Summary
- CFA assesses and maps bushfire risk for electrical line safety purposes.
- Trees can be a fire risk if they grow too close to electric lines.
- Bushfire risk determines vegetation clearance requirements near electric lines.
- Private electric lines must be constructed underground in High Bushfire Risk Areas.
- Visit Energy Safe Victoria to learn more about vegetation clearance requirements and managing fire risk near powerlines.
CFA assigns fire hazard ratings and maps bushfire risk
As the fire control authority for large parts of Victoria, CFA assesses and maps bushfire risk of land for electric line safety purposes.
Under Part 8 Section 80 of the Electricity Safety Act 1998, CFA can assign a "high" fire hazard rating or a "low" fire hazard rating.
Fire hazard ratings are used to:
- map high and low bushfire risk areas
- inform bushfire mitigation and inspection plans for electrical operators and major electricity companies
- determine vegetation clearance requirements
- determine installation requirements for new or substantially reconstructed electric lines.
CFA are custodians of the Victorian fire hazard rating spatial data on behalf of Energy Safe Victoria (the electrical regulator), the major electricity companies, and other fire control authorities.
High and Low Bushfire risk areas
Low Bushfire Risk Areas
A Low Bushfire Risk Area (LBRA) is an area that CFA has assigned a fire hazard rating of “low”.
A LBRA is usually within an urban area or rural township where block sizes are small and well maintained.
Land-use examples for LBRAs include:
- High density residential properties within urban areas (industrial and commercial).
- Highly managed recreational areas that are typically permanently green, for example golf courses, sporting playing fields, recreational reserves.
- Active summer irrigated farmland, market gardens, vineyards.
- Managed road reserves within urban areas.
High Bushfire Risk Areas
A High Bushfire Risk Area (HBRA) is an area that CFA has assigned a fire hazard rating of “high” (hazardous).
These areas have enough surface fuels (vegetation) on the ground to carry a fire.
Land-use examples for HBRA's may include:
- Low to Medium Density residential properties
- Industrial and commercial subdivisions (underdeveloped)
- Improved, native and introduced grasslands
- Cereal cropping
- Solar farms
- Vegetation classification types (AS3959)
- Vegetated road reserves
- Plantations
Am I in a High Bushfire Rated Area?
The latest available State-wide dataset is published on the DataVic website. This dataset defines areas of low fire hazard rating. Areas that are not covered by this layer are rated as having a high fire hazard rating.
Bushfire risk determines vegetation clearance requirements
Trees can be a fire risk if they grow too close to electric lines. They can also pose other safety risks, such electrocution, power cuts and blackouts.
Private landowners, electricity companies, councils and private line operators are responsible for making sure power lines are clear of vegetation.
How much vegetation needs to be cleared next to overhead electric lines depends on the bushfire risk in the area. The regulations are set out in the Electricity Safety (Electric Line Clearance) Regulations 2026, Code of Practice.
If you are a private landholder, visit Energy Safe Victoria to learn more about vegetation clearance requirements and managing fire risk near powerlines.
Private Electric Line Construction
In a High Bushfire Risk Area
According to the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019, a private electric line that is to be constructed in a HBRA must be placed underground.
If a private electric line is being substantially reconstructed, it also might be required to be placed underground.
Bushfire risk mapping
Other risk mapping layers, such as Bushfire Prone Areas (BPA) and the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) are different from low or high fire hazard ratings assigned under the Electricity Safety Act.
The fire hazard rating for electric lines has been developed specifically to inform vegetation clearance requirements, bushfire mitigation and inspection planning, and new or reconstructed powerline installation requirements.
How FHR differs from BPA and BMO
Fire hazard ratings identify areas of ‘low’ and ‘high’ bushfire risk based on potential sources of ignition.
But BPA and the BMO identify areas where bushfires, if they occur, are likely to produce significant ember attack, radiant heat and/or direct flames which will have a sustained impact on building structures.
Contact Us
If you have any enquiries about fire hazard ratings, email: fire-hzd-ratings@cfa.vic.gov.au.
Page last updated: Monday, 14 September 2026 10:46:24 AM