Clearing for bushfire management
Other laws and permits for bushfire management
QFES fire permits
Before lighting outdoor fires (such as fuel reduction burns), you must obtain a permit to light fire from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES).
The permit will stipulate the conditions under which the fire can be lit, including:
- the width and height of the fire
- the ground conditions
- requirements for firebreaks and/or fire management lines that you must have in place to prevent the unintended spread of fire.
Contact your local fire warden for more information.
Local laws
Before you undertake any clearing, it's important to contact your local council for information on whether local laws apply to your property.
A local law may apply to the removal of any trees in some local government areas. For example, a vegetation protection order or tree protection area may be in place.
Certain local governments have local laws on clearing native vegetation and tree protection, including:
- Brisbane City Council
- Gold Coast City Council
- Ipswich City Council
- Redland City Council
Other laws and requirements
Prior to clearing, you should also check whether other laws apply. Some common requirements, and the agencies responsible, are listed below.
Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
- Indigenous cultural heritage (e.g. scar tree)
- Legal covenants
- Voluntary declarations (e.g. a landholder has voluntarily or agreed to protect native vegetation on their land)
- Enforcement orders or restoration orders relating to prior unlawful clearing
Nature Conservation Act 1992
- Vegetation that needs to be cleared for a fire break (necessary clearing) may be habitat for endangered or vulnerable species listed under the Nature Conservation Act 1992
- Take care to minimise the impact on these species.
- Actions such as translocation/relocation and the use of spotter catchers can reduce impacts on wildlife living in native vegetation subject to necessary clearing.
Find out more
- Find out more about vegetation clearing laws.
- Contact your local rural fire service.
In this guide:
- Exempt clearing work for bushfire management
- Using a clearing code for fire management
- Development approvals for bushfire management clearing
- Bushfire management plans and other considerations
- Other laws and permits for bushfire management
- Clearing during bushfire emergencies
- Cleaning-up after a bushfire
- Roadside vegetation management