Firebreak Infringements

Published on Wednesday, 29 November 2023 at 3:16:47 PM

All owners and/or occupiers of land within the Shire of York are required to carry out fire prevention work in accordance with the Fire Break Notice by 25 October.

Fire break compliance is actively monitored by the Shire through public reports and patrols.  A number of non-compliant properties have been recorded this year and we are now following the enforcement process to bring these properties into compliance.

The Shire of York follows local law relating to fire prevention and the Bushfire Act 1954. In the first instance, we are required to notify the property owner and give them 14 days to fix the situation.  We then reassess the property and if it is found that the If the property owner doesn’t act, then the Shire issues an Infringement Notice with a fine of $250 and a further 14 days to act.   Following a further re assessment of the property and if the property owner has still not rectified the situation, the Shire can then enter the property and undertake the work.  This usually requires us to hire in local contractors and the cost of this work is then charged back to the property owner. Delays in undertaking this work are regularly caused by total fire bans being in place. 

The team responsible for fire prevention recognises the importance of this work and how seriously it concerns our community.  We have issued 80 warnings so far this year and 28 Infringement Notices and all properties and property owners are being communicated with as we follow the process.

If you wish to report a concern, please use the Report It button on the Shire website www.york.wa.gov.au .  Please be assured that reports are always acted on through our enforcement process.

Chris Linnell

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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