Building in a Wildfire Management Overlay (prior to 18 Nov 2011)
This information only applies to planning applications to develop land submitted to Councils prior to November 18 November 2011.
Applications made on or after this date will be processed under the new Bushfire Management Overlay.
If your application is to subdivide land, refer to Subdivision >>
Does the WMO apply to my land?
Where the WMO applies it is identified in the planning scheme at Clause 44.06 - pdf. Applicants should contact their local council or visit Planning Schemes Online or Planning Maps Online to find out if the WMO applies to their land.
WMO Applicant's Workbook (for applicants prior to 18 November 2011 only)
To assist applicants in the planning permit process for dwellings in the WMO, CFA has produced the Building in a Wildfire Management Overlay: Applicant's Workbook 2010 - pdf 1641k | Text only version - doc 284k. The workbook is also useful for town planners and those working in local councils.
- It contains a step-by-step self assessment tool to ensure development proposals will meet the objectives and outcomes of the WMO.
- It details how to assess the bushfire risk, choose the most appropriate site for a dwelling and provides a set of standard permit conditions relating to water supply, access requirements and vegetation management.
If the standard conditions cannot be met, the workbook provides guidance for alternative solutions to satisfy the requirements of the WMO.
See Also:
WMO Site Assessment
When building in the WMO, CFA requires applicants to carry out a site assessment as detailed in the Applicant’s Workbook. This assessment subsequently informs the associated Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) for that site. As of 9 March 2010 pursuant to Regulation 804 of the Building Regulations 2006, if a site assessment for the purpose of determining the Bushfire Attack Level has been considered as part of a planning application, the relevant building surveyor must now accept this site assessment.
Summary
- In non-WMO locations the process for assessing the construction requirements for a dwelling is via the AS3959 site assessment process
- In WMO locations, where the risk is higher, the process for assessing the construction requirements for a dwelling is via the WMO site assessment process
For further information, see below and Planning Scheme Updates.
AS3959, Bushfire Attack Levels and the Wildfire Management Overlay
AS3959 and the site assessment in the Wildfire Management Overlay (WMO) Applicant’s Workbook 2010 are tools that can be used to determine the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL). Both are based on bushfire behaviour and radiant heat modelling but use slightly different inputs.
The WMO methodology is generally more conservative; it considers vegetation management and uses a Fire Danger Indices based on Victorian conditions as opposed to the nationally developed process contained in AS3959.
The WMO Applicant’s Workbook 2010 contains a detailed site assessment process to evaluate (amongst other things) existing vegetation and prescribe vegetation management requirements. Vegetation is classified into category one ‘lower risk areas’ and category two ‘higher risk areas.’
On completion of the WMO site assessment, a BAL is assigned to the planning permit which provides construction requirements for the building.
WMO Mapping Process
The Wildfire Management Overlay (WMO) is designed to identify areas where the intensity of bushfire is likely to be significant and pose a threat to life and property.
Currently the WMO mapping process involves collaboration between CFA and local councils.
The mapping process:
- The initial map is created using satellite imagery identifying a canopy density of more than 80 per cent
- Patches of treed areas greater than five hectares are then buffered by a distance of 100 metres to produce an updated map
- An on-ground verification process is then carried out and the relevant changes incorporated to produce the final map
- The normal planning scheme amendment process then applies
See the Department of Planning and Community Development website for further information on the Amendment process.
