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BAL Assessments | Bushfire Management Plans | Pre Purchase Site Assessments | Emergency Management and Evacuation Plans | Fire Infrastructure Planning and Construction | Emergency Warning Systems | Community Protection Plans | Bushfire Strategy Development | Community Consultation, Dispute Resolution and Expert Witness Services
BAL Assessments are provided for individual lots or multiple lots, along with Form 15 Compliance Certificates for Building Design or Specification.
Assessments are based on both Methods 1 and 2 permissable under AS3959-2018, and site specific modeling can sometimes demonstrate the viability of lower BAL construction levels, saving thousands in construction and increasing construction materials options.
Creative design options are explored in consultation with Clients to ensure that all objectives are optimised.
Material Change of Use (MCU) or Realignment of a Lot (RAL) in designated bushfire prone areas normally requires Bushfire Management Plans (BMPs) that are compliant with Local Government Planning Schemes and State Planning Policy.
Our BMPs take full account of Bushfire Attack Levels (BALs), Asset Protection Zones (design, species selection, radiant heat shielding/ember screening, construction and maintenance), Ecological Values and landowner entitlements, Access/Egress/Firetrails, Water Supplies and Utilities, Fire Fighting and Emergency Management Arrangements.
Clients’ objectives are thoroughly canvassed and optimised through the process of crafting their BMP. Consultation with other key stakeholders is included where required. In other words BMPs are not treated in isolation, but integrated with the existing adjacent community.
The emotional drive to aquire the position and view should be balanced with the the constraints, costs and risks, which tend to be lost in the sales process.
The consequence can often be that the buyer wears the full cost of all implications instead of sharing these costs with the seller through a final price that reflects the “unseen” factors. Real Estate Agents demonstrating a Duty of Care, aware of the fact that they are selling land in a designated bushfire prone area, are obliged to disclose known information about the site. That probably does not include the design and cost implications of the specific Bushfire Attack Level on the desired building sites. These costs can run into tens of thousands, especially for larger homes.
Often sellers are not aware of the additional cost imposts for buyers, and when they understand the facts, are prepared to accept a little less for a fair sale.
Anyone living or working in a bushfire prone area should have an Emergency Management Plan, but these become even more crucial for the more vulnerable assets including schools, aged and nursing homes, mental care facilities, heritage buildings, rural and other exposed industries and workplaces.
Councils may require these plans as part of the DA process, or facility management may recognise their Duty of Care to have good plans in place.
We conduct thorough risk assessment and tailor the emergency management planning to the situation, conferring as required with other stakeholders.
Where Emergency Warning, Fire Protection or Fire Fighting components are required, we can also assist.
Site specific design and construction of community Asset Protection Zones, firebreaks and firetrails.
Experience with a wide range of natural areas and bushland interfaces, topographical situations, public and private landownerships, fire fighting applications, infrastructure creation and maintenance methods helps us to add real value to planning and constructing your fire infrastructure needs.
Emergency Warning Systems to improve the preparedness of, and communication with communities at high risk from natural disaster, not only bushfire related. Integration of these systems with Emergency Services warning and response planning is critically important, and Bushfire Risk Reducers have been recognised in their capacity for delivering operational systems, for use by the key stakeholder groups in high risk communities.
Community “buy in” and integration with individual property plans is crucial for the system to function when needed. Each community and each property has its own challenges. How well does your EWS take this into account?
When was the last time your EWS was tested and practised?
Isolated Communities in other States often have Village Protection Plans in place, developed with the involvement of the local Bushfire Management Committee.
These are either less obvious or may not exist in Queensland. We have successfully facilitated stakeholder groups in designing and implementing the basis of such plans.
Plans have to be maintained and practised. The political will to maintain the momentum with Community Protection Plans is fundamental.
Councils and Corporates with statutory or corporate governance obligations require strategy development which is relevant to their area of jurisdiction or operations, dealing with bushfire in areas that may be affected.
Bushfire Risk Reducers efficiently assists in providing the initial risk analysis and pulling together strategic frameworks and tactical plans, together with the Client, with a constant eye on improvement, simplicity and practical adoption.
We can provide assistance with practical implementation of strategy, such as managing the construction of fire infrastructure, developing burn plans and coordinating prescribed burns.
There are several reasons and times to consult with a community regarding bushfire planning; when developing strategy, developing an understanding of inter property variation in bushfire risk, when obtaining understanding of the need for fire infrastructure or hazard reduction activity, when preparing for community wildfire practice drills and many other reasons.
The need for fire and its role in our bushland is a topic on which the community differs widely in opinion. Bushfire Risk Reducers has had several years of experience in dealing with the issues which arise, and works to achieve compromise and progress wherever possible.
As an impartial agent acting in the general interest of all parties, respecting the individual and looking for the win:win, we can often assist with conflict resolution between groups or neighbours.
