Building in the Bushfire Prone Area (BPA)
The BPA identifies areas likely to be subject to bushfires and extends across most of Victoria except some urban areas. If you are building in the BPA you will likely need a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) report to accompany your building permit application. The BAL assessment will analyse the bushfire risk of your site to determine the BAL rating and your building design will need to comply with the determined BAL rating.
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The assessed Bushfire Attack Level for a site ranges from: BAL 12.5, BAL 19, BAL 29, BAL 40 and BAL flame-zone. For each BAL rating there is a comprehensive set of building design and construction requirements which aim to reduce bushfire risks to that building. As the BAL rating increases, the construction requirements are more rigorous and the build cost can increase.
Undertaking your bushfire planning early in the process will allow the BAL construction requirements to inform your building design and plans. This has the benefit of avoiding a costly re-design of plans to meet the BAL requirements and associated re-submission of plans. In addition, your bushfire consultant can assist you to locate your house site and manage vegetation to minimise bushfire risk and potentially achieve a lower BAL rating.
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Bushfire Environs:
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undertakes BAL assessments and prepares BAL reports.
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works with property owners, developers and designers to select the optimal position for the building site.
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assists designers and architects to incorporate BAL construction requirements into building design.
BAL analysis and mapping
