Prescribed Burns and Permits

There are legal requirements for hazard reduction burning depending on the time of year and type of burning taking place.

This may include the requirement to obtain a permit from your local Fire Control Officer, notify certain persons or to abide by specific conditions.

To check the current burning period conditions, please visit When can I burn?

Burning permits

If you want to burn grass, paddocks and bush during the Restricted Burning Period, you will need a burning permit.

To apply for a permit, contact the Fire Control Officer for your area at least one week before your burn.

Burning permits are only valid for the day or days written on the permit.

If you have been refused a permit, you can’t reapply for the same burn.

Appeals to a refusal must be lodged with the Chief Bush Fire Control Officer by emailing info@sjshire.wa.gov.au.

If you want to burn a Council road reserve or verge you need written approval from the Shire, as well as an approved permit from a Fire Control Officer.

To apply use the form below.

Application for Shire Verge Burning

Application Form - Shire Verge Burning

Stay alert with our SJ SMS system

Sign up for the SJ SMS Alert Service to get the latest fire ban information straight to your phone. It’s free, and you can opt in and out at any time.

This service is not an emergency alert system. People living and working in the Shire who witness a fire should always call 000.

Sign up for our SJ SMS Alert Service here

Before you apply

Have your address ready.
Know the size of your burn and ensure materials are dry.
Check your firebreaks are maintained and that the burn area is trafficable.
Check your firefighting equipment and resources are in good working order.
Have the contact numbers of three able bodied people who will be at the burn.
Remove plastics, treated wood, tyres and other materials (you can only burn vegetation).

Key documents

Controlled Burning Neighbour Notification Slip

Information Note - Smoke Management

Department of Fire and Emergency Services - Burn SMART Guide

Fines and penalties

Offence	Infringement	Maximum Penalty
Failure to produce permit to burn	$100	$500
Failure to comply with the directions of a Fire Control Officer	$250	$2,000
Offences relating to lighting a fire in the open air	$250	$3,000
Obstruction of an authorised officer	$250	$5,000
Disposal of burning cigarettes etc.	$100	$5,000
Apply to another Fire Control Officer for a permit where a permit has already been refused or granted subject to special conditions	$250	$10,000
Failure of occupier to extinguish bush fire	$250	$10,000
Setting fire to the bush during prohibited burning time	$250	$10,000 and/or 12 months imprisonment

Before you burn

You need to give at least four (4) days but not more than 28 days notice (verbal or written) to:

Your local Fire Control Officer.
Your neighbours.
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (if your burn is within 3km of state forest or regional / national park).

NOTE: Before commencing your burn, you must notify the Department of Fire and Emergency Services Communications Centre on 9395 9209 and the Shire on 9526 1111.

If you are a contractor being paid to burn on behalf of a landowner you need to have the following in place:

Written permission from the landowner.
An approved burning permit.
A prescribed fire plan including details of the burn.
A site plan and traffic and smoke management plans.
Relevant insurance.

While you’re burning

Your firefighting equipment and three (3) able bodied people must stay at the burn until it is safe to leave.
It is safe to leave when all burning or smouldering debris is fully extinguished within the burn area for a distance of 30 metres measured from the edge of the burn area.
You must monitor your burn to keep smoke from impacting on your neighbours or causing a traffic hazard.
It is the permit holder’s responsibility to control the burn. If you feel that your burn is out of control call 000.
If a Fire Control Officer thinks that your burn is out of control, you may need to extinguish it. If a Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade is required to extinguish your burn, costs may be incurred.
If your burn escapes, you must report the incident to us within seven (7) days, including how it escaped, any losses and the equipment used to suppress the fire. You may be held responsible for any damage caused to others.

NOTE: Remember to get insurance to cover you, your land and your public liability responsibilities before you burn.

Remember our environment

Some properties have environmental values that need to be considered and protected. These include but are not limited to:

Threatened ecological communities.
Environmentally sensitive areas.
Bush Forever sites.
Areas protected under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Specific development or subdivision approval conditions.

If you think that your land may be affected by environmental values, please contact us on 9526 1111.

As burning can encourage weed growth we recommend you undertake weed control after burning to help maintain the reduced fuel loading. Contact Landcare SJ on 9526 0012 for more information.

Fire Control Officers

Location	Contacts
Byford, Darling Downs, Karrakup and Cardup (East of Hopkinson Rd)	Martyn Williams - 0410 479 441
Oakford, Oldbury (North of the rail line) and Cardup (West of Hopkinson Rd)	Paul Williamson - 0439 994 803
Oakford, Oldbury (North of the rail line) and Cardup (West of Hopkinson Rd)	Ross Cooper - 0431 991 003
Mundijong, Whitby, Mardella (North of Lowlands Rd and Oldbury, South of the rail line)	Steve Chadwick - 0419 983 838
Jarrahdale	Belinda Briscoe - 0418 644 183
Serpentine (West of the rail line), Hopeland (North or Utley Rd, Punrak Rd and Wigg Rd)	Ray Elliott - 0409 106 610
Serpentine (East of the rail line)	Don Downey - 0400 252 352
Keysbrook (East of Westcott Rd)	Scott Hambley - 0417 173 410
Keysbrook and Hopeland (West of Westcott Rd and South of Utley Rd)	Ken Elliott - 0419 860 010

Please only contact Fire Control Officers between the hours of 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.