Summary
- Permits are required to do some activities on your farm during the Fire Danger Period and on Total Fire Ban days.
- Severe penalties apply if you carry out specific activities without a permit or without complying with permit conditions.
- Protect lives and assets and apply for a fire permit.
- Some local councils also have specific fire restrictions outside the fire danger period.
- CFA recommends avoiding any activity which could start a fire on hot dry, windy days.
- Activities that produce heat or use fire are banned on Total Fire Ban days.
You are responsible for getting a permit to use fire on your farm
If you need to use fire on your farm during the Fire Danger Period or on a day of Total Fire Ban, you might require a permit.
Fire permits can be issued to people and businesses in order to conduct necessary farm work or activities. You can apply for a permit through Fire Permits Victoria.
Local councils might also have fire restrictions outside the Fire Danger Period. You are responsible for checking whether or not your local council has specific laws in place for lighting fires and burning rubbish.
What you CAN do during the Fire Danger Period
You can do a lot of activities on your farm during the Fire Danger Period without a permit, as long as you follow the required conditions.
Activities you CAN do without a permit include:
- driving vehicles in contact with grass, crops or undergrowth
- using tractors, slashers, earth moving or other self-propelled farm machinery
- using machinery near grass, crops or undergrowth
- using a chainsaw, grass trimmer or lawn mower
- welding, grinding, charring, soldering or gas cutting
- using a smoker to work with bees
- using heat or flame to extract honey.
Even though you don't need a permit, you must follow the rules when doing these activities or you are breaking the law and could be subject to severe penalties.
Learn about using farm machinery and doing other activities during the Fire Danger Period.
Activities that need a permit during the Fire Danger Period
During the Fire Danger Period you need a permit to:
- Burn off grass, stubble, weeds, undergrowth or other vegetation
- Use a gas-powered wildlife scaring gun.
Apply for a permit.
Permits may contain conditions or restrictions. You must comply with every condition on the permit or be subject to severe penalties.
Activities that need a permit during a Total Fire Ban
During a Total Fire Ban you need a permit to do the following activities:
- hot works, including welding, grinding, charring, soldering or gas cutting
- bee keeping, including using bee smokers or extracting honey using heat or a flame.
Apply for a permit.
Other farming activities banned during a Total Fire Ban include:
- burning off (even if you have a permit during the Fire Danger Period)
- using a wildlife scare gun
- driving a vehicle where it will come in contact with crops, grass, stubble, weeds, undergrowth or other vegetation, except under specific conditions
- using a chainsaw, plant or grass trimmer or lawn mower, except under specific conditions.
CFA recommends you don't use tractors, slashers or earth-moving machines within 9 metres of any crops, grass, stubble, weeds, undergrowth or other vegetation on a Total Fire Ban day, unless absolutely necessary. If the work is essential, it must be done under specific conditions.
Penalties and consequences
During the Fire Danger Period, failure to comply with any conditions on a permit, or conducting these activities without a permit may be subject to a penalty of up to $23,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both.
On a Total Fire Ban day these penalties are doubled to $46,000 and/or 2 years imprisonment.
Worse still, you could start a fire which endangers you and your community. Protect lives and assets and apply for a fire permit.
What's the difference between the Fire Danger Period and Total Fire Bans?
The Fire Danger Period is NOT the same thing as a Total Fire Ban.
The Fire Danger Period is declared when an area reaches a condition of high bushfire danger. Once the Fire Danger Period is declared for an area it remains in effect for some months until it is announced that it's ending. Typically, this is from November to April, but you need to check the exact dates for your area each year.
Total Fire Bans are declared by CFA's Chief Officer on days of heightened fire danger to reduce the risk of a fire starting.
Learn the difference between the Fire Danger Period and Total Fire Ban Days in the video below.
[Fire Danger Period or Total Fire Ban. What's the difference?]
What's the difference?
A Fire Danger Period is called for each local government area before the fire season.
It has a start date and an end date and lasts for weeks or months.
And it has rules about using fire safely, such as for cooking outside, burning off or lighting campfires.
If the fire risk is very high, one or more days could be declared as a Total Fire Ban Day.
On Total Fire Ban Days fires are banned, and there are more rules in place.
To learn more, visit cfa.vic.gov.au/aboutfiredangerperiod
Resources
Your guide to farm fire safety
An easy to follow quick reference guide for farmers and hobby farmers.
On the land
A comprehensive guide for farmers and land managers.
Page last updated: Thursday, 10 September 2026 1:38:43 PM