Fire Management

Shire of Capel Bushfire Risk Management Program & the Mitigation Activity Grant Program

The Western Australian Government has established the Mitigation Activity Fund Grants Program (MAFGP) to reduce bushfire hazards that present a considerable risk to assets throughout the State.

The program supports Local Governments with endorsed Bushfire Risk Management Plans to treat bushfire risk in their communities on State land that they manage and is a joint program with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

The Shire of Capel has been a successful applicant in the MAFGP and will complete a range of treatments to reduce bushfire risk across our communities until June 2025.

Fire mitigation activities are essential to help prevent the loss of life and property when a catastrophic blaze may break out.

What is a Bushfire Risk?

Bushfire risk can be defined as the chance of a bushfire igniting, spreading, and causing damage to the community or the assets they value.

What is a Bushfire Risk Management Plans?

A Bushfire Risk Management Plan is a strategic document developed by local government to facilitate a coordinated approach towards the identification, assessment and treatment of assets exposed to bushfire risk.

The aim of a Bushfire Risk Management Plan is to effectively manage bushfire risk to protect people, assets and other things of local value.

What are Bushfire Mitigation Treatments?

Fire has always occurred naturally in the Australian environment, so it is not possible to prevent bushfires occurring entirely. However, measures can be taken to minimise the impacts by reducing the risks that contribute to bushfires.

Bushfire mitigation treatment activities can include:

Planned burning to reduce combustible materials in the landscape
Mechanical works such as removing dead vegetation, pruning trees and clearing fire access ways.
Chemical works including weed control and the removal of non-native species to reduce fuel loads.

Current Bushfire Risk Treatments

TBA

2022-23 Completed Bushfire Risk treatments

BRMS ID	Treatment Type	Primary Asset Name
6283	Mechanical Works	Murtin Road, DALYELLUP
6284	Mechanical Works	Dalyellup Primary School 14 Hartog Road DALYELLUP
6286	Fire Access Track	Dalyellup College DALYELLUP
6288	Mechanical Works	Dalyellup College DALYELLUP
6290	Mechanical Works	Edwinstone Close x Trent Way DALYELLUP
6349	Mechanical Works	Gutmann Pwy x Colonna Street DALYELLUP
6364	Mechanical Works	Gutmann Pwy x Naroona Drive DALYELLUP
6448	Mechanical Works	Norton Prom x Seque Way DALYELLUP
6468	Mechanical Works	Sherwood Drive x Longbow App DALYELLUP
6930	Fire Access Track	Frances Road GELORUP
6940	Mechanical Works	Hawkins Dr x Tea Tree Pl GELORUP
6949	Mechanical Works	Yalinda Dr x Coachwood Way GELORUP
6950	Mechanical Works	Yalinda Dr x Coachwood Way GELORUP
7135	Mechanical Works	Turner & Greendale Place GELORUP
7136	Mechanical Works	Turner & Greendale Place GELORUP
7140	Mechanical Works	Brookview Avenue (27-33) GELORUP
7159	Fire Access Track	Bussell Hwy x Lakes Rd STRATHAM
7166	Mechanical Works	Lang Cove PEPPERMINT GROVE BEACH
7169	Mechanical Works	26 Hayfield Dr PEPPERMINT GROVE BEACH
7171	Mechanical Works	Cowrie Ct & View Ct PEPPERMINT GROVE BEACH
7195	Mechanical Works	Hawley Pwy x Karda Link CAPEL
7198	Mechanical Works	Weld Rd (57-89) CAPEL
7204	Mechanical Works	Hayclif Av & Ryelands Dr NORTH BOYANUP
7224	Mechanical Works	Trigwell Rd (68-110) & Junction St (25-47) BOYANUP
7225	Mechanical Works	Southwest Hwy x Trigwell Rd BOYANUP
7735	Fire Access Track	Goodwood Rd (1663 – 1939) CAPEL RIVER

Compliance

If you own or manage land in Western Australia it is your responsibility to reduce the risk of bushfire impacting, it. This applies to all landholders and land occupiers, including private homes, businesses, and government.

Firebreaks, fuel loads and other hazard reduction requirements help to prevent the spread or extension of a bush fire, ultimately increasing the safety for our community.

Requirements listed in the Notice must be in place before 1 December each year and maintained up to 30 April the following year.

Given the bush fire threat in our community, it is important that we all work together to reduce the risk of fire on our properties and in our community.

Planned Burning – Burn SMART

Planned burning describes deliberately burning a predetermined area under appropriate environmental conditions to reduce fuel loads (the vegetation and dead plant material that can burn in a fire). Planned burns are undertaken under mild and stable weather conditions so that the fire burns slowly and is controllable with low flame heights.

DFES provides helpful information regarding conducting planned burning on your property which can be found here or you can watch the burn smart video series

It is important that all planned burns are registered with DFES on 08 9395 9209

Fire Danger Rating

You can find out more about the Australian Fire Danger Rating System including in other languages here

Burning Periods

The Shire of Capel has three burning periods for the purposes of fire management.

Unrestricted – Property owners can burn without a permit but should register their burn with DFES on 08 9395 9209
Restricted 1 November to 14 December & 1 April to 30 April – Property owners will need a permit to burn during these times – fines can be issued if you light a fire without a permit.
Prohibited 15 December to 31 March – No burning is permitted – fines are likely to be issued if you light a fire during the prohibited burning period.

Permits are cancelled and no burning is allowed if the FDR is High or Above

Burning period dates may be varied due to climate or weather conditions. Any change to the burning periods will be advertised here, in local newspapers and the Shire's Facebook page. If you are unsure, give us a call on 08 9727 0222 to find out if burning is allowed.

Bush Fire Mitigation Notice

Total Fire Bans

TFB’s are issued by DFES and published on

emergency.wa.gov.au

If you light a fire during a total fire ban the fine is $1,000

The Shire of Capel will issue a fine for lighting a fire during a total fire ban.

Joining our Bush Fire Services

We are always keen to hear from anyone interested in joining a Bush Fire Brigade.

We have five brigades across the Shire with over 100 members.

Joining our Bush Fire Services is a rewarding experience and not just about going and putting fires out. We also welcome community members that have skills in:

Community engagement
Fundraising
Maintaining the brigade facilities
Maintaining brigade equipment,
Administrative duties
Communications

Application Form

Volunteer National Police Certificate Consent Form