Permit to Burn 

Permits to burn are required during the Restricted Burning Period and can be obtained from your district Fire Control Officer (FCO).
How to apply for a permit

To obtain a permit during the Restricted Burning Period please contact your district Fire Control Officer (FCO) of your local brigade. Permits must be obtained before burning commences. 

Important note: You will need to allow up to 72 hours for a Fire Control Officer to attend your property to assess your Permit to Burn application. 

Before you apply for a permit check the following

  • Do you have the ability to contain, control and extinguish your burn? This means you have suitable firefighting equipment onsite for the duration of the burn. If your burn escapes and causes damage, you may be liable for costs.
  • The Fire Danger Rating (FDR) System has recently changed. When the FDR is High or above all burning is prohibited and permits to burn are automatically suspended (you will have to extinguish your burn). To check the FDR go to  www.emergency.wa.gov.au
      • click on the FDR icon and find Southern Forests which includes Nannup.
    • You must notify your adjoining landowners twenty four (24) hours in advance of your intention to burn. 

    The Fire Control Officer will require the following information before issuing a permit:

    • The address of the property where it is proposed to conduct the burn
    • The name and contact number of the Permit holder. 
    • Details of firefighting equipment that will be on site and confirmation it is in good working condition
    • If there are firebreaks installed at the property and if a fire appliance will have access to the site of the burn
    • What materials are to be burned, are they dry, and the size of the proposed burn.

    Once the Permit is Issued, the permit holder shall give notice to burn to:

    1. DBCA Busselton (08) 9752 5555 if within 3km of State Forest. 
    2. Shire of Nannup offices 9756 1018 (you will need the DBCA reference #),
    3. DFES Communications 1800 198 140 (10min prior to ignition and update as required) this will ensure your burn is displayed on Emergency WA maps.   

    Important Permit Information

    All burning is prohibited and permits to burn are automatically suspended on days when the fire danger rating is High or above, or a Total Fire Ban or Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban is declared.

    Permits to burn are issued subject to certain conditions which are listed on the permit. Failure to comply with all of these conditions may result in a fine of $250 and up to $5,000 should legal action be undertaken. Any special conditions imposed by the Fire Control Officer when issuing permits must be strictly adhered to.

    It is an offence to apply to another Brigade’s Fire Control Officer for a permit if your Brigade’s Fire Control Officer has refused you. Fire Control Officers’ ability to issue permits may vary in some instances. Please assist them by planning your permit requirements early. Fire Control Officers’ are not obligated to issue permits to burn and may provide advice on alternatives to burning. Abusing a Fire Control Officer for not issuing a permit will not be tolerated.

    All landowners and occupiers upon whose land a bushfire occurs have an obligation to assist each area Fire Control Officer to compile a Fire Report form.

    Camping and Cooking

    Pursuant to the powers contained in section 25 (1a) of the Bush Fires Act 1954, the lighting of a fire in the open air for the purpose of camping or cooking is not permitted during the prohibited period.

    For the purposes of this section (1aa) a gas fueled appliance, comprising a fire the flame of which is encapsulated by the appliance, and which does not consume solid fuel, shall not be taken to be a fire in the open air and may be used at any time for the purpose of camping or cooking and all combustible material is cleared from within five (5) metre radius of the appliance.

    Fires must always be attended, and you must have the ability and means to extinguish the fire close at hand.

    Campfires and Firepits

    Campfires and firepits are NOT permitted:

    • At any time during the PROHIBITED burning time
    • On days when a TOTAL FIRE BAN has been issued
    • On days where the FIRE DANGER RATING is HIGH or above
    • On public land, unless purpose built campfire pits have been provided by the owner of the land and permission to use them has been given.

     Campfires and firepits are permitted:

    • On private property during the RESTRICTED burning time without a Permit but cannot be lit before 6pm and must be fully extinguished by 11pm. A permit is required outside of these times.
    • Campfires and firepits shall have a space cleared of all vegetation and other flammable materials around the site of the fire of at least three (3) metres radius from the centre of the fire.

    Campfires and Firepits

    Fire Danger Rating

    Prohibited Burning Times

    Restricted Burning Time

    Conditions of Cooking or Campfires

    • FDR must be moderate or no rating.
    • A minimum of 3m clear space of all vegetation/flammable material.
    • Not left unattended.
    • Extinguish with water and/or earth before you leave.
    • Campfires are not permitted on public land unless the landowner has provided purpose-built campfire pits and permission to use them.

    High, Extreme or Catastrophic

    Not permitted

    Not permitted

    Moderate or no rating

    Not permitted

    Permitted under  conditions of cooking or campfires

    Wood/Solid Fuel BBQs and Pizza Ovens

     Wood/Solid Fuel BBQs and Pizza Ovens are NOT permitted:

    • On days when a TOTAL FIRE BAN has been issued
    • On days where the FIRE DANGER RANGER is HIGH or above

     Wood/Solid Fuel BBQs and Pizza Ovens are permitted:

    • On private property on days where the FIRE DANGER RATING is MODERATE or below.
    • Wood/Solid Fuel BBQs and Pizza Ovens shall have a space cleared of all vegetation and other flammable materials around the site of the fire of at least three (3) meters radius from the centre of the fire.

    Burning of Garden Refuse

    Pursuant to the powers contained in section 24G (2) of the Bush Fires Act 1954,the burning of all garden refuse is not permitted during prohibited burning times. This applies to all persons within the Shire of Nannup.

    During the restricted burning time, the burning of garden refuse or rubbish on the ground or in an incinerator can only be carried out with a Fire Permit issued under Regulation 15 of the Bush Fire Act 1954. To obtain a Permit, contact your Fire Control Officer. Please allow up to seventy two (72) hours for a Fire Control Officer to attend your property to assess your Permit application.

    Roadside Burning

    Road side burning by residents and brigades are to follow these policy guidelines:
    Policy BFC 2 Roadside Burning
    1. Authority to allow road-side burning on Council controlled road reserves shall rest with the area Fire Control Officer and the Chief Executive Officer, jointly,
    2. Initially, all requests for road-side burning should be directed to the area Fire Control Officer for the issue of permits, where appropriate,
    3. Fire Control Officers should then contact the Chief Executive Officer to obtain permission for the burn, and
    4. All necessary safety precautions are to be taken, including the placing of warning signs either end of the burn.
     Other important points to consider are:
    • notifying the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,
    • notifying neighbours, 
    • raking around roadside trees to avoid them burning out and falling over the road,
    • smoke over roads which can create an extremely hazardous environment for road users,
    • requesting resource support from council which may be possible on occasions dependant on availability,
    • requesting brigade support to assist with the burn.