Bushfire

Restricted Burning Periods and Permits

Restricted Burning Times - EXTENDED UNTIL 28 APRIL 2024

Restricted burning periods are normally 19th September to 31st October and 1st March to 28 April (EXTENDED). Permits are required to light a fire during the Restricted Burning Time. All permit holders are required to comply with the requirements of the Bush Fire Act 1954. Any additional special conditions imposed on the permit holder must also be complied with.
Seasonal conditions may result in variation to these dates (see above). Any changes will be advertised in local newspapers and updated on this website.

Burning under a permit is now permissible in Fire Weather Zones - South West and North West (West of Brand Highway) over the Easter Holiday Period.

Prohibited Burning Times

Under the Bush Fires Act 1954, it is generally an offence to light fires during the Prohibited Burning period. Penalties of up to $10,000 fine, 12 months’ imprisonment, or both may apply. Prohibited Burning times are as follows; 1st November to 28th February. 

Permits to Burn

If you want to light a fire during the restricted burning period you must obtain a permit to burn from a fire control officer. See the emergency contacts page on this website for fire control officer contact details for your area.

Total Fire Bans | Harvest & Vehicle Movement Bans

Total Fire Bans

A Total Fire Ban (TFB) may be declared by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) on days when fires are most likely to threaten lives and property. This is because of predicted adverse fire weather or when widespread fires are impacting the availability of resources.


During a TFB, the lighting of any fire in the open air is prohibited. This includes all open cooking and camping fires and incinerators. It also includes ‘hot work’ such as welding, grinding and soldering or gas cutting. The penalty is a fine of $25,000 or imprisonment for 12 months, or both.


TFBs are announced on the DFES website, on ABC Radio and the DFES Twitter feed. Exemptions may be available. You can find out more about TFBs by visiting the DFES website.

Harvest and Vehicle Movement Bans

The Shire of Dandaragan and the Chief Bushfire Control Officer may impose Harvest and/or Vehicle Movement Bans when adverse fire weather conditions are experienced or firefighting resources are already committed to a fire in the district. Consultation with fire weather officers will occur to determine if a ban is warranted.

The Shire has four weather zones:

  • Northwest Zone
  • Southwest Zone
  • Northeast Zone
  • Southeast Zone

Weather Zones allow the implementation of a harvest ban in individual or multiple zones depending on the weather conditions in each zone.  A fire weather map (PDF) clearly showing the zones and their boundaries is available by clicking on the link below.

Fire Weather Zone Map (PDF)


The Shire of Dandaragan Fire Control Officers have the following powers under the BUSH FIRE REGULATIONS 1954

Harvest and Off Road Activity Bans are declared by a Fire Control Officer and in consultation with the Shire. They can be declared when fire weather conditions are most likely to threaten lives and property or when a fire is already underway and firefighting resources are committed. Special conditions and exemptions may apply depending on the type and reason for the ban.

REGULATION 24C – NOTICE TO BAN THE USE OF ENGINES, VEHICLES, PLANT OR MACHINERY LIKELY TO CAUSE A BUSH FIRE WHEN A TOTAL FIRE BAN IS DECLARED.

REGULATION 38A – NOTICE TO BAN THE USE OF ENGINES, VEHICLES, PLANT OR MACHINERY LIKELY TO CAUSE A BUSH FIRE DURING THE RESTRICTED AND PROHIBITED BURNING TIMES.

  • Harvesting and agricultural operations are not permitted.
  • All off-road activity is banned, regardless of whether it is for agricultural purposes or work being conducted by business, industry and public authorities.

Exemptions:

Essential Services

Off-Road activity, for urgent work, carried out by an essential service can continue, but only when the prescribed conditions in Division 9 of the Bush Fires Regulation 1954 are complied with. Urgent works, in relation to the provision of an essential service, means repairs or maintenance necessary for the continued provision, or restoration, of the service. Essential service: water supply, sewerage or drainage services, electricity, or gas services; telecommunications services; public transport services and rubbish collection or disposal services.

Health and Safety

Off-Road Activity is permitted for the use or operation of a vehicle for the prevention of an immediate and serious risk to the health or safety of a person or livestock, and only if all reasonable precautions have been taken to prevent the activity from creating a bush fire danger.

Permitted Areas of Work During all Bans

  • Use or operation of any vehicle on gazetted roads, lanes, driveways, yards, or other areas that provide access to, or a parking facility at, any residential, farming or business premises, if the area has been sufficiently cleared of inflammable material to prevent the escape of fire.
  • The Shire may grant an exemption to continue trucking movements from grain transfer points to the nearest gazetted road if specific conditions are met at the grain transfer point. The Shire of Dandaragan Fire Weather Officers are responsible for issueing the exemption, however may choose to decline if the site does not satisfy prescribed conditions or the Fire Weather Officer is of the belief that the undertaking can not be done safely.

Definitions:

Off-Road:

Includes areas such as paddocks, vegetation, uncleared land and land with stubble, grass or any inflammable material present.

Off-Road Activity:

Includes the use of anything activated by an internal combustion engine used off-road. e.g. Motor bikes, quad bikes, excavators, chain saws, ride on mowers and generators.


Communication of total fire bans and harvest and vehicle movement bans

The Shire of Dandaragan will endeaver to communicate broadly when a total fire ban is imposed by DFES. However, it is the responsibility of landowners and occupiers to check if a ban is in place before engaging in any activity that may be prohibited.  If you would like to receive an SMS notification to your mobile phone of Shire imposed harvest and total vehicle movement bans then please complete the online form below and submit or alternatively print out Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban Notification Form (print version) and return it to the shire.

HARVEST & VEHICLE MOVEMENT BAN NOTIFICATION

Council has previously implemented a system of being able to advise farmers/businesses of the imposing of Harvest and Movement of Vehicle Bans via a mobile phone. If a Ban has been imposed, all persons registered will be sent a text message advising of details. 

Once completed this form will be automatically sent to the Emergency Services Coordinator to be added to the service as soon as possible. You may not receive notifications for some time as the sending of notifications is reserved for fire bans or changes to advertised seasons or burning periods.

Please complete your details below and ensure you read the terms and conditions prior to submitting this form.

Terms and Conditions

  1. By subscribing to this service, you agree to receive SMS messages from the Shire of Dandaragan regarding harvest and other bans imposed during the harvest seasons.
  2. You accept that by subscribing to this service you will receive messages for the current and future FIRE seasons.
  3. The Shire of Dandaragan reserves the right to discontinue this service at any time. Any decision to discontinue this service will be advised via this SMS service.
  4. You have the right to unsubscribe from this service at any time. To unsubscribe please notify the Shire of Dandaragan in writing via email at council@dandaragan.wa.gov.au or mail to PO Box 676, Jurien Bay WA 6516. Please DO NOT attempt to unsubscribe via replying to an SMS notification.
T&Cs*
T&Cs*

 

 

Fire Break and Fuel Hazard Notice

For more detailed information on fire break requirements, harvesting operations and building protection zones please refer to the Fire Break & Hazard Reduction Notice 2023/2024.

Hazard Reduction Burns

The Shire of Dandaragan carries out a program of prescribed hazard reduction burns on its Reserves during the autumn and springs months. Burns are subject to volunteer availability and weather conditions. 

Notification will be provided to all landholders surrounding the planned burns prior to the burn being carried out. Maps detailing the 2023 program can be found by following the links below:

Bibby RoadAragon X Brown Street | Cervantes Airstrip North | Cervantes Airstrip South | Cockleshell Gully Road | Koonah Road - East | Koonah Road - West | Mullering Brook | Mullering Road X Wolba Road | Munbinea Road | Waddi Road | Yerramullah Road - North | Yerramullah Road - South 1 | Yerramullah Road - South 2

Alternative Alignments & Variations to Firebreak & Fuel Hazard Notices

If it is impractical to have a firebreak immediately inside a boundary, for environmental or any other reason(s), you are required to apply to the Shire of Dandaragan in writing, before 1st October to obtain permission for firebreaks to be installed in an alternative position or for alternative measures to be put in place. Approval is granted for a period of 3 years, after which the landowner must re-apply for a variation to the firebreak notice. Firebreak Variation Application

Bushfire Brigade PPC/PPE Request Form

FIREFIGHTING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT REQUEST

As a method to reduce administrative burden and delays getting PPC/PPE to volunteers this online request module has been introduced. Please take the time to read all T&Cs below prior to submitting this form.

Terms and Conditions

  1. This request will only be valid if you are registered as a bush fire brigade member within the Shire of Dandaragan. If you are not a member please contact your local brigade, see Contact List . If you believe this request is warranted but you are not a brigade member please contact the Shires Emergency Management Coordinator following lodgement of this form. 
  2. The Shire reserves the right to deny this request if you cannot be verified against brigade records.
  3. The Shire expects you to utilise the PPC/PPE in the correct manner when attending fires, use outside of fires or brigade related activities is not permitted.
  4. Some items may be subject to order limits per annum and subsequent requests may be denied without valid warranty that the originally supplied PPC/PPE has been subject to fair wear and tear.
  5. One form is to be submitted per person requesting.