Asset Protection Zones
APZ Standards
- Trees (over 5m at maturity): should be a minimum distance of 6m from buildings, branches should not overhang or touch the building, lower branches should be removed to a height of 2m above the ground[spacer height=”10px”]
- Shrubs (0.5 metres to 5 metres in height): should not be located under trees or within 3m of buildings, should not be planted in clumps greater than 5m2 in area, clumps of shrubs should be separated from each other and any exposed window or door by at least 10m.[spacer height=”10px”]
- Ground covers (<0.5 metres in height): can be planted under trees but must be maintained free of dead plant material and any parts trimmed so that not within 2m of a structure. If taller than 100mm, should be 3m from windows or doors.[spacer height=”10px”]
- Grass: should be kept to a height of 100mm or less.[spacer height=”10px”]
- Fine fuel load: combustible dead plant matter less than 6 millimetres in thickness should be reduced to and maintained at an average of 2 tonnes per hectare.
Farming Activities
Machinery Operations
Under Regulation 38A(4) of the Bush Fires Regulations 1954:
- No person shall operate a harvesting machine in any crop during restricted burning times, without an operational fire fighting appliance, with a capacity of at least 400 litres of water, situated in or adjacent to the paddock during the harvesting operations.[spacer height=”10px”]
- The harvester must be equipped with a fire extinguisher.[spacer height=”10px”]
- During machinery operations, a fire fighting appliance is to be situated in or adjacent to the paddock being worked.[spacer height=”10px”]
Useful Resources:
DFES SMART BURNING GUIDE