Preparing for the Fire Danger Period - clearing your property of fire hazards and identifying, reporting, removing hazards.
We are committed to protecting the Greater Bendigo community before the fire season starts. We prepare our outdoor spaces, and ask the community help us to identify potential fire hazards.
You must clear your property of fire hazards before the start of the Fire Danger Period and maintain it throughout. For advice on how to plan and prepare for bushfires visit the CFA website, talk to your local brigade or our Municipal Fire Prevention Officer.
Where you live and the size of your property will determine the types of work required.
Report a fire hazard on private land
A fire hazard on privately owned land can be reported. Municipal Fire Prevention Officers will inspect the property and may send the land owner/s a Fire Prevention Notice. If possible, please provide the exact location and address when reporting a fire hazard.
If you are concerned about a potential fire hazard please use our online form to report a property.
If you need assistance to log your request please contact us.
Report an overgrown nature strip
If you wish to report an overgrown nature strip please use our online form. If possible, provide the exact location and address when reporting a nature strip. Fire Prevention Notices are not issued for nature strips. However, the City will encourage the landowner to maintain their nature strip in writing.
If you are reporting both an overgrown property and nature strip at the same address, please log the request once only using the Report a Fire Hazard form above.
If you need help to log your request please contact us.
Request an extension to a Fire Prevention Notice
If you are having difficulty accessing your property due to ground conditions or engaging a contractor to complete the works, please let us know by requesting an extension.
After receiving your request, a representative of the City will assess your application and contact you to advise of the outcome.
Frequently asked questions
A council's role in inspection of private land for fire prevention is focused on reducing fuel loads immediately around assets, particularly homes and work places. If a property owner doesn't maintain their property, a Fire Prevention Notice can enforce works such as grass cutting, slashing, and removal of flammable rubbish.
A Fire Prevention Notice won't usually be issued for removal of grass and fuel that isn't in close proximity to a dwelling.
On rural properties, if the grass or fuel you are concerned about is on a neighbouring property (30 metres or more from your dwelling), it's unlikely a fire prevention notice will be issued.
Targeted fuel reduction in the immediate proximity around a building has been demonstrated to be an effective way to protect life and property. Fuel reduction beyond this may have little impact and may increase the risk of fire as sparks from machinery can cause fires.
If a property is deemed a fire hazard, the owner or occupier may be sent a Fire Prevention Notice and given approximately three weeks to undertake the work. If on re-inspection the hazard hasn't been removed, the City of Greater Bendigo can arrange a contractor to attend to this work.
If a report of a fire hazard is made late in the season when it is already hot and dry, it may be too late to issue a Fire Prevention Notice as operating machinery in dry grass is risky.
We are only able to provide you with general information about our processes, policies and possible outcomes. We won't be able to advise you of the outcome in the circumstances of your report.
If the fire hazard is on land not managed by the City of Greater Bendigo, we'll forward your concern to the land manager or may direct you to the relevant authority. If the land is managed by the City of Greater Bendigo we will log the request.