Source : Perth Now news
A proposal to add a new requirement to the Shire of Murray’s bush fire compliance notices has been extinguished.
The notices are designed to provide information about bushfire preparedness and prevention, and bushfire risk mitigation. They can also be used to direct landowners to carry out works for fire prevention.
The shire reviews them annually to ensure they are up to date.
Shire officers had proposed adding a clause to the compliance notice that if owners or occupiers of land greater than 45,001sqm could not cut all flammable material to 50mm tall or less, they would have to make a mineral earth firebreak within 20m of the boundaries all around their property.
A mineral earth firebreak is a firebreak with all vegetation stripped, leaving bare earth.
But the shire’s bushfire advisory committee voted 4-3 to recommend the council not adopt this clause and keep the current requirements, which include firebreaks around buildings and removing flammable materials from gutters.
A report to the committee said the change was intended to reduce bushfire fuel loads and limit the potential spread and intensity of fire on bigger rural properties, while also improving access and operational safety for firefighting activities.
The push to remove it was spearheaded by Coolup VBFB fire control officer Douglas McLarty, who is also the shire president.
The council voted unanimously to remove the clause at its June 18 meeting.
Fire prevention work must be completed by December 1 this year and maintained through to May 15, 2027.
Not doing so could carry a potential maximum fine of $5000.
