Shire of Augusta Margaret River urges bushfire preparation as firebreak notice set for major review

The Shire of Augusta Margaret River is urging residents to prepare for the upcoming bushfire season as it announces a major review of its firebreak notice. Council has issued its notice for this financial year, which requires landowners and renters to undertake work to prevent bushfires and maintain firebreaks on properties between November 30 and May 12 next year. The 2024-25 notice is mostly unchanged from the previous year, but the shire will undertake a major review from early 2025. The review will seek to make sure the guidelines reflect changing conditions, alongside seeking to balance protecting the community and the environment. Shire president Julia Meldrum said making any changes to firebreak rules required consideration and would involve community consultation. “Bushfire preparation is essential for keeping our community and volunteer firefighters safe,” she said. “Currently rural property owners must install and maintain three metre firebreaks because in an emergency these breaks provide safe access for fire vehicles.” “Adapting this, or any rule in our firebreak notice needs careful and thorough consideration, as well as community input.” Ms Meldrum encouraged residents to start work to reduce the fire hazard on their properties with the coming warmer weather. “While we can’t predict when a bushfire might start, we do know they can occur anywhere in our Shire,” she said. “This means wherever you live you need to reduce the amount of flammable materials around your home.” Ms Meldrum encouraged residents to rake up leaves and twigs, clean gutter, slash long grass and maintain firebreaks if on a larger property. Landowners can apply for a firebreak variation before November 1 if they have environmental or site-specific issues on their land. Those considering undertaking low-intensity burns during early Spring are urged to follow the Department of Fire and Emergency Services’ BurnSmart guidelines. More information can be found on the shire’s website.