What is a BAL - do I need one?

Please note: this is general advice and may not apply specifically to your property. 

Most of Murrindindi Shire is located in a bushfire prone area and some properties are also covered by a Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO). To find out if your property has a BMO check VicMap or call the Planning Unit on (03) 5772 0333.

Each property is individual and will have different circumstances. If you have a property which is to be partially rebuilt contact the Planning or/and Building Units on (03)5772 0333, and they should be able to provide you with further advice before you start. 

What is a Bushfire Prone Area and what does it mean to me?

Living in a Bushfire Prone Area means that all newly constructed dwellings must be built to a national bushfire construction standard.

Before your house can be built, you will need to know what the level of exposure your property would have to a bushfire.

In order to find this out - you need to assess the bushfire attack level (BAL) of your property against set criteria.

To undertake a BAL, you can either hire a professional (check Fire Protection Association Australia (FPAA) to find a practitioner) or the Building and Plumbing Commission has more bushfire resources including a form you can download to complete your own BAL assessment in accordance with the requirements of AS3959-2018.

The result from the BAL assessment then guides the minimum construction requirements needed to ensure your property is built to Australian Standard (AS) 3959-2018 or NASH Standards - Steel Framed Construction in Bushfire Areas.

A BAL assessment will be required for your Building Permit and, if required, for your planning permit too.

Designing and building houses that are resistant to ember attack is fundamental to bushfire resilience.

The BAL is based on:

• your location
• the type of vegetation on your property
• how far your house is from vegetation
• the topography and slope of your land.

The minimum requirement in Victoria is 12.5 and the highest risk category is BAL-FZ (Flame Zone). 

Bushfire Attack Level	Radiant heat exposure (AS3959)	Description of prediction bushfire attack and levels of exposure
BAL 12.5	0 to 12.5kW/m2	Primarily risk of ember attack; risk of radiant heat is considered low.
BAL 19	12.5 to 19kW/m2	Risk is considered moderate with increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by wind borne embers; increasing likelihood of exposure to radiant heat.
BAL 29	19 to 29k/W/m2	Risk is considered to be high with increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by wind borne embers; increasing likelihood of exposure to radiant heat.
BAL 40	29 to 40kW/m2	Risk is considered to be very high. Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by wind borne embers; increasing likelihood of exposure to radiant heat and some direct exposure to flames possible.
BAL FZ	40kW/m2 plus (Flame contact)	Risk is considered to be extreme. Direct exposure to flames from fire front is likely in addition to high levels of radiant heat exposure and ember attack.

 

Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO)

If your property has a BMO applied to it this means you will need to include a Bushfire Management Plan in your Building and/or Planning permits. 

Referral to fire authorities may also be required to confirm particular site requirements for firefighting and property protection.

• siting and location of the dwelling (which should be as far away as possible from hazards)
• a BAL assessment to identify the construction standard required
• the defendable space and vegetation management requirements
• on-site water supply
• emergency services vehicle access.

You may also need to include the following reports in your application:

• A bushfire hazard site assessment including a plan that describes the bushfire hazard within 150 metres of the proposed development.
• A bushfire hazard landscape assessment including a plan that describes the bushfire hazard of the general locality more than 150 metres from the site.
• A bushfire management statement describing how the proposed development responds to the requirements in this clause and Clause 53.02. If the application proposes an alternative measure, the bushfire management statement must explain how the alternative measure meets the relevant objective.

On approval of the planning permit, the bushfire management plan is endorsed and must be adhered to as part of the planning permit.

More information on building when you have a Bushfire Management Overlay on your property can be found at: 

• CFA - Bushfire Management Plan 
• The Department of Planning Building in the Bushfire Management Overlay