N.S.W., R.F.S -Planning for Bushfire Protection, N.S.W., Australia

azrael

http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_syste...1_0A17F845.pdf

This document is relevant in areas of N.S.W. mapped as fire-prone, and the regulations apply for ALL new development, including subdivisions.

These developments must be able to show they can comply with the defined management protocols for the creation and maintenance of an A.P.Z., plus be able to provide the required access for fire-fighting appliances.

Assessments are carried out by Bushfire Consultants, but in liasion with Consultant Arborist, as generally culling of trees is required. Some sites may also have significant environmental or ecological factors to consider.

This document has potential ramifications in areas where there are tracts of woodland, forest or other vegetation communities, as A.P.Z. requirements, in some cases, can be extraordinary.

Ths version applies only to development applications lodged after March 2007.
Prior to that the 2001 PBP applies. Check with the local council or the Bushfire Consultant.

azrael

Man that is a big document...
For Consulting Arborists. the probable area of greatest interest is Ch3 - 3.1 and look on the plan on Pge 10, for the relative expectation of A.P.Z. creation.

Sean Freeman

Azrael if memory serves me right there is a brief mention in one of the RFS docs of a suitable distances and species for planting trees as a filter against ember attack, do you know if this has been done in your experience or am I deluding myself, I'll search the laptop to see if i saved the relevant pdf.

__________________
Sean

Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.
- Kahlil Gibran

azrael

Sean
I am much more familiar with the 2001 version of this document. The 2001 document was a double barrel approach to Bushfire Protection.
The requirement was to the adopt the prescribed Construction Level PLUS undertake vegetation removal/culling.
I have found there is much area for negotiation with the Bushfire Consultant.. for example...I now have one trained to include the phrase ...."accept the presence of mesophliic types within an A.P.Z." Theoretically, mesophylls present low-fire risk, AND can slow the progress of fire.
Our local R.F.S has produced a leaflet of low-fire risk plants...which always cite if there is a case.


The 2006 document allows for more of an AND/OR approach..ie if construction levels are implemented then vegetation culling requirement is backed off. The diagram mentioned in my 2nd post does not show all trees ONLY the ones acceptable to keep...you counld imagine that in this example that ~90% of the trees have been removed.

As to your question..... and the ember capture...there is a particularly good book re: vegetation and property layout (The Complete Bushfire Safety Book, Joan Webster, 3rd Ed, 2000, Random House, ISBN 1 74051 034...but it is heavily copywrited).
If I am doing a Riparian Landscapre Plan and there is contiguity with an A.P.Z...I always suggest using swathes of Lomandra to capture bowling embers.
And then there are radiant heat barriers. An acceptable radiant heat barrier cannot be vegetation...it needs to be a colorbond fence or stone wall or the like.
Hope that helps.....

azrael

Oh... and I forgot... the 2001 version requires crowns to be clearly separated, and with 5m clearance of the residence.
The 2006 version only requires 3m clearance of the residence.