Siting for other hazards

Use siting and site layout to reduce your exposure to secondary bushfire hazards

This section with help you maintain a suitable separation distance between your home and other artificial or managed objects. When a bushfire meets an urban area, the fire will spread using any combustible fuel that’s available. This might include cars, wood heaps, sheds and houses as well as trees and other vegetation in the area. It is important to maintain space between these objects and the vulnerable elements of your house, as well as any roads, accessways and shelters.

Do’s

  • If possible, site your house at a distance of 12 metres from other houses or sheds.
  • If your site does not allow for this minimum separation distance, consider what construction measures you can use to reduce your exposure (e.g., installing façades, barriers, or earthworks).
  • It is easy to become complacent about the risk of bushfire over time. In addition to the hazards at your property today, consider what could present a hazard in the future (e.g., a new building, parked vehicles, or a maturing tree). In some case, it may be possible to plan for these hazards during your initial build.

Don’ts

  • Do not build combustible features (e.g., treated pine retaining walls, wooden fences) next to the house or next to unmanaged vegetation.
  • Do not store combustible objects (e.g., wood heaps, sporting equipment) next to the house or in an exposed underfloor space.