Bushfires NT

Fire and Your Responsibilities

The fundamental principle established by the Bushfires Act is that the responsibility for bushfire management rests with the landholder. The Basic Fire Laws (pdf 830Kb) brochure (Khmer (pdf 195Kb), Thai (pdf 1.4Mb) and Vietnamese (pdf 198Kb) brochure translations) summarises key sections of the Act and is a useful guide for all landholders.

Additional information on preventing and mitigating the effects of bushfires is included on the bushfire prevention page.

Lighting fires

The Bushfires Act 2004 says you must not set fire or cause fire to be set to land or property belonging to any other person under such circumstances as to cause or be likely to cause damage to that other person or that land or property.

Maximum penalty for failure to comply:
$25,000 fine or imprisonment for 5 years.

Fire Protection Zones

In the Northern Territory, certain areas have been declared as Fire Protection Zones, these are:

All of the Vernon Region
50 km radius from Katherine PO
50 km radius from Tennant Creek PO
50 km radius from Alice Springs airport

Fire Protection Zone maps

You must not set fire to any bush or other inflammable material on land within a fire protection zone at any time of the year, except with and in accordance with the terms of a Permit to Burn, issued by a Fire Warden of a Fire Control Officer. Permits can be obtained from your local Fire Warden or Regional Fire Control Officer.

If it is necessary for you to use a fire for the purpose of camping, cooking or the urgent disposal of an animal carcass, this must not be done unless:

the nearest flammable matter to the fire is more than 4 metres away
the fire is fully extinguished before being left.
Back to Top

Burning outside a fire protection zone

Fires may be lit without a Permit, on land that you own and manage, outside a Fire Protection Zone, except where the land lies within a declared Fire Danger Area.

Fire Danger Areas and permits to burn

The Minister may during the fire season declare a Fire Danger Period over certain areas defined by lines of latitude. When such period has been declared the following restrictions apply to the lighting of all fires in the open air:

If a fire is required for the purpose of clearing land, mustering cattle, burning firebreaks or for any other purpose, a Permit to Burn must first be obtained from either a Fire Warden or a Fire Control Officer

All permits to burn have the following conditions:

at least 48 hours notice must be given to all neighbours adjoining the land on which it is intended to light a fire
the fire should be lit only when weather conditions are favourable
adequate manpower and equipment must be on hand at all times to control the fire.
Back to Top

Total fire bans

A total ban on the lighting of fires in the Wild fire open may be imposed during periods of Very High or Extreme fire danger. During this time no fires of any kind may be lit in the open air with the exception of those fires used for cooking or boiling water, provided that the nearest flammable matter to the fire is more than 4 metres away.

Total bans are announced on radio and in the press; when the ban is lifted normal burning restrictions continue to apply. If you have a fire on your property that was lit prior to the commencement of a Fire Ban, you must put it out or if you are unable to do so you must immediately notify a Fire Warden or Fire Control Officer.

Powers of Fire Control Officers and Fire Wardens

Under the Bushfires Act, a Fire Control Officer or Fire Warden, for the purpose of controlling a bushfire or protecting property or life from danger arising out of a bushfire has the power to:

enter any building or upon any land
pull down, cut or remove any fence
establish a firebreak by using fire or otherwise
take water from any source other than drinking or domestic water
cause any road or public place to be closed to traffic
require a person reasonably suspected of having committed an offence against the Act to giver their full name and place of residence and produce any permit held by them
require a person who has list or is using a fire in contravention of the Act to immediately put it out.

Fire prevention

The Chief Fire Control Officer may require you to construct firebreaks on or remove flammable material from land apparently under your control

Land owners or occupiers

If you are the owner or occupier of any land and you are made aware that a fire on your property is likely to spread to other land, you must take all reasonable steps to control the fire. If you are unable to do so you must immediately notify

a Fire Warden or Fire Control Officer; and
all neighbouring property holders of the fact
Back to Top

Fire risk from engines and equipment

Do not start or drive a motor vehicles (within meaning of the Motor Vehicles Act) or start an engine unless a spark arrester has been fitted.
Do not use electric or gas welding or cutting equipment in the open in a Fire Protection Zone or during a Fire Danger Period or Fire Ban Day:
1. within 4 metres of any flammable material; and
2. unless there is a fire extinguisher readily available.
  Back to Top

Burning matter not to be thrown down

Cigarettes and other burning or smouldering matter must be thoroughly extinguished before being disposed of.

Obstruction

Hindering a Fire Control Officer or Fire Warden in the exercise of their duty, or failing to comply with any requirements so made is an offence.

Penalty $5,000 or imprisonment for 2 years.

Giving false information or producing false documentation to a Fire Control Officer or Fire Warden exercising their duty is an offence.

Penalty $5,000 or imprisonment for 2 years.

This is not a legal document but rather a summary of the Bushfires Act. It does not cover all the provisions of the Act but refers to those matters with which the majority of people will be concerned.

This Adobe PDF document may require a newer version of Adobe Reader than you are currently using. Click here to download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.