Bushfire

Protecting your property from bushfires

As we approach the upcoming bushfire season (1 December 2022 – 30 April 2023), there are several ways you can prepare your property from the threat of bushfires. Starting suddenly and without warning, bushfires are a risk to all. If you see a bushfire, call 000 for all emergencies.

For more information on preparing your property this bushfire season visit the Department of Fire and Emergency Services website or see the below information from DFES:

Firebreak Notice

Firebreaks are a simple way to help protect your property from fire and involve the removal of inflammable matter by land owned or occupied by residents. Firebreaks are a legal requirement and must be completed on or before 1 December each year, and up until 30 April the following year.

For more information on Firebreak Notices and how to clear your property from inflammable matter, visit the City’s website .

Bushfire Risk Management Plan

The City of South Perth Bushfire Risk Management Plan (BRM Plan) is a strategic document that identifies assets at risk from bushfire and the priorities for treatment. It also determines ‘bushfire risk managers’ and their responsibilities and sets out a broad treatment schedule to mitigate risks identified in the Plan.

The City’s BRM Plan aims to effectively manage bushfire risk in partnership with other bushfire risk managers (private and state) to protect people, assets, and other items of local value. These bushfire risk areas include sections within Como, Karawara, Kensington, Manning, Salter Point, and Waterford.

Assets at risk of bushfire

Download the Assets at Risk of Bushfire map for a detailed overview of the areas within the City of South Perth at risk of bushfire.

The aim of the BRM Plan is to document a coordinated and efficient approach towards the identification, assessment and treatment of assets exposed to bushfire risk within the City of South Perth.

The overall objective of the BRM Plan is to effectively manage bushfire risk within the City in order to protect people, assets and other things of local value. Specifically, the objectives of this BRM Plan are to:

Guide and coordinate a tenure-blind, multi-agency bushfire risk management program over a five-year period
Document the process used to identify, analyse and evaluate risk, determine priorities and develop a plan to systematically treat risk
Facilitate the effective use of the financial and physical resources available for bushfire risk management activities
Integrate bushfire risk management into the business processes of local government, land owners and other agencies
Ensure there is integration between landowners and bushfire risk management programs and activities
Monitor and review the implementation of treatments to ensure treatment plans are adaptable and risk is managed at an acceptable level.

Under the State Hazard Plan - Fire an integrated Bushfire Risk Management Plan (BRM Plan) is to be

developed for local government areas with significant bushfire risk. Despite the City of South Perth’s

insignificant overall bushfire risk classification by DFES, this BRM Plan has been prepared for the City as a duty of care in accordance with the requirements of the State Hazard Plan and in accordance with the Guidelines for Preparing a Bushfire Risk Management Plan 2020 (Guidelines) from the Office of Bushfire Risk Management (OBRM) within the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).

The risk management processes used to develop this BRM Plan are aligned to the key principles of AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 Risk Management – Principles and Guidelines and those described in the National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines (NERAG 2015). This approach is consistent with State Emergency Management (SEM) Policy and Mitigation Procedure 1.

The City has developed a treatment schedule to reduce the likelihood of a bushfire occurring and/or the potential impact of a bushfire on the community, economy and environment. A range of mitigation treatment strategies has been identified and initiated to reduce and mitigate the risk of bushfire within the City. The treatment schedule identifies properties at risk, treatment details and treatment manager.

Some of the treatment zones proposed for bushfire risk mitigation are located within the DBCA Development Control Area (DCA) that limits and regulates the extent of mechanical treatment works to preserve foreshore reserves’ integrity and environmental values Therefore, risk managers are required to obtain a permit from DBCA to undertake some recommended mechanical treatments in these zones, prior to commencement of any scheduled works.

The City of South Perth is committed to addressing climate change. The City is guided by its Strategic Community Plan 2021-2031, which includes the following strategy under the outcome 3.4 Resource Management and Climate Change:

3.4.1 Actively manage and promote sustainable water, waste, land and energy practices

The City completed a Climate Change Risk Assessment, undertook Greenhouse Gas emissions forecasting and established carbon emissions reduction targets. More information can be found on the City’s website.

The City has developed a treatment schedule for each area to reduce the likelihood of a bushfire occurring and/or the potential impact of a bushfire on the community, economy and environment. A range of mitigation treatment strategies has been identified and initiated to reduce and mitigate the risk of bushfire within the City. The treatment schedule identifies properties at risk, treatment details and treatment manager.

Salter Point and Waterford - Treatment Schedule

Como - Treatment schedule

Karawara - Treatment schedule

Kensington - Treatment schedule

Manning - Treatment schedule