Businesses or individuals who need to use fire in the open air to conduct their work or activity during the Fire Danger Period may require a permit.
Permit applications are assessed under the Country Fire Authority Act 1958.
If you apply for a permit during the Fire Danger Period, CFA will consider the current and expected local conditions before making a decision.
Applying for a permit does not mean you will automatically receive one.
If a permit is issued, it can be suspended by CFA because of the high weather risk or during a declared Total Fire Ban, and it may be revoked at any time by the issuing officer.
Apply for your permit well ahead of time. During busy periods, permits can take up to two weeks to be processed.
Activities requiring a Fire Danger Period permit:
- Bird scaring
- Blow lamps or gas torches
- Blacksmithing
- Catering (applicant must hold a Temporary Food Premises / Stall permit from the relevant Municipal Health Officer)
- Fire training
- Fireworks and other uses of fire for public entertainment (applicant must hold a Pyrotechnical License)
- Flares at a petroleum fractionation plant, a gas plant or any plant of a like nature
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Landowner vegetation burn - light fuels (like grass and stubble)
- Landowner vegetation burn - heavy fuels (like trees and branches)
Who issues Fire Danger Period permits?
Who issues your permit depends on where the activity will take place:
- CFA issues permits for activities in country areas of Victoria.
- Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) issues permits for activities in FRV fire districts.
- Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) issues a different permit called a Permit to Burn, for activities in forests, national parks, protected public land, or fire-protected areas and within 1.5km of these areas.
How do I apply for a Fire Danger Period permit?
- Apply for a Fire Danger Period permit online through the Fire Permits Victoria website.
- If you are unable to apply online, contact your CFA District Office or FRV Regional Office. Your local council may also be able to assist you.
If you're not sure if your planned activity is within the country area of Victoria or the FRV fire district, the Fire Permits Victoria website will advise you once you enter the proposed address. You can also check the CFA & FRV Boundaries.
Other important information:
Country area of Victoria
The country area of Victoria means that part of Victoria which lies outside the FRV fire district, but does not include, any forest, national park or protected public land.
Fire protected areas
Some parts of Victoria are called fire protected areas. These are country areas that are within 1.5 km of forests, national parks or protected public land.
In these areas, fire restrictions are set by the Prohibited Period under the Forests Act.
The Prohibited Period usually lines up with CFA’s declared Fire Danger Period, but the exact dates can change depending on the bushfire risk each season.
You can find the current list of places and dates for the Prohibited Period on the Forest Fire Management Victoria website.
Total Fire Ban Days
If you have a permit to use during the Fire Danger Period, it cannot be used on a Total Fire Ban Day.
On a Total Fire Ban Day, you may be able to apply for a Section 40 permit to light a fire, but only for very specific purposes.
Just like Fire Danger Period permits, who you apply to depends on where the activity is planned.
For more details, see Total Fire Ban permits for more information apply online at Fire Permits Victoria.
Conditions of your permit
Your granted fire permit has conditions that you must follow. If you don’t follow all the conditions in your permit, you are breaking the law and penalties can apply.
It is important to understand that even if you comply with all of the conditions you are still liable (civil or criminal) for any damage sustained by another person as a result of the fire you light.
Using your permit
When you are ready to undertake your activity or light your fire, you must notify the authorities listed in the conditions of your permit.
This can prevent the fire brigade from being dispatched unnecessarily. If someone sees your fire and calls 000, they might think it's an emergency, unless the call taker can cross reference to a registered activity.
Please check your permit to see who you need to notify.
The Fire Permits Victoria website also has information about notifying the use of your permit.
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Page last updated: Monday, 8 September 2025 5:11:40 PM