Bush Fire Information

Burning off periods

City of Kalgoorlie Boulder residents are encouraged to use the Yarri Road Refuse Facility. Burning off of Garden or Offensive waste materials is not permitted at any time.

Burning off is only permitted according to the following schedule:

Date	Permitted/Not Permitted
1 May - 30 September	No permit required (restrictions still apply)
1 October - 31 October	Permit required
1 November - 31 March	All burning prohibited
1 April - 30 April	Permit required

Please download the Burning Off Periods Guide Fact Sheet for more information.

Burning of the following materials is not allowed:

Plastic, rubber, food scraps, green waste or any other materials that are offensive when burnt; and
Any materials that can be disposed off through normal waste collection or at the waste management facility.

Failure to comply with fire restrictions or not having a permit when required, could result in fines ranging from $100 - $1000 or prosecution.

Permits for burning off

During October and April, permits from the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder are required for burning off. The City also has Health Local Laws in place which does not allow for the burning off of garden waste or materials at any time.

There is no fee for obtaining a permit, however they will only be issued in exceptional circumstances.

Applications for burning off or conducting fire-fighting drills must be made to Community Ranger Services, and some approvals may require the Minister’s authority.

The following conditions are met for a permit to be issued:

There are no current restrictions in place;
Burning takes place between 6–11 pm and is extinguished before midnight;
A responsible adult is supervising during the entire burning off period;
Water or fire extinguishers are available to control the fire; and
Burning off takes place in an approved incinerator or in a safe area.

If burning off using an approved incinerator, it:

Must not pose a nuisance or fire hazard; and
Must be at least 2 metres from a fence, building or flammable material.

If burning off on the ground:

All bush and flammable materials within 5 metres of the fire must be cleared; and
Running water or fire extinguisher must be available.

Permits are issued subject to prevailing weather conditions and restrictions applied by the State Government and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).

You are required to inform the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Fire Station on 9021 1044 on the day you intend to burn.

Cooking with gas appliances

Gas fuel cooking appliances may only be lit in the open when:

It is at a person’s home; and
It is in an area that is set aside for the purpose, with the appropriate signage by the State or the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Bushfires and fire protection

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) helps the community prepare, prevent and respond safely to disasters, and is the lead agency for bushfire control in the state. For more information, visit their website.

Bushfire control

The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s Chief Bushfire Control Officer is responsible for monitoring, reporting and controlling bushfires within City boundaries. He has responsibilities and delegated powers under the Bush Fires Act 1954, which includes liaising with other Bush Fire Control Officers at rural stations.

A bushfire control notice will be issued prior to the commencement of the Bushfire season by the Chief Executive Officer. This notice will include any requirements that a property owner must undertake for the clearance of their property and the installation of firebreaks.

Fire fighting and emergency services

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) responds to a wide range of emergencies in the local area, including:

Fire
Cyclones
Storms
Floods
Road accidents
Chemical spills
Earthquakes

It is able to perform search and rescue operations on land and water.

DFES and its volunteers also uses proactive measures to reduce injury, loss of life and destruction of property in our community.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder Fire Station
189 Boulder Road
Kalgoorlie WA 6430

For enquiries, please contact:

Tel: +61 8 9099 9210
Fax: +61 8 9021 3279

For emergencies, please dial 000.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder State Emergency Service
Old Boulder Shire Depot
Hamilton Street
Kalgoorlie WA 6430

Firebreak Notice 2022/2023 - Bush Fires Act 1954

Notice to all owners and/or occupiers of land situated in the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder

As a measure to assist in the control of bush fires, and to prevent the spread or extension of a bush fire which may occur, all owners and/or occupiers of land within the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder district are required before the 1st day in October each year, or within 14 days of becoming the owner or occupier of land if after that date, to clear firebreaks or take measures in accordance with this Notice and maintain those firebreaks and measures up to and including the 30th day of April in the following year.

Interpretation

“Act” means the Bush Fires Act 1954;

“Authorised Person” means a person authorised in accordance with Section 9.10 of the Local Government Act 1995 by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

“City” means the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

“Flammable Matter” includes all form of vegetation both living and dead, and any other flammable materials and combustible matter;

“Firebreak” means ground which is cleared to a mineral earth standard in which all flammable material (which includes vegetation and with all overhanging branches, trees, limbs, etc. to be trimmed back clear of the Firebreak area) has been removed and on which no flammable material (which includes vegetation) is permitted during the Firebreak period and the Firebreak must be the required width.

“Firebreak Period” means the time from 1st October in any year until 30th April in the year following;

“Trafficable” means able to be driven around, unhindered, in a standard four-wheel drive vehicle.

General Requirements

All owners and/or occupiers of land within the district of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder must clear all flammable matter from the land in accordance with the following requirements —

Land which is 5,000m² or less in area, shall be required to follow the general fire hazard reduction measures as stated in this Notice.

Land which is 5,001m² or greater in area, shall have a trafficable firebreak three (3) metres in width cleared immediately inside all external boundaries of the land to mineral earth or to the satisfaction of an authorised person.

General Fire Hazard Reduction Measures

All owners/occupiers are required to reduce fire hazards on their property as far as reasonably practicable over the entire area of land. This can be achieved by clearing all “flammable matter” to a height of no more than 50mm, or to the satisfaction of an authorised person and all clearing must be done in accordance with the Act. Fire Hazard Reduction Orders will be issued where owners/occupiers have failed to reduce fire hazards on their property to a satisfactory state in the opinion of an authorised person.

Amendments to the above requirements

If an owner or occupier of land within the district of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is unable to comply with the requirements of this Notice, that owner or occupier may request in writing to the City, to undertake alternative measures to enable compliance with this Notice in the opinion of an authorised person.

The following are the Burning Periods for Kalgoorlie-Boulder District

Firebreaks/Reduction Measures must be installed by 1st October and remain until 30th April in the following year.

Prohibited Period — All Burning is prohibited between 1st November to 31st March in the following year.

Restricted Period — Permits are required between 1st April to 30th April and 1st October to 31st October each year.

No permit required Period — Burning off does not require a permit however restrictions still apply from 1st May to 30th September each year.

* The City does not support the burning off in residential areas and permits will only be issued under exceptional circumstances.

The following restrictions apply at all times throughout the year —

No burning off on Sunday or Public Holidays.
No burning off of garden waste, refuse or offensive materials at any time.
No burning off contrary to the provisions of the City's Health Local Law.
Authorised burning off will only be undertaken between the hours of 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm.
All neighbouring property occupiers must be informed of the burning off before commencement.
An authorised person must be informed of the burning off before commencement.
Local Fire Station Officers must be informed of the burning off before commencement.

Compliance

In addition to the requirements of this Notice, further works which are considered necessary by an authorised person may be required as specified in writing in a subsequent Notice addressed to the land owner as recorded by the City.
Where the owner or occupier of the land fails or neglects to comply with the requirements of this Notice or a subsequent Notice addressed to the land owner, an authorised person may enter onto and upon the land with any workmen, contractors, vehicles and machinery as required to carry out the requisitions of the Notice at the expense of the land owner. Where the City is required to act in default, the land will be cleared in accordance with this Notice or at the discretion of an authorised person.
Failure to comply with this Notice and subsequent written Notices may result in penalties being issued or court action and the liability for any costs incurred by the City in relation to works undertaken on behalf of the land owner.

ANDREW BRIEN,
Chief Executive Officer
Dated: 28 September 2022

Quick Links

Firebreak Notice

Burning Off Periods Fact Sheet

DFES Fact Sheets

Total Fire Bans

Renting and bushfires

Safer places in a bushfire

Sheltering in your home

Travelling during a bushfire

Bushfire risks and dangers

Bushfire Warning System

Evaporative Air Conditioners

Horses and bushfires

How do I keep informed?