The Building Regulations 2006 has declared the whole of Victoria a bushfire prone area.

To obtain written confirmation as to whether any other designations exist over your property, you will need to apply for a Property Response Certificate from the Building Department. Please refer to the Certificates page for further information.

If you are planning to construct a residential building within a bushfire prone area, construction must comply with Australian Standard 2009. These standards contain requirements such as:

• Distance to fire source (vegetation)
• Vegetation type
• Wall and roof materials adopted
• Protection of window and door openings
• Protection of sub-floor or lower perimeter

Your designer will need to ensure that all relevant information regarding bushfire exposure, construction levels, external materials are indicated on building plans to show compliance with the Standards. This should be done prior to applying for a building permit.

Your site will need to be inspected and a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) determined. This inspection can be carried out by a building surveyor, owner, architect, building designer or builder.

It is strongly recommended that all owners of vacant or occupied land prepare their properties throughout the year for fire management purposes. For more information on how best to protect your property, visit Council's Fire Prevention web page.