There are three ways to find out if your property is on bush fire prone land:
1.Use the interactive bush fire prone land enquiry map below
2. Find your property on the static bushfire prone land map
3. Apply for a Section 10.7 - Planning Certificate from City of Newcastle. The planning certificate will include a statement whether the land, or part of the land, is or is not bush fire prone.
Bush fire prone land is separated into three categories based on vegetation type and potential bush fire risk:
- Vegetation Category 1 (red): Land considered to be the highest risk for bushfire and surrounded by a 100m buffer (buffer is yellow)
- Vegetation Category 2 (dark orange): Land considered to be a medium bush fire risk. Surrounded by a 30m buffer (buffer is yellow).
- Vegetation Category 3 (light orange): Land considered to be a lower bush fire risk than categories 1 and 2. Surrounded by a 30m buffer (buffer is yellow).
All development, new or existing, that require the submission of a development application, has to comply with the NSW RFS Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2006 (as amended) and meet the requirements of Australian Standard AS3959-2009 Construction of Buildings in Bushfire-Prone Areas.
The State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 provides an exemption however, for certain types of development which may be undertaken as either Exempt Development or Complying Development.
Certain applications for a Complying Development Certificate must be supported by a Bush Fire Attack Level Risk Assessment (FALRA) Certificate prepared by a bush fire consultant accredited by the NSW RFS. The certificate will state the Bush Fire Attack Level (BAL) that applies to your property and the proposed development. If the BAL is BAL-40 or BAL-FZ (Flame Zone) the development cannot be a Complying Development and a development application is to be submitted.
Further information is available from the NSW Rural Fire Service website.
A development application for development on bush fire prone land must be supported by a Bush Fire Assessment Report or a FALRA Certificate prepared in accordance with the requirements of the NSW RFS.
If a dwelling or alterations and additions to a dwelling, or certain development ancillary to a dwelling, is proposed, the NSW Rural Fire Service's Single Dwelling Application Kit self-assessment report may be used. Alternatively, a bush fire consultant accredited by the NSW RFS can be engaged to prepare the bush fire report.
Other forms of development will require a bush fire report prepared by an experienced bush fire consultant.
The following development applications will be referred to the NSW RFS for consideration as part of the development assessment process:
- Development that does not meet the relevant performance criteria of 'Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2006 'and/or where an alternative solution is proposed
- Development involving BAL-40 and BAL-FZ(Flame Zone)
- Integrated Development.
Integrated development refers to development identified under section 100 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 that requires a Bush Fire Safety Authority from the Commissioner of the RFS. Such development includes:
- Subdivision for residential or rural residential purposes
- Development for a special fire protection purpose.