In Case of Fire Ring 000

Restricted and prohibited burning periods

Restricted
19th September - 31st October
Permit Required

Prohibited 
1st November - 15th February
No burning allowed

Restricted
16th February - 15th March
Permit Required

No permits shall be issued to set fire to bush during the prohibited burning period except for reasons as specified under the Bush Fires Act.

When a Bush Fire Control Officer refuses to issue a permit, he must advise the Chief Executive Officer that the permit has been refused and details of the grounds for refusal to ensure that a permit is not obtained from another officer.

Fire Response Vehicle Identifier Stickers

To assist authorities to identify vehicles which can assist DFES in bushfire response, DFES and the Shire encourages owners of such vehicles or machinery to apply for a Fire Response Vehicle Identifier windscreen sticker. The stickers are designed to enable passage of approved vehicles through the vehicle control points (road blocks) where approved by the Incident Controller. Appliances or machinery without a Vehicle Identifier sticker may be delayed or prevented from assisting in the response.

Stickers are issued under a number of conditions including:

• the Fire Response Vehicle Identifier is for the purpose of fire response;
• when the vehicle is no longer used as a fire response vehicle (e.g. when sold) the identifier will be removed;
• compliance with the Road Traffic Act 1974;
• the identifier can be revoked by an Incident Controller or authorised person at any time;
• appropriate Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing will be worn at all times;
• the driver will ensure that the vehicle’s presence at an incident is recorded on  both arrival and departure;

• Read and understood the “Operating Private Equipment at Bushfires” publication and will make drivers of the vehicle familiar with this document.

Stickers for the period ending 30 September 2020 are now available. Application forms are available from the Shire Administration Centre or download Fire Response Vehicle Identifier Application .

Multiple stickers may be issued to persons with multiple suitable vehicles/equipment – one application form per vehicle is required.

The Shire will utilise SMS to communicate with Vehicle Identifier holders (i.e. upon expiry, or any changes to the scheme), therefore a mobile phone number (or numbers) will be required as part of the application. Stickers will be mailed to the applicant following vetting of the application by the Shire.

All Owners and/or Occupiers of Land within the Shire of Kulin are guided by the Bush Fires Act 1954.

BUSH FIRES ACT 1954 SHIRE OF KULIN

Notice to all Owners and/or Occupiers of Land within the Shire of Kulin

PURSUANT TO THE POWERS contained in Section 33, you are hereby required on or before 31st October 2020 and thereafter up to and including 15th March 2021 to have a 3 metre firebreak clear of all inflammable material on all rural and townsite rural land owned or occupied by you: 

1. Immediately inside all external boundaries of the land; and
2. In such other positions as is necessary to divide land into areas not exceeding 500 hectares, each completely surrounded by a firebreak; and
3. Immediately surrounding any part of land used for crop; and
4. Parallel to and within 100 metres of the perimeter of all buildings, haystacks and fuel ramps on the land; and
5. Immediately surrounding receptacles used for the storage of fuel, whether they contain fuel or not; the firebreak required to comply with this item shall be no less than 5 metres wide; and
6. Immediately inside land which has been bulldozed, chained or prepared for clearing by burning (whether you intend to burn the bush or not); the firebreak required shall be no less than 7 metres wide. Where the land is prepared for clearing by burning after 19th September 2020 you shall provide the firebreak immediately. 

Townsites – area less than 1 hectare

All hazardous material must be removed from the whole of the land except living trees, shrubs and plants.  In the remaining area all vegetation is to be maintained to a height of no greater than 100mm, and;

It is recommended that at least a 2m wide area immediately within the external boundaries of the lot, be clear of all flammable material except for living trees, plants and shrubs.”

(Note: any land of one hectare or above - rural provisions apply.) 

Firebreak Variation

If it is considered by the owner or occupier to be impractical to clear firebreaks to comply with this notice due to soil erosion, the spread of salinity or for any other reason, a request for a variation may be made to the Council no later than the 1 September of each year. Such a request must be in writing and include a detailed plan showing the proposed location of firebreaks or of the alterative fire protection methods to be used. 

Harvesting Operations - Mobile Fire Fighting Units     

An operational mobile engine powered firefighting pump unit with no less than 500 litres of water shall be in attendance during grain harvesting operations. If the unit is trailer mounted the trailer must be attached to a vehicle at all times during harvesting operations and the unit must be in the paddock, or adjoining paddock, where the harvesting operation is being carried out. 

Automatic Harvesting Bans

A Harvest Ban will apply automatically on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. 

Other Matters

If for hardship reasons, it is considered by the owner or occupier to be impossible to clear firebreaks required by this Notice, you may apply to Council or its duly authorised officer for permission to seek alternative options. Claimants of hardship, should do so with sufficient time to allow alternatives to be enacted. Claims of hardship does not automatically exempt owners and occupiers from the requirements of this Notice. 

The penalty for failing to comply with this Notice is a fine not exceeding $5000.00. A person in default is also liable, whether prosecuted or not, to pay the cost of the Shire or a contractor performing the work directed in this Notice if it is not carried out by the owner or occupier by the due date. 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. 

An application to use chemicals on road reserves for firebreak protection must be submitted to the Chief Executive Officer for approval.

No roadside burning is allowed by any persons within the Shire without the approval of the Council. Anybody who is found to have burnt any roadside vegetation or reserve vested in the Shire, either deliberately, by neglect or carelessness as per the Bush Fires Act 1954, may be made to pay the cost of spraying or re-vegetating the area.

Owners of town blocks can arrange, through the Shire Offices, to have vacant blocks sprayed, slashed, grazed or burnt to clear town lots. Phone the Shire Office on 9880 1204 for further information.

If you attend a fire as a firefighter you should wear boots and overalls or long sleeved shirt and long trousers (non flammable cotton type).

FCO's: please ensure all persons likely to attend fires over 16 years of age are registered as brigade members. Non-brigade members have to be authorised to attend a fire by the FCO in charge.

Vehicle Identifier Stickers are also required to identify private vehicles owned by persons pre-authorised by the Shire of Kulin to enter the fire ground and assist with emergency response operations.  New (blue) stickers valid to 30 Sept 2022) are available from Nicole at the Shire office email eso@kulin.wa.gov.au

This is necessary to be covered by Bushfire Insurance.