Burning off and fires

Year-round restrictions

Residents must ensure that all grass, weeds and scrub on their property are less than 10cm high.

It is illegal to light incinerators in the City of Whittlesea.

Urban areas

If you live in an urban or residential area, or your property is smaller than 0.8 hectares, you must have a fire permit to burn off at any time of the year.

The General Municipal Law, does NOT allow incinerators but does permit an open fire if it is for the purpose of cooking food. Open fires, wood heaters and outdoor ovens must not cause a nuisance to any person and must be constructed for the purpose.

Items like 44 gallon drums, converted dryers, truck wheels and the like are not permitted.

Any fire must be at least 3 metres away from any fence.

Rural areas

If you live on a rural property greater than 0.8 hectares, you can only burn off during a Declared Fire Season if you have a fire permit. The size and zoning of your property will determine if you require a permit to burn off outside the Declared Fire Danger season. Call us on 9217 2170 to see if you need a permit.

What can I burn?

Smoke can cause a health hazard, especially if the wrong material is burned.

You CANNOT burn:

• Treated timber, including pine
• Fence palings
• Plastic
• Greenwaste
• Damp wood
• Furniture or hardwaste

 Hardwaste can be disposed of at the Wollert Landfill or you can book a hard waste collection.

Apply for a permit to burn in an urban area

You can apply for a fire permit from our Municipal Fire Prevention Officer by downloading, completing and returning an application form with a burn plan and the relevant application fee.

Apply to burn during the Declared Fire Season

Under very strict conditions you can apply for a fire permit during the Declared Fire Season.

Download, complete and return this form along with a detailed burn plan. No application fee is required for this permit.