Total Fire Ban (TFB)

A Total Fire Ban is declared by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services on days of extreme weather or when widespread fires are stretching firefighting resources. TFBs are generally declared by 6pm on the day before they take effect. Total Fire Bans run from midnight to midnight.

When a TFB is declared it prohibits the lighting of any fires in the open air and any other activities that may start a fire. This includes all open air fires for cooking or camping, use of incinerators, welding, grinding, soldering or gas cutting.

For more information including exemptions visit www.dfes.wa.gov.au/totalfirebans

To find out if a TFB has been declared visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au or tune in to 558AM on your radio.

What can and can't be done during a Total Fire Ban:

There are different rules for the public vs business, industry, public authorities and agriculture (farming).

Members of the public CAN NOT:

Light a fire including a campfire, wood and charcoal-fuelled BBQs/Webers, pizza oven, or to burn garden waste/rubbish etc.

  • Drive off-road over paddocks or bushland or any area where there is vegetation
  • Carry out grinding and welding (hot work) in an area that is not fully enclosed
  • Mow the lawn or use a slasher, or similar, where the equipment is powered by an internal combustion engine

Business and Industry CAN: 

(as long as they comply with the conditions within the Bushfire Regulations 1954)

  • Hot work (welding, grinding)
  • Roadwork (grading and bituminising)
  • Off-road activity i.e. operating any equipment or vehicle with an internal combustion engine on land which contains vegetation (mining exploration, electricity companies fault finding, Shire, Town, City slashing verges)
  • Mow lawns as part of a business (off-road activity)
  • Use wood-fuelled cooking appliances or cook as part of a catering business, including pizza ovens
  • Blasting
  • Gas Flaring
  • Use fireworks (exemption required)
  • Rail grinding (exemption required)
  • Power restoration (exemption required)

For a full list of TFB frequently asked questions for both the public, and business and industry, please click on the link: https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/hazard-information/bushfire/total-fire-ban#faqs

Businesses who plan to carry out any of the above work during a TFB must notify DFES between 24 hours and 30 minutes prior to commencing the work by completing an online form on the DFES website (www.dfes.wa.gov.au ).

What happens when someone breaches a TFB?

The DFES Regulation and Compliance Branch (R&C) review and investigate incidents attended by DFES when a TFB has been declared for an area, to determine if a breach has occurred and what action can be taken. The purpose of the investigation is to identify causes of breaches and mitigate against them through education or infringement depending on the circumstances. R&C may contact the Incident Controller (IC) to confirm or request additional information during their investigation. R&C rely on the information contained within the incident report to conduct the investigations. R&C work in collaboration with local governments, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and WA Police, who also have powers to take action in relation to TFB breaches.

Need more information?

Please review the current TFB information on the DFES website here.

 

Total Fire Ban links and phone numbers:

Harvest and Vehicle Movement Bans (HVMB)

A Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban prohibits all harvesting operations and all vehicle movements on a property (except for the essential watering of stock using a diesel-powered vehicle).

The Shire may declare a Harvest & Vehicle Movement Ban (HVMB) for its district, or areas within its district, during the prohibited or restricted burning times if an Authorised Bush Fire Control Officer decides (based on a set of predetermined weather conditions) that the use of any engines, vehicles, plant or machinery is likely to cause a or spread a bush fire.

A ban may be called on the basis of:

  • Unfavourable fire weather conditions.
  • Presence of an uncontrolled fire.
  • Lack of firefighting resources due to existing commitments.
  • Public holidays.

The Shire will publish the declaration of HVMBs via SMS message in the first instance along with a recorded voice message (08) 9487 7191, WhatsApp and Facebook page when able.

The Shire of Lake Grace utilises 7 Fire Zones to apply HVMBs to areas where the elevated fire weather threat is occurring or is forecast to occur. See our Fire Zones page for more information.

Typical Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban (HVMB) Conditions:

What you CAN NOT do:

  • Harvest your crop (all harvesting activities must stop immediately)
  • Drive a vehicle with an internal combustion engine across paddocks that are in crop or stubble (including tractors and harvesting equipment).
  • Drive a vehicle (with an internal combustion engine) in the bush.
  • This includes motorcycles and quad bikes.

What you CAN do:

  • Drive a vehicle or equipment on gazetted roads and laneways (provided it has a trafficable surface, is at least 4 metres wide, cleared of all inflammable materials with overhanging vegetation pruned so as not to touch the vehicle).

Permitted Agricultural Activities:

You can still carry out the following agricultural activities during a HVMB if you are accompanied by a mobile firefighting unit (carrying a minimum of 600 litres of water):

  • Cart water for stock and domestic purposes;
  • travel to, from and within piggeries and feed lots;
  • carry out all necessary carting of livestock.

More Information on HVMBs

For more information about HVMBs, and to check if a ban is in place for your area:

  • Call the Shire of Lake Grace HVMB Hotline on 9487 7191
  • Listen to ABC local radio
  • Call the Shire of Lake Grace on 9890 2500 to sign up for our free HVMB SMS service
  • Visit the Shire of Lake Grace website https://lakegrace.wa.gov.au/