Following a particularly dry winter, the bush fire danger period has been announced with local Rural Fire Service personnel urging people to be extra careful with any burns conducted on properties.
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As of September 1 fire permits will be required to light an outdoor fire, as the bush fire danger period commences for the Bega Valley Shire Council and Eurobodalla Shire Council areas.
Typically the statutory Bush Fire Danger Period runs from 1 October to 31 March, however due to the dryer than average conditions of the South Coast, the announcement has come early.
While this warning may come as a shock to people after two incredibly wet years RFS authorities are warning people to brace for a dangerous bushfire season ahead.
The permit system ensures agencies like the NSW RFS know when and where landholders intend to burn, to ensure adequate and appropriate measures are in place, and so that fires remain under control.
Listed below are some of the main points to know about fire permits.
How and where to get a fire permit
Fire permits are free and can be obtained by contacting your local Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW Brigade or your local Fire Control Centre.
How long does a permit last and what conditions apply
A permit lasts for a maximum of 21 days, but a shorter period can be specified on the permit.
The permit issuing officer may add any conditions deemed as necessary but all permits have standard conditions that are listed on the permit form, such as a minimum of one adult always in attendance, the permit must be carried by the holder at all times and so on.
A permit issuing officer's added conditions can include:
- the permit is to be carried by the permit holder, on site, at the time the fire is lit
- the permit is to remain on site with those present until extinguished, if applicable
- the fire must be supervised at all times unless the permit says otherwise
- notifications are given to the NSW RFS and adjoining neighbours at least 24 hours prior to the fire being lit
- the permit may be varied, cancelled or suspended, depending on weather conditions.
The importance of notifying your local fire station
Once you've acquired a permit, you are required to give at least 24 hours notice of intention to burn to all occupants of adjoining land and to the local fire station or the Fire Control Officer in Rural Fire Districts.
Adjoining lands includes land separated from the permit holder's land by a road, lane or waterway, whether fenced or not. RFS advised that when the land is not occupied, owners of the property must be notified.
The notice may be either written or verbal and must include details of the location, purpose and time of fire proposed to be lit.
What to do when conducting a burn
There are several important step that the RFS urge people to consider and put in place prior to a burn.
First they need to ensure the burn is being conducted in an area that can be contained and controlled.
Prior to setting the burn pile alight you must ensure that it will not cause an air pollution problem by producing excessive amounts of smoke.
The permit holder is responsible for checking whether a no burn day or total fire ban has been issued, which can be checked through the RFS Fire Danger Ratings and Total Fire Ban websites.
Prior to conducting a burn, the permit holder is required to check the expected weather conditions, then if it is safe to do so they must contact and notify their local NSW RFS Fire Control Centre or Fire and Rescue NSW station prior to lighting.
For those wanting an even clearer guide on how to conduct burn on their properties, you can read the NSW RFS Before you light that fire guide, which gives detailed advice.
You can also check the RFS Can I or Can't I fact sheets to find out what restrictions are in place in your area.
