Fire Bans

There are several ways you can find out if a Total Fire Ban has been declared:

• Visit the Emergency WA website
• Listen to ABC Local Radio
• Call the DFES Total Fire Ban hotline on 1800 709 355
• Read the alerts on this website.

A Total Fire Ban will also be posted on the Shire's Facebook page.

Some of the activities that are illegal to do during a Total Fire Ban, include:

•    Lighting a fire in the open air
•    Using any appliance that consumes solid fuel eg. fire pits, webers, pizza ovens, rotisseries, smokers or incinerators
•    Welding, grinding, soldering, charring, gas cutting and cutting of metal in the open air
•    Using an internal combustion engine powered equipment in or near bush.
•    Using motor bikes, quad bikes or other motorised vehicles in bush or paddocks, unless it is for the feeding or watering of             stock.

A full list of restricted activities during a Total Fire Ban is available on the DFES website.

Total Fire Ban exemptions are required for any activity not prescribed in the Bush Fires Regulations 1954  which could cause or is likely to cause a fire. These activities include fireworks, programmed hot fire training, rail grinding, and religious and cultural ceremonies.

To find out more, visit the Department of Fire and Emergency Services website.

There are several ways you can find out if a HVMB has been declared:

• Read the alerts on this website
• Listen to ABC Local Radio
• Through the Shire’s SMS notification system.*

*Important note: This SMS text is only a notification service. It is your responsibility to determine if a ban has been imposed and to establish whether any planned activity is permitted when a ban is in place.

Subscribe to the Shire’s SMS notification service

To subscribe to the Shire’s SMS notification system, email your contact details to esd@harvey.wa.gov.au. 

The following activities are not permitted during a HVMB:

• Harvesting operations
• Any “hot works” (eg. welding, grinding, cutting, heating etc) in the open air
• Use or operation of any engine, vehicle, plant, equipment or machinery in the area likely to cause a bushfire or contribute to the spread of a bushfire (eg. motorbikes, quad bikes or other motorised vehicles in bush or off-road areas including paddocks).

The following activities are permitted during a HVMB:

• Movement of vehicles on “gazetted roads” – as described in Bush Fires regulation 24A(1) and Road Traffic Act 1974 section 5.1.
• Movement of vehicles on a lane, driveway, yard or other area that provides access to, or a parking facility at, any residential, farming or business premises, if the area has been sufficiently cleared of inflammable material to prevent the escape of fire.
• Use or operation of a vehicle if it is for the prevention of an immediate and serious risk to the health or safety of a person or livestock, and only if all reasonable precautions have been taken to prevent the activity from creating a bushfire danger.
• Use or operations of vehicles and undertaking of “hot works” by those persons holding a current Exemption under Bush Fires Act 1954 s. 22C (exemption from Total Fire Bans).