Fire Danger Period (Restrictions on Burning Off)

Fire Danger Period

Colac Otway Shire Council has received amended advice from the CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria that fire restrictions (Fire Danger Period and Prohibited Period, respectively) for all private land within Colac Otway Shire will begin from 1:00am Saturday 24 December 2022.

The Fire Danger Period is when the Country Fire Authority (CFA) restricts the use of fire in the community. This is to help prevent fires from starting.

People living in country Victoria are particularly affected. The CFA declares the Fire Danger Period for each municipality at different times in the lead up to the fire season. It depends on the amount of rain, grassland curing rate and other local conditions.

Find out what you can and can't do during the declared Fire Danger Period, and on days of Total Fire Ban, when fires in the open air are restricted, at the CFA’s website.

Permits to Burn during the Fire Danger Period

No fires are permitted in the open air during the declared Fire Danger Period (fire restriction period) without a Permit to Burn issued by the CFA. Applications for a permit and further information can be found at Fire Permits Victoria.

Permits are not valid if the property is located within a township area. To check if your property falls within a township area see our Township maps, or contact Council on 5232 9400.

Alternatively you can reduce your fuel load and dispose of waste by:

• Green waste can be taken to Council’s transfer stations at Alvie, Birregurra and Apollo Bay. Keeping green waste separate to other materials will significantly reduce disposal fees, further information is available on Council's Rubbish & Recycling page.
• Fine fuels, such as grass, leaves and bark, can be very useful for mulching the garden.

Colac Otway Shire Council will continue to accept applications, and issue permits to burn, for essential agricultural and primary production purposes only i.e. stubble burning for cropping preparations.

The application for agricultural purposes can be found here Schedule 13 Application – stubble burn.