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A Guide to Constructing and Maintaining Firebreaks

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A Guide to Constructing and Maintaining Firebreaks A Guide to Constructing and Maintaining Fire-breaks Introduction This guide provides land managers with advice • It is approached by the flank (side) of the fire, as on constructing and maintaining fire-breaks on the flank will have a shorter flame length than the the rural-urban interface, farms, pastoral leases front (head) of the fire. and reserves. • It forms an effective break in both the vertical Figure 1: Fire-breaks are less effective with trees nearby What is a fire-break? and horizontal continuity of the fuel, which A fire-break is a strip of land that has been cleared of reduces the flame length and makes the fire all trees, shrubs, grass and other combustible material, easier to suppress. providing a ‘fuel free’ area. • Nearby trees and shrubs are not producing Fire-breaks are intended to allow access for embers. Figure 2: Fire-breaks are more effective if embers cannot cross the break firefighting vehicles and can provide a fuel free area • It provides safe and efficient access for from which prescribed burning can be undertaken. firefighting resources. The requirement for fire-breaks The requirements within a fire-break notice may vary They may slow or stop the spread of a low-intensity for different sized lots and may include other bushfire however they should not be relied upon to Fuse-breaks The local government may issue fire-break notices at requirements for reducing bushfire risk such as the prevent the spread of a fire. any time, under the Bush Fires Act 1954 (BF Act), In the situation where fires may spread along inclusion of an Asset Protection Zone. It will often that require landowners or occupiers of land to install uninterrupted linear stretches of vegetation, which specify the dates of the restricted and prohibited fire Fire-breaks are often constructed with a machine such and maintain fire-breaks around their property may act as a fire ‘fuse’ or ‘wick’ across the periods and the process for obtaining a permit to as a dozer, front end loader, grader, tractor or boundaries to help prevent the outbreak or spread of landscape, fuse-breaks may assist with containing conduct a hazard-reduction burn. skid-steer loader. a bushfire. In some cases fire-break notices are in the spread of a fire. Examples of a fire fuse in the place throughout the year, in others they are only In some situations, a suitable fuel-free area may be landscape include vegetated roadside reserves, Any variation to a fire-break notice must be approved issued prior to the start of the summer bushfire created by other methods such as hand tools, foreshore reserves, drainage channels and other in writing by the relevant local government. A season. The benefit to having fire-breaks in place ploughing, herbicide treatment, grazing stock and vegetated linear reserves. variation may be sought if the required fire-break throughout the year is that they support fuel controlled fire. would be impractical, ineffective or environmentally The guidance for the construction, maintenance, and management activities such as planned burning unsound, and an effective alternative can be The effectiveness of fire-breaks width of fuse-breaks is the same as for the during the autumn, winter and spring seasons. identified. Instructions on applying for a variation to a The effectiveness of a fire-break depends on the fire-breaks which run parallel to property boundaries. fire-break notice may be found on the relevant Each local government determines their own width of the fire-break, the weather conditions, flame Fuse-breaks may also be used to provide access for fire-break notice or the local government website. minimum fire-break standards and how these length and whether embers are being produced. emergency services; driveways, fire service access standards apply to various property sizes. A fire-break will be more effective at preventing the routes or other roads may effectively act as Landowners or occupiers of land may be issued a spread of a fire if: fuse-breaks across these linear stretches of fuel. fire-break notice in writing. The notice may also be • It is close to the fire ignition point so that the fire Front Image: A burned break being created alongside published in the Government Gazette, local is not at its maximum flame length. a graded break. Photo G. Daniels. newspaper or the local government website. 2. 3. Fire-break siting and design Fire-break design and should not terminate at dead ends. They should Fire-break design can vary depending on the location • Slope: on sloping ground, fire-breaks should be be kept clear of obstructions that would block a heavy To be effective, the required width for a fire-break and purpose of the break. constructed across the slope to follow the contour. vehicle’s path. depends on its purpose and the nature of the This will slow the flow of water along the break Some fire-breaks carry vehicular traffic and will need surrounding fuels. Where a fire-break is required by a As Urban and Rural Tankers (Tankers) have large and reduce the incidence of erosion. If it is to be constructed to a standard similar to a public local government, their fire-break notice, will stipulate turning circles, it is recommended that curves have a necessary to install a break down a slope, road or driveway. In these cases, construction the required width. minimum inner radius of 6 metres to improve additional measures may be required to reduce standards and advice may be obtained from the local accessibility. Turning areas suitable for Tankers should water erosion. It is recommended that fire-breaks be at least three government or the Australian Road Research Board. be provided at the termination of a fire-break and at metres wide, with an additional horizontal clearance of • Waterways and wetlands: where possible, least every 500 metres where possible. These should In most cases, a graded, scraped or ploughed half-a-metre on both sides and a vertical clearance of avoid fire-breaks that cross water ways and their be greater than the length of a Tanker in depth and fire-break is sufficient. In some instances, however, four metres, to allow the passage of firefighting foreshore areas or wetlands and their buffers. three tankers in width (10 metres by 9 metres). hand tools, grazing, herbicides or controlled fire may vehicles. On very large properties and in treed Water crossings are susceptible to erosion, A passing area adjacent to the fire-break should be replace the use of machinery. The following landscapes, this width should be increased to at least waterlogged soils can become un-trafficable, and provided every 200 metres. These should be at least information primarily pertains to machine-constructed five metres to increase the effectiveness in preventing increase the likelihood of vehicles transporting 20 metres in length and 3 metres wide. breaks. fire spread. Fire-breaks between ten and fifteen weeds and soil-borne diseases. These areas also metres wide are common for pastoral properties and If a driveway, emergency access way or fire service Siting of fire-breaks tend to consist of vegetation types with high fuel plantations. Tall shrubs and tree branches growing access route forms part of a property’s fire-break it Fire-breaks are usually required by local government loads, which make fire-breaks less effective. alongside a fire-break may need regular pruning to may be subject to a Bushfire Management Plan and to be on the perimeter of a property. Any request to • Fuel: fire-breaks are most effective at slowing the ensure they do not facilitate flames spreading across the associated access requirements of the Guidelines vary the location or extent of a fire-break must be rate of spread of a fire in vegetation types that do the fire-break. for Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas. Check with the approved in writing from the relevant local not generate embers. Fire-breaks are more landowner and refer to the Department of Planning, government. Where a landholder has flexibility in the For the safety of firefighters, fire-breaks should effective and easier to install in light fuels such as Lands and Heritage for more information. positioning of a fire-break, the following principles provide a circuit that connects to formal access routes grass, rather than scrub, woodland or forest, should be considered. 3 metres Width 3 metres however it is not always possible to choose the wide • Landscape position: on sloping or undulating location of a fire-break. terrain, fire-breaks should be placed low in the x length • Soil type: the structure and texture of soil will landscape. This will result in a fire reaching the >1 affect how prone a fire-break will be to erosion. break while travelling downslope, making it slower, 3 x width 20 metres Where possible, fire-breaks should not be Height 4 metres less intense and therefore less likely to cross the constructed on fragile soils. Soils with a high break. This is also a safer location for firefighters proportion of organic material should also be to approach a fire. avoided owing to their environmental significance, potential for waterlogging and the possibility that 0.5 metre clearance 0.5 metre clearance Turning area Passing area Clearance area they will ignite during a fire. Above: Minimum dimensions required for a fire-break and turning area to ensure safe access for firefighting vehicles. 4. 5. Low-fuel breaks Environmental and heritage protection In some circumstances, methods other than machine Grazed break Fire-breaks are important for reducing bushfire risk works supervisors use a hygiene checklist and inspect grading and scraping may achieve an efficient low-fuel and may be a legal requirement for your property, all parts of machinery prior to use.
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