Low rainfall prompts City fire reminder

The City of Busselton is reminding residents the prohibited burn period starts today.

Burn-offs for the purposes of reducing fuel levels are not allowed until the end of February, to minimise the risk of bushfire during the warm and dry summer months.

City of Busselton ranger and emergency services co-ordinator Dean Freeman said people could still have cooking fires, provided the fire danger rating was not very high or above.

“If a person was to burn-off or light a camp fire during the prohibited burning period, we would at least issue them with a $250 fine,” he said. “If, however, there had been some damage caused by an escape of the fire, then we would more than likely prosecute them.”

Mr Freeman said the maximum penalty which could be imposed through a court prosecution was $10,000, 12 months imprisonment or both.

In the event of a total fire ban being declared, all fires and also “hot works”, such as welding and angle grinding, are banned.

“Any burning under a total fire ban would result in us automatically commencing prosecution proceedings, ” Mr Freeman said.

“The maximum penalty which can be imposed through a court prosecution is increased to $25,000 or 12 months imprisonment, or both.”

Yallingup Rural Volunteer Bushfire Brigade fire control officer Mark Fisher said it was crucial residents obeyed the rules during the prohibited burn period.

“We’ve had below average rainfall around this area; it’s very dry at the moment, especially the western half of the city,” he said.

“You can only hope people don’t do silly things. We’ve been training right through.”

More information is available on the City’s Firebreak and Fuel Hazard Reduction Notice, available at busselton.wa.gov.au.

Yallingup Rural Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade firefighters Mark Fisher, Ian Mitchell and Matt Muir are reminding the public about the complete fire ban that is in place throughout summer.

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