Your property may be required to comply with bushfire safety standards. Use this introductory guide to help you work out what you need to do to make sure you meet planning requirements and improve you and your community’s bushfire safety.

When a development application is referred to the CFS under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Regulations, the CFS Development Assessment Service assesses the development and provides statutory advice. Considerations include siting, construction, structural standards, access for emergency service vehicles, vegetation clearance, firefighting equipment and water supply.

You may request advice before you submit a development application. For information, contact the CFS Development Assessment Service on 8115 3372 or das@cfs.sa.gov.au.

Bushfire safety FAQs

Residential developments and some businesses/commercial properties in bushfire prone areas

  • You will need to check with your local council or building certifier if any approvals are needed. If you only need to have a BAL you will need to refer to a private provider.
  • When building in a high-risk bushfire area, a referral to CFS is needed and a report will be provided. That process can be direct through council/planner, or you can come to CFS direct using an Application for preliminary agency advice. You will need to have drawings of your proposal e.g. site plan, elevations, floor plan, materials of construction.
  • A BAL Application is needed for Building Rules consent to determine the construction level of the house and it will be provided with an Application for preliminary agency advice through the council.
  • Yes. Moving the house, changing the size etc, may change your BAL rating or other elements such as the driveway. Your approval is only valid for the plans that were assessed.
  • If the shed is less than 500m2 and within 6m of a dwelling you will need a BAL assessment because the shed must be built to the same bushfire rating as the dwelling.
  • If the shed is over 500m2 please refer to Commercial FAQs.
  • Contact the Development Assessment Service on 08 8115 3372
  • Unfortunately, we are unable to give you a specific date or time as officers will have several inspections on a day in different locations, not having a specific time and date arranged might mean your assessment is done quicker.
  • If you have identified a specific hazard that needs your attendance then, the CFS Bushfire Safety Officer will contact you.
  • Can you arrange for the dog to be secured and/or the gates to be unlocked? If not, we will make a note on the file and a CFS Bushfire Safety Officer will contact you to make suitable arrangements to inspect the property.
  • Refer to Native vegetation management for clarification.
  • Please read our position statement of mature/large trees on residential properties, however, if you still think that your individual tree is a bushfire risk you can apply for an Assessment Application.
  • However, if your enquiry is in regards to your development application, you can mark down trees proposed for removal, CFS will assess what exists on the land at the time of the assessment and what is proposed for removal and provide advice on how that impacts your application. Please don’t remove vegetation prior to development approval or Native vegetation approval. Refer to the Native Vegetation Council for clarification regarding native vegetation removal for development.
  • You will need to speak to the CFS bushfire safety officer that undertook the BAL assessment of the property.
  • You might be able to reduce the vegetation or move the development further away from it. However, reducing the vegetation is only an option if the vegetation is within your own property boundaries. If the vegetation is on neighbouring property and you cant move the house from the boundary a reduced BAL might not be achievable.
  • Note: BAL assesses vegetation within 100m of the subject land.
  • If your report was submitted:
  • You can obtain a copy of the report from the Applicant (such as the builder or designer), Council or PlanSA portal.

Tanks

  • Yes, for properties in Medium/General Bushfire Hazard Rating areas.
  • If your Bushfire Hazard Rating is High - it is likely that a swimming pool can be used, provided it is accessible to the fire truck within 3m and not obstructed, there is sufficient water available all year round and the volume is compliant with the Additional requirements in designated bushfire prone areas (Ministerial Building Standard MBS008). Individual cases will need to be assessed by a Bushfire Safety Officer.