BUILDING IN A BUSHFIRE PRONE AREA

Firstly, congratulations on deciding to build a home! It’s an exciting time and we’re sure you just want to get to the good bits – picking colours and kitchen benchtops. Before you get started though, it’s important to know if you’re building in a Bushfire Prone Area.

Don’t worry, there are plenty of product options for Bushfire areas, timber being one of them. You just need to be careful to choose the right species.  

What do I need to know when building in a bushfire prone area?

First off, you’ll need to know if the land is in a bushfire prone area.  You can use the VicPlan Interactive Map to search through bushfire prone areas and find out the Bushfire Hazard Level of the land you need to know about.

To learn more about the planning process of building in a bushfire prone area, visit https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/bushfire/building-in-bushfire-prone-areas for more information.

When building in a BPA (Bushfire Prone Area), you need to know about the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL).  This is a way to measure the severity of a building’s potential exposure to ember attack, radiant heat and direct flame contact.  It is the basis for establishing the construction requirements to better protect building elements from bushfire attack.  To successfully meet the BAL the building must comply with the specified building standards for that BAL.

There are six BALs that form the Australian Standard - AS 3959:2018 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas (AS 3959:2018)

They are as follows:

  • BAL-LOW

  • BAL-12.5

  • BAL-19

  • BAL-29

  • BAL-40

  • BAL-FZ (Flame Zone)

 

Why do I need to know about the BAL?

If your property is in the BPA, you will need to build to at least the minimum BAL standard for improved bushfire protection. The minimum standard for certain buildings such as dwellings is BAL 12.5, but if the BAL for your site is higher you will need to build to that higher standard.

You can find out the BAL for your property by having a bushfire hazard assessment undertaken.  Anyone can undertake a BAL assessment, however, the assessment must be acceptable to the building surveyor issuing your building permit.  Visit the Victorian Building Authority’s Bushfire Protection web page for more information, and visit the Fire Protection Association of Australia (FPAA) to find a list of qualified people who can perform a bushfire hazard assessment.

Your local council may also be able to help you with a BAL assessment.

What kind of timber do I need to adhere to my property’s BAL rating?

You can visit our Timber Species Table to find out more information about many species of timber, including what BAL Rating they have and what you can use them for.

You can also visit the Boral Timber Species Guide for more technical information about timber species and their BAL Rating.

For Technical Guides, visit WoodSolutions “Fire Performance”.

Information for this article was partially sourced from:

The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning July 2020, Frequently Asked Questions for Lot Owners in a Bushfire Prone Area <https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0032/481928/FAQs-Bushfire-Prone-Areas.pdf> <https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/bushfire/building-in-bushfire-prone-areas>