BUSH FIRES ACT 1954
Notice to all land owners and occupiers within the Shire of Wongan-Ballidu
Pursuant to the powers contained in section 33 of the Bush Fires Act 1954, you are hereby required on or before the 13th day of October 2007, to plough, scarify, cultivate, spray or otherwise clear and thereafter maintain free of all inflammable material until the 31st day of March 2008 firebreaks in the following dimensions, on the land owned or occupied by you.
1. TOWN SITES
1.1 Where the area is 2,000 square metres or less, remove all annual grass and herbage.
1.2 Where the area is greater than 2,000 square metres but less than 10,000 square metres, construct a firebreak not less than two metres in width immediately inside all external boundaries and immediately surrounding all buildings and/or haystacks situated on the land.
1.3 Where the area is greater than 10,000 square metres construct a firebreak of not less than three metres in width immediately inside all external boundaries and immediately surrounding all buildings and/or haystacks situated on the land.
2. FUEL DUMPS AND/OR DEPOTS
All grass and inflammable material is to be cleared from areas where fuel is stored and such areas are to be maintained free of grass and similar inflammable material until the 31st day of March 2008.
3. RURAL LAND
Firebreaks of not less than three metres in width immediately inside and along the whole external boundaries of the properties owned or occupied by you. In addition, firebreaks of at least three metres in width are required surrounding, and not more than fifty metres from the perimeter of any building, group of farm buildings, haystack or fuel storage situated on the land.
4. HARVESTING AND STRAW RAKING, BALING AND CHAINING OPERATIONS
A person shall not operate any harvesting machine or header or undertake straw raking, baling or chaining activities in any crop or paddock during the restricted and prohibited period unless a readily mobile fire fighting unit containing a minimum of 400 litres of water capacity powered by an engine driven pump is in attendance in or adjacent to the entrance of the paddock being harvested, raked, baled or chained.
5. STORAGE OF HAY AND STRAW
All hay and straw stacks in the Shire of Wongan-Ballidu that are stored outdoors are no larger that 10,000 bales 4 x 4 foot or 12,000 bales 4 x 3 foot, with a height no greater that 7.5 metres high and distance between stacks a minimum of 75 metres of clear ground.
6. GENERAL PROVISIONS
The term “Inflammable Material” for the purpose of this notice includes bush (as defined in the Bush Fires Act 1954), timber, boxes, cartons, paper, and the like inflammable materials, rubbish and any combustible matter, but does not include buildings, green standing trees and bushes or growing bushes or plants in gardens or lawns.
If it is considered to be impractical for any reason to provide firebreaks in the position or adhere to the provisions required by this notice, the written approval of a Bush Fire Control Officer must be obtained to prepare such firebreaks in an alternative position.
If permission is not granted by a duly authorised officer you shall comply with the requirements of this order.
A “Total Movement Ban” includes the movement of vehicles in paddocks, except vehicles carrying water to stock and inspecting water supplies to stock.
Harvesting is not permitted on Christmas Day and New Years Day. Harvesting is permitted on all Sundays and other Public Holidays except where a harvesting or movement ban has been imposed due to extreme weather conditions.
The penalty for failing to comply with this order is a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and a person in default is also liable, whether prosecuted or not, to pay the cost of performing the work directed by this notice, if it is not carried out by the owner or occupier by the date required by this notice.
Up to date information on harvest bans can be obtained 24 hours a day by phoning the Harvest Ban Information line on 96 711 169 or via the Shire’s website at www.wongan.wa.gov.au
The Shire of Wongan-Ballidu conducts aerial inspections of firebreaks.
For further information please contact the Shire Administration Centre on 9671 1011.
Chief Executive Officer
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