Planning a Burn?
Buxton Fire Brigades supports the Murrindindi Shire Council’s free green waste recycling system and, while Local Laws permit small burns outside of the prescribed Fire Danger Period, we encourage residents to take green waste to the Marysville Transfer Station rather than conduct a private burn at your property. All too often, local CFA brigades are called to private burns when the fire gets out-of-control or impacts other properties.
At times, escaped private burns have impacted Crown Land or Plantations, requiring the attendance of crews from either Forest Fire Management Victoria or HPV Plantation. Escaped private burns may involve Victoria Police; regardless of being inside or outside the Fire Danger Period.
If you decide to conduct a Private Burn…
If you decide to conduct a private burn, you need to be aware of the following points:
- Outside of a prescribed Fire Danger Period, your actions are subject to and must comply with Section 11 of the Summary Offences Act relating to the lighting of fires in the open air.
- During a prescribed Fire Danger Period, your actions are subject to the Country Fire Authority Act and Regulations relating to burning in the open; check what you Can Do or Can't Do during the Fire Danger Periods.
- Within Murrindindi Shire, you need to consult and comply with Local Laws which govern burning off within and outside townships.
- You must notify your neighbours if your activity will generate fire and smoke or otherwise cause a nuisance to your neighbours.
- Check the weather forecast for the day of the activity and a few days afterwards; in particular, between 01 October and 30 May, check the four day Fire Danger Rating forecast for days of elevated fire danger.
- Establish a gap in vegetation or fire break with no less than three metres cleared of all flammable material.
- Ensure there is a person competent to monitor the burn and sufficient people to contain and extinguish the burn safely and effectively before the fire is left unattended. The entire burn area must be cool to touch.
- You MUST notify the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) before the burn is ignited; preferably 24hrs before any ignition.
Register your burn-off
- Location;
- Date and expected start and finish times;
- Estimated size; and
- What you intend to burn.
Unregistered burn-offs can cause brigades to be called out unnecessarily. These incur the risk of a fine or payment.