Burning-off law is under review

THE Shire of Yarra Ranges has approved an interim Open Air Burning Law while shire officers undertake a review of burning off over the next 12 months.
Under the Local Government Act, a local law only has the lifespan of 10 years and must be revoked by the council and a new one made. In 2004, a team of shire staff formed to consider the options for replacing the law.
Since then, a draft of the proposed new law was referred to fire brigades, the Country Fire Authority, the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Parks Victoria, the Environment Protection Authority, police and Melbourne Water for comment.
The existing law and the draft of the interim one has divided the shire into three areas – residential bushland which covers the Dandenong Ranges and other townships throughout the shire, urban areas including Lilydale and Mooroolbark, and rural areas which involves the rest of the shire.
Following the advertisement of the draft law, the council received 63 submissions which were predominately from Chirnside Park residents.
Residents with two-hectare properties said they should not be included in the urban zone as they wish to burn material for fuel-reduction purposes.
The interim law states that open-air burning or the use of an incinerator in the urban area is prohibited without a permit.
Residents living in urban and residential bushland areas can only use an incinerator or burn-off 14 days after the end of the fire-danger period in May until 30 September each year, from Thursday to Monday, 10am and 6pm.
Urban residents will not be able to burn off after September and are prohibited from open-air burning until next May.