City of Whittlesea’s Fire Prevention Program

A Fire Prevention Notice is issued when the Municipal Fire Prevention Officer deems it necessary to protect life and property from threat of fire. The notice may be served to an owner or occupier of a property.

Why does Council issue Fire Prevention Notices?

Fire hazards on private property can include any of the following:

dead or long dry grass
fuel such as dead branches, piles of cuttings etc
wood piles placed too close to houses or fence lines
other combustible material

Our Fire Prevention Officers have the authority to enter properties to undertake inspections and to issue directional Fire Prevention Notices.

If the property owner/occupier doesn't undertake the required works on time, we also have the legal right to enter and carry out required works on private land and recoup the costs.

Fire Prevention Notices may specify:

parts of the land or property that need to be treated
treatment methods for particular vegetation or material

What do I have to do if I receive a Fire Prevention Notice?

You are required to comply with the instructions in the Fire Prevention Notice.
The works must be carried out by the due date specified on the notice you receive.
The notice does not authorise you to remove shrubs and trees unless directed to.

What happens if you don't comply with a Fire Prevention Notice?

Follow up inspections are carried out on properties that have been issued a Fire Prevention Notice.

If the prescribed works have not been carried out to the satisfaction of the Municipal Fire Prevention Officer by the due date:

Council will appoint a contractor to carry out the works specified in the Fire Prevention Notice
the owner or occupier will have to pay all associated costs in carrying out the works specified in the notice
In addition to the cost of works to meet the fire prevention requirements, Council may issue a Penalty Infringement Notice which carries a fine of $1849, per rateable owner.

I own a vacant block of land and don't visit it regularly enough to see how long the grass is

As a property owner, it's your responsibility to maintain your property and ensure that grass is no more than 10cm for the duration of the fire season.

I have moved house and didn't receive the Fire Prevention Notice before the due date

As a property owner, it's your responsibility to advise us of your correct mailing address for the property you own. To change your contact details, visit Change your details - Whittlesea Council

I'm planning to cut my paddock for hay, graze, cut for silage, strip grazing

Give our Municipal Fire Prevention Officer a call and inform us of your plans before the due date of your notice.

call us on 9217 2170
email us at fire.management@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

This applies to rural farmland only.

When is the Fire Danger Period?

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) introduces Fire Restrictions - the Fire Danger Period - for all private land in the City of Whittlesea over the summer period each year.

The Fire Danger Period can range from October to May, depending on the risk level predicted for the season. See Fire Danger Period Restrictions | CFA (Country Fire Authority) for more information.

I am concerned that the property near me is a fire hazard

If you are concerned about a property near you:

call us on 9217 2170
email us at fire.management@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

We will inspect the property and, if required, will issue the owner with a Fire Prevention Notice.

Please note that the Municipal Fire Prevention Officer works to a program and all properties in the municipality will be inspected at least twice during the declared fire danger period.

I am having difficulty getting the work completed by the deadline - can I have an extension?

Notice to Comply Extension Request - Fire Prevention

In most cases, an additional one to two weeks may be considered, however we must hear from you before - and not on or after - the completion date on your notice.

Any extension longer than two weeks must be addressed in writing to: