Residents living in residential areas are required to obtain an ‘Open air burning permit’ before burning off.
Burning household or garden waste in the open, or using a backyard incinerator, is banned year-round without a permit.
You do not require a permit if:
- you are using a barbecue, pizza oven or other properly constructed appliance for cooking food
- you are using a fire in a brazier or chimenea for heating
- you are using a tool of trade for the purpose for which it was designed
- a member of a fire and emergency services agency lights a fire during the course of their duty
- Council grants you an exemption to the land size restriction of 4,000 square metres or less.
In addition to the conditions listed above and below, you must check CFA's Total Fire Bans and Fire Danger Ratings page before burning off.
If your property is less than 2,023 square metres (.5 acre)
You must apply for a permit to burn off unless:
- you burn off on any Tuesday and Saturday outside the Fire Danger Period
- Council grants you an exemption to the land size restriction of 2,000 square metres or less.
Access to a connected hose or a 20 litre container of water must be available while the fire is burning. This is a requirement under the Country Fire Authority Act (1958).
If your property is above 2,023 square metres (.5 acre)
You don't need a permit to light a fire in the open air on land, including in an incinerator, if:
- you do not light a fire or allow it to remain alight before 9.00am or after 6.00pm on any day
- you do not burn more than 10 cubic metres of vegetation at any one time
- the fire is not within 50 metres of any neighbouring dwelling
- the fire is not offensive and does not cause any nuisance to another person in the vicinity or outside of the property boundary.