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Stubble Burning

Council Services

Permits for Burning Off - Fire Season

Stubble Burning

Approval is granted for the issuing of permits usually from mid March to the end of April, subject to weather and compliance with the conditions.

To apply for a permit contact Council's Fire Prevention Officer on (08) 8752-1044.

You can apply for a permit on the day of the burn prior to 11.00 am or pre- organise your permit and then activate it on the day of your burn.

On the day of burning, simply call the Fire Prevention Officer prior to 11am and notify your intent to burn and request an activation of the permit number you have been issued and the location in which you intend to burn.

Blanket permits will not be issued.

One permit can include up to 5 locations but must include a grid reference for each location.

One permit may cover up to 5 weekdays but not past midnight on the Friday night of that week.

You must reapply if the burns are not completed that week.

We request that landowners have the following information at hand to streamline the permit issuing process:

  • Section and Hundred details
  • Mobile number of person conducting the burn
  • Name of nearest road access
  • Grid reference of burn (obtained from CFS map book and page number)
  • Property name if applicable

CONDITIONS FOR BURNING OFF – Please note changes in bold

  1. The following conditions are in addition to the conditions prescribed by the Fire and Emergency Services Act and Regulations, 2005 as included on the Permit.
  2. Council must be notified of the intent to burn by 11.00 am on the morning of burning or by 3.00pm on Friday in relation to burning on a Saturday. The following information is required: - permit number, grid reference and address of area to be burnt, time of commencement and hectares.
  3. That at least 2000 litres of water, over a minimum of two separate vehicles must be kept on hand to extinguish the fire (minimum 400 litres per vehicle).
  4. That at least 4 able bodied persons who are able to control the fire, or such greater number of persons as may be specified in the permit, must be present at the site of the fire from the time it is lighted to the time it is completely extinguished.
  5. That the land immediately around the relevant land must be cleared of all flammable vegetation to a distance of at least 8 metres (fire break).
  6. Burning off is not permitted during the Easter Weekend, Sundays, Public Holidays, Days of Total Fire Ban or where the weather conditions are not deemed safe for burning.
  7. Fires MUST NOT be lit before 12 noon and MUST be extinguished before 12 midnight on the same day.
  8. Only grass and stubble may be burnt.
  9. Burning of timber is not permitted.
  10. Consider vineyards in the area and burn under appropriate wind conditions to avoid smoke taint. Please refer to the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) Fact Sheet Stubble burning - a possible source of smoke taint in grapes.

The Fire Prevention Officer will carry out random inspections.  Where breaches of permit conditions are detected, expiations or prosecutions may occur.

PENALTIES: Failure to comply with conditions will be expiated $473.00. This expiation is in addition to any penalties that may be applicable under the Fire and Emergency Services Act and Regulations.

Landowners are asked to check the weather conditions prior to burning to see if weather conditions are suitable.

Stubble burning with Grassland Fire Danger Index (GFDI) of 25

The table below calculates the average wind speed+ (kilometres per hour) for different temperature (degrees Celsius) and relative humidity (RH) combinations that equate to a Grassland Fire Danger Index (GDFI) of 25.

Stubble burning* must cease for periods when the average wind speed for a particular combination is exceeded.

Index table

Is the wind speed too high for me to undertake my stubble burning right now?

Example of a day with temp - 240C and relative humidity of 23%:

  1. Temperature = 240C (round up to 250C)
  2. Relatively humidity (RH) = 23% (round down to 20%)
  3. For the above combination of Temp & RH, stubble burning must cease when the average wind speed+ is greater than 29 kph.

*  Stubble burning cannot take place unless a permit is obtained from your local Council and the conditions are right. Please check with your local   Council regarding start dates for stubble burning permits in your area. 

+ Wind speed average over 10 minutes

Click here to access Native Vegetation Council Information sheet regarding Stubble Burning and Protection of Scattered Trees and Remnant Vegetation.

Click here to access the Reducing Harvester Fire Risk Back Pocket Guide

Any person wishing to light a fire during the above period should seek advice before doing so as severe penalties apply to illegal fires.

For more specific information concerning fire prevention, contact Council's Fire Prevention Officer, or the CFS website at http://www.cfs.org.au/

STUBBLE BURNING - A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF SMOKE TAINT IN GRAPES

What is the risk of stubble burning affecting grapes?

Given grapes are susceptible to smoke when stubble burning typically occurs, there is a risk that grapes could become tainted from exposure to smoke from stubble burning. The degree of risk will depend on many factors, such as the amount of stubble/ha, the temperature of the burn, wind speed and direction and other environmental conditions, smoke density, the concentration of the volatile phenol compounds, duration of exposure and proximity of the vineyard. While the risk is likely to be less than that associated with a bushfire, because stubble fires are less likely to result in longer-term smoke exposure, there is still a risk.

For more information please click here to read The Australian Wine Research Institute Fact Sheet.