Heat and fire

Burning off and fireworks

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Burning off cleans up excess green waste, branches and leaves and prepare your property for fire season.

You can burn off on properties of all sizes in Mitchell Shire on permitted days. You should always make sure your burn off doesn’t affect your neighbours or create a nuisance beyond your property boundary.

Burning Off — When it is Permitted

Burning in the open-air, for the purposes of fuel reduction, is permitted from the end of the declared CFA Fire Danger Period to 1 October each year.

Check My Property Type

The days you can burn off depends on the zoning of your property.

There are four different property types:

  • residential
  • semi-rural
  • urban growth area (on land less than 0.4 hectares, or approximately 1 acre)
  • rural

If you're not sure how your property is classified, go the township maps on pages 30-36 of our Local Law No. 1 Community and Environment below.

Fires in Residential Areas

If you live in a residential area, urban growth area that is less than 0.4 hectare (1 acre) or a semi-rural area, you can burn off on Wednesdays and Saturdays between 10am and 3pm. To burn off outside these times, you’ll need a permit.

If you are caught burning off outside these times you might get a fine of $200.

Burning off in Rural Areas

If you live in a rural area you can burn off on any day of the week.

Burning off when Open-Air Fires are Restricted

From 1 October to the start of the CFA Fire Danger Period each year you will need a permit from Council to burn a windrow, stump, log or vegetation with a diameter greater than 75mm. A windrow is any combustible or inflammable material, including garden or tree waste and household rubbish (unless listed as not allowed), that is stored in an area exceeding 2 cubic metres.

During the CFA Fire Danger Period

You can only burn off during this time if you have a permit from the Country Fire Authority (CFA). Council will not issue burning off permits during the fire danger period.

Apply for a Permit to Burn Off

To apply for permission to burn off:

We need to receive your application 10 days prior to your proposed day of burning.

Report Illegal Fireworks

If you are concerned about the legalities of fireworks being let off, please contact us on 03 5734 6200. One of our Local Laws Officers will manage the concern.

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Materials that Cannot be Burnt

  • green or wet materials
  • non-timber building materials
  • rubber or plastic, including plastic mulch, plant pots and packaging materials
  • furnishings and carpet
  • manufactured chemicals
  • petrol or oil products
  • paint
  • food waste
  • manure and straw
  • carcasses or dead animals or birds, unless prescribed by the Department of Primary Industries as the only means of disposal
  • other offensive, noxious or toxic matter

Infringements for Fire Offences

When burning off is prohibited, lighting a fire will result in a fine.

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