Fire
From bushfire preparedness and property maintenance to wood heaters and burning regulations, understanding your responsibilities around fire helps keep our Community safe.
Bushfires, open burning and smoke from wood fires can affect people, property and the environment. Whether you're preparing for fire danger season, using a wood heater or undertaking permitted backyard burning, knowing the rules and taking appropriate precautions can help reduce fire risk, minimise smoke impacts and protect our Community.
Fire danger season normally runs from 1 December to 30 April each year. These dates can change depending on the weather conditions.
To check fire danger season dates, visit the CFS website. The City of Campbelltown falls within the Adelaide metropolitan district.
Be prepared
During fire danger season, remember to be prepared, make a 5 Minute Bushfire Plan or Bushfire Survival Plan and stay informed. For information on what you can do to keep you and your loved ones safe, visit the CFS website.
Stay informed
Keep up to date and check the fire danger ratings. The City of Campbelltown is located in Adelaide metropolitan region.
Another great tool to keep you up to date is the Alert SA App. The app can assist with bushfire notifications, fire danger rating information and notification of floods or storms in your nominated area.
Under the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005, land owners must take reasonable steps to:
- protect property on the land from fire
- prevent or inhibit the outbreak of fire
- prevent or inhibit the spread of fire.
Property owners must prepare by cutting or slashing lawns including any grass, weeds or other growth, which may become flammable during the fire danger season.
A Hazard Reduction Notice (known as a section 105F notice) may be issued if a land owner has not reduced the fire hazard on their property as required by the Act. If the land owner still fails to reduce the fire hazard, Council will undertake the work and recover the costs from the property owner.
To help protect your property and the community:
- Within 20 metres of any building, reduce and maintain all grass, pest plants and undergrowth to a maximum height of 10 centimetres.
- On vacant land under one hectare in size, reduce and maintain all grass, pest plants and undergrowth to a maximum height of 10 centimetres over the whole block.
- On vacant land over one hectare in size, establish and maintain a fuel break around the property perimeter. The fuel break should be at least a 5 metre wide strip on which all grass, pest plants and undergrowth is reduced to a maximum of 10 centimetres. The property should also be cleared of all flammable materials.
The responsibility to clear your property rests with you. If you are unable to clear and maintain your property, please contact an appropriate contractor.
Please remember to maintain your block throughout the fire danger season. This means you may need to clear your land more then once during the season. Council will continue to undertake inspections during this time.
Solid fuel heaters, such as wood heaters, are a popular means of home heating. Unfortunately, they can be a major source of air pollution when they are poorly designed or not operated correctly.
Wood smoke contains particles that are harmful to you, your family and your neighbours. If you can smell it, you’re already breathing it.
Tips for reducing smoke pollution include:
- Ensure your fireplace or heater is compliant with the National Construction Code.
- Burn only dry, seasoned wood. Never burn rubbish, driftwood, painted or treated wood.
- Store firewood somewhere that’s dry.
- Keep air vents open for 20 minutes after starting and reloading the fire.
- Check that there is no smoke from the flue 10 minutes after starting the fire.
For more information, please read the Burn Better For Good Brochure or visit www.epa.sa.gov.au.
Domestic and backyard burning is not allowed.
Although people may enjoy an outdoor fire, they may have others in their neighbourhood that are elderly, have respiratory diseases or have young children where exposure to smoke may cause considerable health impacts.
To understand what is allowed during what times of the year, check the CFS website.
Please be aware of the rules around burning in the open, by reading the Laws for Burning in the Open Brochure or visit www.epa.sa.gov.au.
The Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act of 2016 requires Councils to have a Building Fire Safety Committee. The purpose of the committee is to inspect any building to determine whether the fire safety of the building is adequate.
Our Building Fire Safety Committee comprises Council's Building Surveyor, a Development Officer and representatives from the Metropolitan Fire Service and the Country Fire Service.
The committee maintains a focus on inspecting those buildings where members of the public stay or gather, for example aged care facilities, hotels, sporting clubrooms and shopping centres.
If the committee considers that the fire safety of a building is inadequate, it can issue a notice under the Act in order to have the problem rectified.