Outdoor fire restrictions
Year-round restrictions apply to outdoor fires on your property. It is your responsibility to check whether you need a permit for the type of fire you plan to have. Depending on where you live and the type of fire you are planning, different rules apply.
It's illegal to light incinerators in the City of Whittlesea because it can cause serious danger and damage to lives and property.
To prevent dangerous grass fires, you must also ensure all grass, weeds and scrub on your property are less than 10 cm high at all times of the year.
When you need a fire permit in urban areas
You must have a fire permit to burn off at any time of the year if:
- you live in an urban or residential area, or
- your property is smaller than 0.8 hectares.
The General Municipal Law, does not allow incinerators but does permit an open fire for the purpose of cooking food.
Open fires, wood heaters and outdoor ovens must not cause a nuisance to any person and must be purpose-built.
Items like 44 gallon drums, converted dryers, truck wheels and the like are not permitted.
It is recommended that any outdoor fire is located three metres from any adjoining property.
Find out more about local laws.
When you need a fire permit in rural areas
If you live on a rural property greater than 0.8 hectares, you can only burn off during a CFA-declared Fire Danger Period if you have a fire permit.
The size and zoning of your property will determine if you need a permit to burn off outside the Fire Danger Period.
Call us on 03 9217 2170 or email info@whittlesea.vic.gov.au to see if you need a permit.
What you can't burn
Smoke can cause a health hazard, especially if the wrong material is burned.
You can't burn:
- treated timber, including pine
- fence palings
- plastic
- green waste
- damp wood
- furniture or hard waste.
Hard waste can be disposed of at Hanson's Wollert Landfill, or you can book a hard waste collection.
Hanson's Wollert Landfill
55 Bridge Inn Road
Wollert
Phone: 03 9408 1299
Visit the Hanson Landfill website for more details.
Book a hard waste collection
Apply for a permit
Year-round restrictions apply to outdoor fires on your property. It is your responsibility to check whether you need a permit for the type of fire you plan to have. Depending on where you live and the type of fire you are planning, different rules apply.
It is illegal to light incinerators in the City of Whittlesea as doing so can cause serious danger and damage to lives and property.
To prevent dangerous grass fires, you must also ensure all grass, weeds and scrub on your property are less than 10cm high at all times of the year.
The following sections describe how the rules on outdoor fires, burn-offs and permit requirements apply.
You must have a fire permit to burn off at any time of the year if:
- you live in an urban or residential area, or
- your property is smaller than 0.8 hectares.
The General Municipal Law, does not allow incinerators but does permit an open fire for the purpose of cooking food.
Open fires, wood heaters and outdoor ovens must not cause a nuisance to any person and must be purpose-built.
Items like 44 gallon drums, converted dryers, truck wheels and the like are not permitted.
It is recommended that any outdoor fire is located three metres from any adjoining property.
Find out more about local laws.
If you live on a rural property greater than 0.8 hectares, you can only burn off during a CFA-declared Fire Danger Period if you have a fire permit.
The size and zoning of your property will determine if you need a permit to burn off outside the Fire Danger Period.
Call us on 03 9217 2170 to see if you need a permit.
Smoke can cause a health hazard, especially if the wrong material is burned.
You can't burn:
- treated timber, including pine
- fence palings
- plastic
- green waste
- damp wood
- furniture or hard waste.
Hard waste can be disposed of at Hanson's Wollert Landfill, or you can book a hard waste collection.
Hanson's Wollert Landfill
55 Bridge Inn Road
Wollert
Phone: 03 9408 1299
Visit the Hanson Landfill website for further details.
Book a hard waste collection
Permit to burn in an urban area
You can apply for a fire permit from our Municipal Fire Prevention officer.
A burn plan and fee are required for this application.
Download an application for a permit to burn in urban area
in Word format(DOCX, 48KB)
in PDF format(PDF, 120KB)
How to deliver your completed application form
In person
City of Whittlesea
25 Ferres Boulevard
South Morang
Mail
City of Whittlesea
Locked Bag 1
Bundoora MDC, VIC 3083
Email
info@whittlesea.vic.gov.au
Permit to burn during the declared Fire Danger Period
Under very strict conditions you can apply for a fire permit during the CFA-declared Fire Danger Period.
Download, complete and return the form below, together with a detailed burn plan.
No application fee is required for this permit.
Download the application to burn during the Fire Danger Period
in Word format(DOCX, 42KB)
in PDF format(PDF, 95KB)
How to deliver your completed application form
In person
City of Whittlesea
25 Ferres Boulevard
South Morang
Mail
City of Whittlesea
Locked Bag 1
Bundoora MDC, VIC 3083
Email
info@whittlesea.vic.gov.au