Buxton CFA

Brigades Respond to Out-of-Control Private Burn (01/04/2021)

This afternoon, Buxton and Narbethong brigades were responded to an out-of-control private burn along the Maroondah Highway south of the township. While the property owner had registered the burn with the Burn-Off Notification Line, the number of piles of tree waste and the area involved made it difficult to monitor them and contain the fire when one of the piles spread into dry vegetation.

Now that the declared Fire Danger Period has ended in Murrindindi Shire, all private burns are subject to the Summary Offences Act and the Local Laws again. The new Local Laws differ slightly depending on the size of the property; it is the property size not location that determines how big the burn piles can be. But the overall quantity of piles must be within your capacity to monitor, control and, if necessary, extinguish.

Most importantly, all private burns must be registered on the Burn-Off Notification Line to ensure that brigades are not responded unnecessarily.

Council has simplified its burning-off local laws to make it easier for residents to maintain their properties outside the fire danger period. Residents may now burn off at any time (excluding the Fire Danger Period) without requiring a permit, providing they meet the following conditions:

you must register the burn regardless of size.
you must have adequate means available at all times to prevent the escape of fire and to extinguish the fire (consider the number and spread of burn piles).
the burn area must be cleared of flammable material for a minimum radius of 3m.
the fire must be extinguished if you are directed to do so by an authorised officer.
you must ensure all ashes are spread and thoroughly extinguished at the completion of the burn.
the smoke must not cause a nuisance.
the burn pile must not include damp or green materials; the materials to be burned must be suitably dry (cured).
the fire must be adequately supervised, with an adult person present at all times; this means the adult must be able to see the fire.
Additionally, if your land is less than one hectare, the burn pile must not exceed 1m x 1m.

If your land is more than one hectare:

the burn pile must be no more than 20 cubic meters.
the fire must not be lit if wind speed exceeds 15kph.
the burn pile must not be located closer than 5m to the property boundary or 5m to any building.

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