Townsites

On or before 1st October  all town  lots within the townsites of  Morawa, Gutha, Koolanooka Merkanooka, Pintharuka and Canna are required to be treated as follows:

• Where the area of land is less than 3,000m², the property must be cleared, mowed or slashed to a MAXIMUM height of 7.5cm of all flammable material.
• Where the area of the land is 3,000m² or more, a firebreak must be   provided not less than 3m in width inside and along the whole of the external boundaries of the properties owned or occupied and all flammable material must be cleared 3m in distance from all buildings and/or haystacks situated on the land and maintained free of such  material until 15th March.

Rural Land

Firebreaks must be provided not less than 3m in width inside and along the whole of the external boundaries of the properties owned or       occupied; where this is not practicable the firebreaks must be provided as near as possible to, and within, such boundaries.

Farm Buildings and Unattended Electric Motors and Haystacks

Firebreaks at least 3m in width completely surrounding and not more than 20m from the perimeter of any building, group of buildings or  haystacks.  All flammable material must be removed from an area 3m in width immediately surrounding the building. All flammable material must be removed from an area 3m in width immediately surrounding an unattended electric motor site.

Fuel Storage Sites

On or before 1st October all grass and similar material is to be cleared from such places where fuel is stored/located and where drums, empty or full, are stored and such areas to be maintained and cleared of grass and similar flammable material until 15th March

Unattended Fuel Operated Motors

All flammable material must be removed from an area 3m in width immediately surrounding an unattended fuel operated motor whether the motor is intended to be used or not.

Barbeques and Incinerators

Gas and electric barbeques are permitted at all times. Solid fuel barbeques and incinerators are PROHIBITED on days of VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER or above.

Tree plantations of more than 3 hectares but less than 10 hectares

Construct a 10m wide mineral earth firebreak with a vertical clearance of 4m high, clear of all inflammable material im-mediately surrounding the plantation (adjacent areas of the same property subject to provisions as for rural land).

Plantations larger than 10 hectares

Comply with the Code of Practice for Timber Plantations in the Western Australia Guideline for Plantation Fire Protection.

A copy is available from the Shire of Morawa upon request.  

Fines and Infringements

PENALTIES

Failure to maintain a firebreak as per Firebreak Order                     $250

Offence relating to lighting a fire in the open air                               $250

Setting fire to bush during Prohibited Burning Period                     $250

Failure of occupier to extinguish  a bushfire                                        $250

Refusal to state name and abode or stating a false details            $100

Failure to produce Permit to Burn                                                           $100

The penalty for failing to comply with the Shire's Fire Break Notice is a fine of up to $400 and a person in default is also liable, whether prosecuted or not, to pay the cost of performing the work.