If you’re planning a property development in a bushfire-prone area, you may need to obtain a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Certificate or Report. BAL Reports are crucial for ensuring your property development complies with necessary regulations. Bushfire and Environmental Management Consultancy offers expert assessments, planning, reports and BAL Certificates to clients throughout the Hunter Valley, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Port Stephens and surrounding regions. Here are the main reasons why you might need to obtain a BAL Certificate.
Your Property Is Within A Bushfire Zone
You may qualify for a BAL Certificate, also known as a BAL Report, if your property is within a bushfire zone and situated outside BAL -40 and areas of extreme danger, known as flame zones. We can roughly determine your need if your land lies between 50 and 100 metres from forested bushland. BAL Certificates involve a site inspection to assert that your development will not be built on land that is below BAL -40, or in a flame zone, and that particular measures to ensure bushfire protection, including water, electricity and gas, are met.
You're Building Or Renovating
When most property developers begin the building development process, they try to gain approval for their project with a Complying Development Certificate (CDC), as this enables straightforward development applications to be fast-tracked. If you live on bushfire-prone land and want to build something new or add to your existing dwelling, you’ll need a BAL Certificate before you can obtain a CDC and proceed with your development project.
The assessment needed to obtain a BAL Certificate helps you understand and address the safety of your property and development, as it identifies the current level of bushfire risk to your land and to the buildings and people on-site, indicating whether further development would be safe. It also takes into account the weather conditions of the site and the potential for bushfire activity in order to conclude the overall likelihood and consequences of a bushfire.
You Want To Be Bushfire-Safe
Knowing the bushfire risk to your land can help you take preventative measures to decrease the impact of a fire on your property, your home or your family. Arranging an assessment of your property can give you the tools and steps needed to be fire-compliant and ultimately prevent loss of property or life. Assessments also help you to be aware of useful safety measures, including fire planning, evacuation, emergency plans, or controlled burning plans.
How To Obtain A BAL Certificate
When you contact Bushfire and Environmental Management Consultancy to obtain a certificate, you may first need a site inspection to assess risk. One of our friendly bushfire consultants will attend your property to assess your BAL rating. They’ll take into account specific factors, including the natural topography of the land, the climate of your area, and areas of dense vegetation. We can also issue a report identifying the BAL zones on your property to help you make the most informed choice in proceeding with your development.
Why you should choose BEMC for your BAL Certificate
Bushfire and Environmental Management Consultancy is a team of fully insured and BPAD-accredited bushfire consultants and planners, and a Bronze Member of Fire Protection Association (FPA) Australia. We specialise in services for mum and dad developers, land developers, rural landowners and managers, local, state and federal agencies, and Aboriginal and community groups. Our proven track record of dependability and excellent customer service guarantees that you, your property and your future are in safe hands. Contact us today to find out more or to arrange a service.
