Fire Safety

Burning Garden Refuse

The burning of garden refuse on the ground is NOT PERMITTED during the restricted and prohibited burning times, being from the 19th September through to 31st March, throughout the Yilgarn District.

Camp Fires

You can have a small camp fire for camping and cooking purposes during the restricted burning period, however you must ensure that the campfire is completely extinguished prior to leaving your camp site and please monitor the camp fire to ensure it is controlled while it is lit.

The lighting or use of fire in the open air for camping and cooking purposes is NOT PERMITTED during the prohibited burning period, being 1st November to 15th February, throughout the Yilgarn district.

Enclosed gas appliances are permitted, as long as they are used as per manufacturers instructions, and are used in a safe manner.

Harvest Bans

Information on Harvest Bans can be obtained by calling the Emergency Information Service Hotline on 08 9487 8777.

This service is updated daily during harvest months with information on harvest and vehicle movement bans, as well as on airport closures, fires, road closures and other emergency information.

We also encourage residents to register with the automated SMS and email notification service “Whispir” by signing up via the text sign up number found HERE or contacting the Shire.

Text from image:

Harvest and Vehicle Movement Bans

Operations Policy

Upon the implementation of a Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban by the Shire of Yilgarn, the following applies:

    1.1      The use or operation of any engine, vehicle, plant, equipment or machinery is prohibited within a paddock or lot, if the paddock or lot contains crop or pasture. This includes driving on roads/tracks that pass through such paddocks or lots;

    1.2     The use or operation of any engine, vehicle, plant, equipment or machinery within 5 metres of a paddock or lot referred to in item 1.1 of this policy is prohibited;

    1.3     Off-Road activity is prohibited.

Exemptions

  • Vehicles carting water for stock is exempt, on the provision it is in the best interests of animal welfare, and a minimum of 600L remains in the vessel at all times and is able to be readily applied in the event of a fire;
  • The use or operation of any engine, vehicle, plant, equipment or machinery within road reserves are exempt, on the provision the use is not likely to cause a fire;

      Please note that the provisions for a declared Total Fire Ban take precedence over these exemptions.

Definitions

  • Off-road Activity: Has the meaning applied under the Bush Fires Regulations 1954 and generally means the use or operation of any engine, vehicle, plant, equipment or machinery on land on which there is bush or which is under crop or pasture or stubble.
  • Engine, vehicle, plant, equipment or machinery: means any engine, motor vehicle, plant, equipment or machinery that is, or that is activated by, an internal combustion engine.
  • Crop: means a plant that is grown in large quantities, especially as food.
  • Pasture: means land covered with grass or other vegetation that is suitable for feeding animals on.

H&VMB poster

Restricted and Prohibited Burning Times

The Gazetted Restricted and Prohibited Burning Times for each year are as follows:

Restriction Type Restriction Period
Restricted burning period 19 September to 31 October and 16 February to 31 March
Prohibited Burning Period 1 November to 15 February

Permits to burn during the Restricted Burning Period are required, and must be obtained from a Fire Control Officer.

For a list of the Fire Control Officers in your area, please click HERE and look under the Bush Fire Brigades section.

Permits to burn stubble from the previous seasons crop will not be issued until 1 March.

Burning is not permitted on any Sunday during the Restricted Burning Period.

Seasonal conditions

In accordance with Sections 17 and 18 of the Bush Fires Act 1954, Council may, if it considers that seasonal conditions warrant a variation of the prohibited or restricted burning times in its district, vary the prohibited or restricted burning times in respect of that year in the district or a part of the district by –

  1. shortening, extending, suspending or reimposing a period of prohibited or restricted burning times; or
  2. imposing a further period of prohibited or restricted burning times.

This variation cannot exceed more than 14 successive days.

In accordance with Sections 17 (10) and 18 (5) (c) of the Bush Fires Act 1954, Council delegates to the Shire President and the Chief Bush Fire Control Officer, jointly its powers and duties to vary Prohibited and Restricted Burning Times, in accordance with the Bush Fires Act 1954, as highlighted in this Policy.

Burning times