Fire requires fuel and the best way to protect your property is to ensure that you keep the place clean and minimise the amount of fuel around the house.
You also have a responsibility to make sure your place does not represent a fire hazard to your neighbours. For more information see the page on this website on Fireproofing Your Home.
You should use pile burns as one method of doing hazard reduction on your property. These fall under the regulations of your local council. Here in the Hawkesbury there are some specific regulations whic you should read before completing the form below. Once you’ve filled it out and submitted it, it automatically takes you to the RFS site to fill in and submit.
Once they’ve both been done, you will see a notification number on the RFS submission. Please make a note of it.
You will also get a confirmation email.
Open Burning Permits
Hawkesbury City Council Open Burning:
https://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/_resources/forms/open-burning
The page outlines the general permission to complete Open Burning and must be completed 12 months of the year. You need to nominate the dates that you will burn within a 3 day window. Once you’ve filled it out and submitted it, it automatically takes you to the RFS site to fill in and submit.
Piles must be constructed and burnt in accordance with the NSW RFS Pile Burn Standards.
Fire Safety Permits
Fire Safety Permits are required as well during the Bushfire Danger Period usually October 1 to March 31, but this is sometimes brought forward or extended due to unfavourable conditions. These are obtained from the RFS in most areas, but if you live in McGraths Hill, Windsor Downs, Bligh Park, South Windsor, Windsor, Vineyard, Clarendon, Richmond and North Richmond – you are required to obtain a permit from Fire & Rescue NSW at all times throughout the year.
To obtain a Fire Safety Permit please contact our local Fire Control Centre. Centre Contact details:
Hawkesbury Fire Control Street Address: Macquarie Road, Wilberforce 2756
Postal Address: Macquarie Road, Wilberforce 2756
Phone Number: 02 4560 6400
Fax Number: 02 4575 1475
Hazard Reduction Certificates
Landowners wishing to complete hazard reduction on their land should review the Application Instructions for a Bush Fire Hazard Reduction Certificate.
It describes the simplified process for obtaining the certificate and shows a number of different methods that can be used for hazard reduction on your land.
10/50 Vegetation Clearing
If your property is in a 10/50 Vegetation area you do not require any council approval to clear trees with 10m of the external walls of your dwelling and other vegetation within 50 metres.
This is the applicable council web page.
Asset Protection Zones
An Asset Protection Zone (APZ) is a fuel reduced area surrounding a built asset or structure. This can include any residential building or major building such as farm and machinery sheds, or industrial, commercial or heritage buildings. An APZ provides
· a buffer zone between a bush fire hazard and an asset
· an area of reduced bush fire fuel that allows suppression of fire
· an area from which backburning may be conducted
· an area which allows emergency services access and provides a relatively safe area for firefighters and homeowners to defend their property
This is the link to the Guide.
Before you light that fire
This is a RFS guide to the steps required to light a fire. You will need to make sure you have:
· gained environmental approval (if required)
· been issued a Fire Permit (if required)•notified all adjoining landowners/occupiers and your local fire authority
· checked to make sure it’s not a Total Fire Ban Day
The Guide steps you through these four steps
Lighting a Fire – Quick Facts
This is a Factsheet that covers lots of different Frequently Asked Questions