole zone until the fire is deemed safe, and the Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban is lifted.
- When a fire occurs on a property neighbouring a zone boundary both zones will have a Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban imposed until the fire is deemed safe, and the Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban is lifted.
Bushfire Ready Information
The Homeowner's Bushfire Survival Manual
Design your Garden to Withstand Bushfire
Harvest Ban Information
If you wish to register your mobile phone number to receive Harvest Ban information please call the shire office 9890 2500.
Harvest Ban Zones are as follows - please click below for maps:
- Zone 1 - North Lake Grace
- Zone 2 - South Lake Grace
- Zone 3 - North Newdegate
- Zone 4 - South Newdegate
- Zone 5 - Lake King/Varley
- Zone 6 - Mt Madden
- Zone 7 - Dunn Rock
Highlighted orange is Shire boundary
Highlighted yellow is fire zone boundary with the Shire
Recreational motorbike riders—Vehicle Movement Bans also apply to you.
Permitted activities
Water carting for livestock & domestic purposes; provided it is accompanied by a mobile fire-fighting unit. Alternatively, the vehicle carting the water must retain a minimum of 400L of water and meet minimum specifications for a fire-fighting unit.
All necessary travel around feedlots provided a mobile fire-fighting unit is in attendance.
All necessary livestock carting, provided the vehicle is accompanied by a mobile fire-fighting unit.
Total Fire Ban
A Total Fire Ban (TFB) is declared because of extreme weather conditions or when widespread fires are seriously stretching firefighting resources. A TFB is declared by DFES following consultation with local governments.
When a TFB is declared it prohibits the lighting of any fires in the open air and any other activities that may start a fire.
If a Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban has not been implemented by your local government you are able to harvest or move vehicles across paddocks for agricultural purposes.
You could be fined up to $25,000 or jailed for 12 months or both if you ignore the Total Fire Ban.
For information on activities that can or cannot be carried out during a Total Fire Ban visit www.dfes.wa.gov.au/totalfirebans/Pages/TotalFireBanWhatCantIDo.aspx
Dress to Protect
Minimum dress requirements when fire fighting. Long sleeved cotton shirt, long cotton trousers or cotton overalls, boots & leather gloves.
For any queries please contact Shire reception on 9890 2500 or shire@lakegrace.wa.gov.au
Refuelling Static Motors at Incidents
Since March 2006, DFES has received numerous reports of petrol erupting from jerry cans when firefighters have opened them. Three of these events resulted in line ignition of the released fuel, with one occurrence causing significant burns to a firefighter’s hands and another resulting in a light tanker being destroyed by fire. Two other events resulted in fuel spraying into firefighter’s eyes.
Due to the recurrence and potential severity of the outcomes, a procedure has been developed for refuelling static motors, such as pump motors on fire tankers or generators, at incidents involving fire.
Static motors that require refuelling at incidents must ONLY be refuelled at water points or staging areas and NOT on the fireground.
Click here to view Safety Circular 01/2015
Jerry Cans During Bushfires
Unfortunately another incident has occurred recently Involving a jerry can, which has resulted in significant burn injuries to a volunteer bush firefighter.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) has previously issued Safety Circulars and a NUCOM for the use of Jerry Cans and their stowage as a result of other recent safety incidents and near misses.
Please see the following circular in regards to jerry can safety from the Department of Fire and Emergency Service.
Click here to view Safety Circular 04/2015
New Interconnection Requirement for Smoke Alarms
The Building Commission's Smoke alarm laws fact sheet now provides information on a new interconnection requirement for mains-powered residential smoke alarms.
The new interconnection requirement affects:
- people involved in transferring ownership of their homes
- lessors (landlords) renting or hiring their homes
- people involved in the installation of smoke alarms such as electricians and builders
- architects, building designers and building surveyors
- local governments
- real estate agents and settlement agents
The Building Regulations 2012 require owners to have compliant smoke alarms installed in dwellings subject to sale, transfer of ownership, rent or hire. The Regulations require the smoke alarms to be in accordance with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) applicable at the time of installation of the alarms.
From 1 May 2014, the BCA will require the interconnection of smoke alarms where more than one alarm is required to be installed.
This nationally driven requirement has been introduced to increase the likelihood of sleeping occupants becoming aware of the dangers of smoke in another part of the dwelling.
Owners required to have more than one smoke alarm installed in dwellings subject to sale, transfer of ownership, rent or hire may be affected by this new requirement.