Every owner and occupier of land in the City of Swan must meet the conditions in the City’s Fire Hazard Reduction Notice by 1 November and keep to them until 30 April; for this season that runs from 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027. Anyone who becomes an owner or occupier after 1 November has 14 days to comply.
General information, not legal advice. The notice itself is the legal document, and the City of Swan is the place to check what it asks of a particular lot. For fires and life-threatening emergencies, call 000.
The fire year in two rings
| Period | Dates | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted | 1 October to 30 November | No burning without a permit. |
| Prohibited | 1 December to 31 March | No burning at all; cooking fires are exempt under conditions. |
| Restricted | 1 April to 31 May | No burning without a permit. |
| Unrestricted | June to September | No permit needed, on lots over 2,000 m² and only for vegetation or untreated wood. |
On days rated High or above, or under a Total Fire Ban, all burning is prohibited, exemptions included.
What the notice asks, by size of lot
| Lot area | Firebreaks | Grass and vegetation |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 m² (0.5 ha) or less | An asset protection zone, and no boundary firebreak in the notice’s list, though the guide says land that is mostly dense native vegetation may need firebreaks or extra understorey work. | All grass kept to 10 cm or lower; natural vegetation kept at or below 8 tonnes per hectare. |
| Over 0.5 ha, up to 2.5 ha | Firebreaks inside the external boundaries, plus an asset protection zone. | All grass kept to 10 cm or lower. |
| Over 2.5 ha | The same boundary firebreaks and asset protection zone. | Grass beside one side of every firebreak cut to 10 cm or lower, for at least 3 m. |
| Over 100 ha | Extra firebreaks, so that no area inside them is larger than 100 ha. | As for lots over 2.5 ha. |
On any lot over 0.5 ha, natural vegetation within 100 m of a relevant building is to be held at or below 8 tonnes per hectare, using passive methods of fuel reduction. Where land is stocked, the grass conditions may wait until 1 December. A boundary firebreak is not needed where buildings, other ground with no vegetation, or irrigated orchards and vineyards cover at least 90 per cent of the land, though grass must still be 10 cm or shorter.
A firebreak, to the notice’s measure
- Width
- At least 3 m of surface a four-wheel drive can travel.
- Height
- 4 m of clear space overhead, across the full width, with branches pruned back.
- Where
- As close as practicable inside the external boundaries, and never more than 10 m in from them.
- Surface
- Free of obstacles and anything flammable: mineral earth, gravel, limestone, bitumen, or green lawn no taller than 25 mm.
- Ends
- No dead ends, and the guide adds that corners must take a vehicle 9 m long.
A house more than 70 m from a public road needs its driveway kept clear for ordinary cars, at least 3 m wide with 4 m above. Fuel storage areas, haystacks and stockpiled flammable material need all flammable material cleared within 10 m, and haystacks and stockpiles also need a firebreak immediately beside them. Where a written agreement with the City or an approved bushfire management plan puts a fire service access route or emergency access way on the land, the notice asks for it to be kept 6 m wide with 4 m clear above, free of flammable material and unobstructed, with a continuous surface a four-wheel drive (access route) or two-wheel drive (emergency access way) can travel; gates on an emergency access way must always stay unlocked.
The asset protection zone
Around each relevant building, the notice asks for a low-fuel area reaching 20 m out from the external walls, though only within that building’s own lot. Relevant buildings include houses, and also sheds, carports and garages standing within 6 m of a house or another listed building. Inside the zone:
- average fuel stays at 2 tonnes per hectare or less, and grass under 10 cm;
- tree canopy covers no more than 15 per cent, with gaps between crowns, and trees are pruned clear of the ground to at least 2 m;
- no tree or shrub taller than 2 m is planted within 3 m of a building, and no branches hang over one;
- paths are laid, or flammable or dry vegetation, debris and materials are cleared, immediately next to the building;
- scrub is thinned until you can walk through it easily, and woodpiles and other flammable materials are kept a safe distance from buildings.
The guide refers owners to the notice for the complete list of APZ requirements. The guide adds that clearing vegetation permanently beyond what the notice requires needs approval from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and the City. Where a lot carries an approved bushfire management plan, a plan that can be placed on the title as a condition of development or subdivision, the owner must meet both the notice and the plan. How those plans arise is set out under bushfire prone areas and BAL assessments.
Fire danger ratings and bans
The fire danger ratings as the City’s Fire Season Guide 2026–27 gives them, each quoted in full; the guide says the Bureau of Meteorology provides current and forecast ratings daily, at bom.gov.au and emergency.wa.gov.au:
- The Moderate rating
- “plan and prepare. Most fires can be controlled.”
- The High rating
- “be ready to act. Fires can be dangerous.”
- The Extreme rating
- “act now to protect life and property. Fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous.”
- The Catastrophic rating
- “for your survival leave bushfire risk areas. If a fire starts and takes hold, lives are likely to be lost.”
DFES declares Total Fire Bans, and the City declares Harvest and Vehicle Movement Bans, which limit engine-powered vehicles and machinery near grass, stubble and bush. The guide sets out in full what is and is not allowed while a ban is in force. As at October 2026, an offence concerning a Total Fire Ban can bring a fine of up to $25,000, 12 months in prison, or both, and one concerning a Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban a fine of up to $5,000. The City’s recorded fire information line on (08) 9267 9326 covers seasonal restrictions and bans.
Another layout, contractors and checks
Where boundary firebreaks are impractical, an owner can apply to vary them. The City’s web page and guide ask for requests to be received by 1 October; the notice itself allows a written application on or before 1 November, and without written permission before 1 December the notice applies as written.
The guide says landowners, absentee owners included, must check a contractor’s work themselves. As at October 2026, not complying can bring a penalty of up to $5,000 or a $250 infringement notice, and the City may enter the land to do the work at the owner’s expense. For rural properties in fire-prone areas, the City offers advice visits that cover firebreak placement before formal inspections.