The Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes requires all landowners to install firebreaks or reduce the fuel load around the house by the 15 November to the 10th May annually.
CATEGORY 1 – LAND UNDER 5,000m2 (1/2 HECTARE) By 15 November until 10 May
Remove all flammable material from the property except living trees and shrubbery and maintain throughout the required period. Grass height not to exceed 100mm.
CATEGORY 2 – LAND OVER 5,000m2 AND UNDER 4 HECTARES (10 ACRES) By 15 November until 10 May
All buildings must have an access track not less than 3m in width and a minimum 4m vertical clearance to overhanging vegetation. Around all buildings, haystacks and fuel storage areas, slash and remove all flammable materials likely to create a fire hazard, except living trees and shrubbery for at least 20m around the building, haystack and fuel storage area. Grass height not to exceed 100mm. In addition to the above, the following requirements also apply to Category 2 properties:
(a) Land used for cropping or pasture: Construct and maintain a 3m wide firebreak with a minimum 4m vertical clearance to overhanging vegetation as near as practical to the perimeter of the property.
(b) Land not used for cropping/pasture: Remove all flammable material from the property except living trees and shrubbery and maintain throughout the required period. Grass height not to exceed 100mm. If choosing to forego firebreaks and instead remove flammable material from the property, the property owner must complete active fuel reduction on the property before 15 November and maintain it throughout the period of this Notice by means such as slashing, baling, and/or grazing by an appropriate number of livestock.
If choosing to carry out fuel reduction by grazing stock, the property owner must ensure that sufficient stock is used to ensure that all grass is reduced to a maximum height of 100mm by 15 November and maintained at that height until 10 May.
CATEGORY 3 – LAND OVER 4 HECTARES (10 ACRES) By 15 November until 10 May
All buildings must have an access track not less than 3m in width and a minimum 4m vertical clearance to overhanging vegetation. Around all buildings, haystacks and fuel storage areas, slash and remove all flammable materials likely to create a fire hazard, except living trees and· shrubbery for at least 20m around the building, haystack and fuel storage area. Grass height not to exceed 100mm. In addition to the above, the following requirements also apply to Category 3 properties:
(a) Managed land used for agriculture, viticulture or horticulture: Managed land is not required to have firebreaks, although landowners and occupiers are encouraged to install them in strategic places to protect their property in the event of a fire. There must be active fuel reduction done on the property throughout the period of this Notice, by means such as slashing, baling, and/or grazing by an appropriate number of livestock.
(b) Unmanaged land: As a minimum, one of the following two methods must be implemented:
(i) Fuel reduction: Remove all flammable materials from the entire property except living trees and shrubbery and maintain throughout the required period. Grass height not to exceed 100mm; or
(ii) Firebreak: Construct and maintain a 3m wide firebreak with a minimum 4m vertical clearance to overhanging vegetation as near as practical to the perimeter of the property.
Category 3 & 4 relates to requirements for Plantations and Timber Mills. Please view Firebreak Notice for detailed information related to the requirements for these.
For a full copy of the firebreak order click below
Firebreak Notice 2026/27
Where there are valid environmental or on-ground considerations that prevent full compliance with the Notice, landowners may apply to the Shire for a variation. A variation must be lodged in writing on a Firebreak and Fuel Hazard Reduction Variation Form. Applications for a variation must be submitted by 31 October each year.