Apply for a permit to burn-off

Open air burning is often used to reduce fuel loads of green waste or for ecological purposes.

Council's General Local Law No.1 - 2013 provides guidelines on open air burning. 

  • Without a permit a person must not light a fire in the open air on land which is less than two hectares in area, unless the fire is lit to use:

(a) a barbecue for the purpose of cooking food providing the activity does not cause a nuisance to any person; or

(b) a trade tool for its designed purpose.         

  • A person must not place or use an incinerator on any land.    
  • A person must not burn any object or material so as to cause a nuisance to another person.
  • A person must not light a fire in the open air on a declared smog alert day.

Before burning-off the CFA states:

  • Check and follow local regulations or laws set down by CFA or Council.
  • Notify neighbours at least two hours before starting the burn.
  • Notify the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) on 1800 668 511 to register your burn.
  • Check the weather forecast for the day of the burn and a few days afterwards.
  • Check the fuel moisture conditions.
  • Establish a fire break of no less than three metres cleared of all flammable material.
  • Make sure there are enough people to monitor, contain and extinguish the burn safely and effectively.

Register your burn with Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA)

It is important that if you are burning-off you register with ESTA, unregistered burn-offs can cause fire brigades to be called out unnecessarily.

Register your burn-off with ESTA

Please ensure you read the relevant permit to burn conditions prior to applying for a permit.

Conditions Permit to Burn Outside Fire Danger Period(PDF, 180KB) 

Apply for a permit to burn 

Printable hard copy forms: 

Permit-to-Burn-Outside-Fire-Danger-Period-Application-2021-2022.pdf(PDF, 517KB)

A permit to burn is required for open air burning on land less than 2 hectares outside the declared Fire Danger Period. These permits are also not valid on a total fire ban day.

If your land is over 2 hectares and you wish to burn off outside the declared Fire Danger Period, you do not require a permit from Council.

Any property owner who wishes to obtain a Permit to Burn during the Declared Fire Danger Period (DFDP) can apply directly to Fire Permits Victoria or to Council's Municipal Fire Prevention Officer (MFPO). However, Permits will only be issued by Council’s MFPO in extenuating circumstances which impact upon biosecurity.

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