Bushfire Management Plan – Vehicular Access

The third required element addressed in a Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) is vehicular access, which is described in the bushfire protection criteria in the guidelines to planning in bushfire prone region. The intent of this element in the Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) is to ensure that the property is accessible through a trafficable surface and can provide safe access and egress in case of a bushfire. It is broken down into several acceptable solutions which are the following:

1. Public Road
2. Two access routes; are to be provided that give safe access and egress to both site and public roads.
3. A cul-de-sac or battle-axe; this should generally be avoided as it only provides a one access route. However, if no alternative exists, they can used.
4. A private driveway; is required if the property is greater than 50 m away from the public road
5. Emergency access way; this can be used as an alternative link to a public road but the safety/efficiency of it must be demonstrated by the proponent.
6. Fire service access routes; these are used within and around a subdivision to provide direct access to sites for fire fighters in case of a bushfire.
7. A firebreak; which is a 3-4 m wide trafficable surface can be made immediately within the boundary of site to provide access in all directions. This however is only applicable to lots greater than 0.5 hectare (site area is subject to change as per the preference of the local area government)
8. Emergency access ways; which connect roads from the site to the public road. They are not advisable but may be used as an alternative access during emergencies.
9. Fire service access routes or perimeter roads; that are to provide access for bushfire prone regions away from developed areas and to provide access all around a site in case of large subdivisions.

One of the above, or a combination may be used to create a safe road network for both the proponent of a Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) of the site as well as the volunteer fire brigade. However, there are requirements that have to be met for each of the above. These requirements include:

• Minimum trafficable surface width
• Vertical and horizontal clearance
• Maximum grade
• Minimum weight capacity
• Maximum cross fall
• Curve radius
• Passing bays
• Turn around points
• Road material.

Not all requirements apply to each road type and not all road types are accessed the same way. If you know your property is in a bushfire prone region and that your bushfire attack level (BAL) level is above 29 (or BAL 12.5 in case of a subdivision), contact your local BPAD level 2 accredited bushfire attack level (BAL) assessor to write a Bushfire Management Plan (BMP). The bushfire attack level (BAL) assessor will be able to apply the correct acceptable solution relevant to your property to ensure effective vehicular access to and from your site.

Contact Green Start Consulting’s experienced team for expert advice on everything building industry related including Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Reports, Bushfire Management Plans (BMP), Bushfire Management Statements (BMS) and BAL Contour Maps.

Author Green Start Consulting – Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessors and Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) authors

Tags:

• bushfire attack level (BAL) report
• as3959
• bal report
• bushfire management plan
• bushfire management statement

Bushfire Management Plan – Siting

The second required element addressed in a Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) is siting, which is described in the bushfire protection criteria in the guidelines to planning in bushfire prone region. The intent of this element in the Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) is to ensure that the siting and design of the development poses the least bushfire risk possible. One of the key factors in declaring a bushfire attack level (BAL) rating for a site is the distance from classified vegetation. As per AS3959, Table 2.4.3 (for Western Australia) gives you separation distance (measured perpendicular from the elevation of the building) from classified vegetation and the bushfire attack level (BAL) rating your development is as a result of that. Imagine a scenario where you propose a development on a site that has classified unmanaged vegetation on it, any building you propose will be at a separation distance of 0 m from classified vegetation making your bushfire attack level (BAL) rating a BAL-Flame Zone (FZ). Such a high rating will most probably not be granted developmental approval as it poses a high bushfire risk to both people, property and infrastructure. Therefore, the application is not supported unless accompanied with a Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) which is to meet the four elements of the bushfire prone criteria particularly Element 2; Siting.

Siting essentially means the site development and management of vegetation on the site itself to reduce the bushfire risk as much as possible. This is carried out by forming an “asset protection zone” around the proposed building within which all vegetation is managed in a low fuel condition. An asset protection zone (APZ) is of a preferred width of 20 m at least. So in the scenario we previously imagined, if the site had an asset protection zone of 20 m around the building, then the bushfire attack level (BAL) rating of BAL-Flame Zone (FZ) may drop to BAL-19 as the separation distance is now 20 m instead of 0 m.

Now imagine a scenario where you are proposing a subdivision and your property boundary is at a separation distance of 14 m from a Group B Woodland, the bushfire attack level (BAL) rating for your development would be BAL-40 (As per AS3959, Table 2.4.3). Again, a very high rating that is unlikely to be approved. In this case, it is advisable to propose a building envelope during the developmental process so an asset protection zone can be proposed around the building envelope to increase your separation distance from classified vegetation. The Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) will clearly detail the building envelope. Care must be taken however as you cannot build outside a building envelope already approved by the WAPC.

For larger subdivisions, the Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) can also propose a hazard separation zone (HSZ) which like an asset protection zone (APZ), proposes the management of vegetation, but can extend up till 80 m after the 20 m asset protection zone. This in turn can account for a bushfire attack level (BAL) rating of BAL-LOW as the separation distance is now a 100 m.

An important factor to note is that both an asset protection zone (APZ) and a hazard separation zone (HSZ) can only be proposed as part of a Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) and only within the boundaries of the property of the proponent of the Bushfire Management Plan (BMP). Therefore element 1; Location must be optimised first to achieve a maximum separation distance from classified vegetation through Element 2; Siting.

Contact Green Start Consulting’s experienced team for expert advice on everything building industry related including Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Reports, Bushfire Management Plans (BMP), Bushfire Management Statements (BMS) and BAL Contour Maps.

Author Green Start Consulting – Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessors and Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) authors

Tags:

• bushfire attack level (BAL) report
• as3959
• bal report
• bushfire management plan
• bushfire management statement

Bushfire Management Plan – Location

As opposed to a bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment, a bushfire management plan (BMP) is a more complex report. A bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment only takes into account vegetation present on site at time of assessment and cannot account for any clearing/management of vegetation in the future nor can it account for compliance with the State Planning Policy 3.7, the bushfire protection criteria or any mitigation with firefighting requirements on site in case of a bushfire. A bushfire management plan (BMP) takes into account all of these factors making it a comprehensive document that shows the present and future conditions of site as well as the measures that are to be taken to safeguard the lives and property of the proponents.

The first element in bushfire protection criteria in the guidelines to planning in bushfire prone region is location. The intent of this element is to ensure that the development proposed is located in an area so the people and property are exposed to the least bushfire risk possible. A bushfire attack level (BAL) above 29 is considered a high risk so the performance principle of this element states that any strategic planning proposal, subdivision or developmental application will only be accepted if accompanied by a bushfire management plan (BMP). This bushfire management plan (BMP) must make recommendations in terms of location (and the other three elements) such that it achieves a bushfire attack level (BAL) of 29 or less.

What this means in practice is that a development should not be proposed on a site that is in an area with a high bushfire risk and no measures can be taken to reduce the bushfire attack level (BAL) rating. This also means that on a particular site, the building envelope must be placed such to achieve a maximum separation distance from unmanaged classified vegetation in all directions.

If there is a case in which a strategic planning proposal, subdivision or developmental application has a bushfire attack level (BAL) rating of FZ or 40, and is regarded as a minor development or an unavoidable development, (as per the definition in the guidelines to planning in bushfire prone regions) then the application may be considered with the following requirements:

a) For minor developments, enough evidence is provided that the bushfire protection criteria have been met to the fullest (and justification is any of the criteria is not met) and that the bushfire hazard level of the site does not increase.
b) For unavoidable developments, proof should be given by the proponent as to why the proposal is an unavoidable development (this only refers to state infrastructure such as railways, power poles, police/fire stations etc.) and that no alternative location exists for this development.

Contact Green Start Consulting’s experienced team for expert advice on everything building industry related including Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Reports, Bushfire Management Plans (BMP), Bushfire Management Statements (BMS) and BAL Contour Maps.

Author Green Start Consulting – Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessors and Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) authors

Tags:

• bushfire attack level (BAL) report
• as3959
• bal report
• bushfire management plan
• bushfire management statement

 

Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Reports, Bushfire Management Plans, Bushfire Management Statements

We understand the pain of building in a bushfire prone region. We are here to take the trouble out of Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessments for you. Green Start Consulting’s Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessors can offer a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment of your property and rate it in accordance with AS3559 – Construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas. We are FPAA accredited Level 2 BPAD assessors which is what the WAPC and Building Commission recommend using on your project.

We ensure the construction complies with BCA, planning legislation and AS3559. Not only can our knowledgeable Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessors complete your bushfire report in around two days, but we also offer advice on how to reduce your Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating so the overall cost of your construction drops significantly.

Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Reports
Every developmental application in a bushfire prone region must be accompanied with a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment. It is to prove that the development is of a reasonable Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating (lower than BAL-29). We conduct a site assessment to classify the vegetation within a 100 m radius of your development and several factors are taken into account to get your Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating.

If your development has a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating above BAL-29, it requires more complex bushfire reports, and as Level 2 BPAD assessors, we can offer services beyond that of Level 1 BPAD assessors. These complex bushfire reports include:

Bushfire Management Plan (BMP);
If your Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating is around BAL-FZ or BAL-40, we can write a Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) which is catered to your specific development with recommendations on how to reduce your Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating and safeguard your property. The recommendations in a Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) comply with State Planning Policy 3.7 (SPP 3.7) and the guidelines to planning in bushfire prone regions. They essentially include the following elements:
• Location
• Siting
• Vehicular Access
• Water

Bushfire Management Statement (BMS): This is a one page document which acts as a summary to a more detailed Bushfire Management Plan (BMP). A Bushfire Management Statement (BMS) is only acceptable to a few councils so be sure to check with your council first!

Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Contour Map: For large subdivisions and well as some developmental applications some councils require a BAL contour map that reflects the bushfire risks within 100 m radius of the site and the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) ratings within that radius.

Author Green Start Consulting – Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessors and Bushfire Management Plan (BMP) authors

Tags:

• bushfire attack level (BAL) report
• as3959
• bal report
• bushfire management plan
• bushfire management statement