Development in Bushfire Prone Areas
It is the purpose of the bushfire prone declaration to improve the level of protection of life and property in the event of a bushfire. This will be achieved by ensuring that all new buildings are constructed to a standard that will reduce the risk of ignition from any bushfire that may occur in the area.
A BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) assessment may be required to determine the level of fire intensity that may impact on the building and the level of construction will be dependent upon this assessment. The assessment is based upon vegetation type, density and proximity to property.
On this page
Planning
Bushfire Risk Management Regulations
In December 2015, the WA Planning Commission announced the publication of key bushfire related land use documents.
The documents include state planning policy and guidelines for planning in bushfire prone areas.
State Planning Policy 3.7 & guidelines Local Planning Strategy: Fact Sheet Guidelines
Council Policies & Information Sheet
Refer to the City of Albany policies below to understand the significance of bushfire management in planning and building:
Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Public Land Management Policy
Bushfire Management in Conservation, Special Residential & Rural Residential (Special Rural) Zoned
Development in a Bushfire Prone Area - Information Sheet
Building
Where buildings are assessed as BAL ‘low’ there are no specific construction requirements under the standard at this time.
Any buildings that are assessed as having a BAL above low will be required to meet the construction requirements of Australia Standard 3959. Construction requirements can range from prevention of ember attack through to withstanding a high heat flux and burning debris.
It is recommended that you discuss the relevant AS3959 requirements with your builder, architect or designer. You can also purchase a copy of AS3959 by clicking on this link.
The City of Albany also has a copy available for viewing at the Library and at the North Road administration building.
Each proposal will be assessed by the City of Albany on its merits and we recommend that you seek support from an experienced consultant in the preparation of BAL site specific requirements.
For more information refer to the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety - Commerce website (see links below)
Building in designated bush fire prone areas Frequently Asked Questions
Bushfire Attack Level (BAL)
A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessment is an assessment set out in Australian Standard 3959 Construction of Buildings in Bushfire-Prone Areas (AS3959) which determines the BAL rating for a proposed building.
A BAL is one way of determining a proposed building's potential for bushfire exposure and is used to establish the construction requirements you can use to improve the protection of your building from bushfire attack.
A BAL Assessment is generally carried out by an accredited Level 1 BAL Assessor or Bushfire Planning Practitioner. There are a number of private consultants who have a considerable amount of recognised experience in this field who undertake BAL assessments.