Siting for vegetation hazards
Use siting and site layout to reduce your exposure to vegetation hazards
This section will help you to site your home to reduce its exposure to vegetation hazards. Look at the vegetation around your property and in the local landscape. On a map, mark down the locations of any vegetation (e.g., bushland, grasses, nearby trees) that could be a bushfire hazard.
Do’s
- Maximise the distance between buildings and vegetation by siting away from Classified vegetation.
- Determine which vegetation can be cleared or managed (and maintained) and which cannot. Consider how you can use Landscaping early in your design process.
- Use bushfire resilient design and construction methods.
- Remember that your regulatory requirements will differ depending on the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) at your location.
- Consider using appropriately located vegetation (screening plants) to shield your property from embers, radiant heat and wind attack.
- For screening plants, choose vegetation with a low flammability rating and site the plants away from the home (so they are not a fire hazard).
Don’ts
- Avoid siting the house close to unmanaged vegetation.
- Avoid clearing trees without first checking the regulations at your address.
Site the home away from classified vegetation to reduce your exposure (source: Bertknot/Flickr)
More information
Refer to the Regulatory requirements at your address to see how much space to leave between your home and Classified vegetation.
Consider how siting closer to or further away from Classified vegetation will affect your defendable space (see Siting defendable spaces).