Open burning

Recreational and cooking fires include small cooking fires or camp fires, hangis, wood fired BBQs and pizza ovens. They are NOT bonfires. No notification is required BUT they are prohibited on days of a Total Fire Ban. 

You can have a fire for recreational or cooking purposes provided that:

• If the fire is on public land, it is in a permanently constructed fireplace
• If the fire is on private land, it is contained in a properly constructed BBQ, fireplace, pit, drum or brazier
• It is surrounded by ground that is cleared of all combustible materials for a distance of two (2) metres all around
• It is not lit on a declared Total Fire Ban day and that you check the expected weather conditions
• It is completely extinguished before leaving
• Only dry seasoned wood, liquid petroleum gas, natural gas or proprietary barbeque fuel (including a small quantity of fire starter) is used. This does not include treated timber pallets.
• It is free of toxic materials, such as rubber tyres, plastics and paint

It is also advisable that you let your neighbours know prior to lighting.

Pile burns are the burning of piles of leaves and sticks that have accumulated on your property. 

Not every landowner/manager is eligible to burn vegetation in the open, in order to conduct an open pile burn you must: 

1. Meet eligibility requirements of Council's Open Burning Policy

Properties eligible to undertake open pile burning must meet the following specific criteria: 

• Minimum lot size of 4000m²; and
• It is within a permissible land zoning as per the table below.

You can check your land zone and property size using the NSW Planning Portal's Land Zoning Maps or Council's IntraMaps tool.

2. Meet the conditions of the fire permit issued by Fire and Rescue NSW or NSW Rural Fire Service

Urban areas: A Fire permit is required all year round from Fire and Rescue NSW. Contact the Station Commander at your closest Fire and Rescue NSW station.

All other land: The need for a permit varies, if you plan to burn during the Bush Fire Danger Period, you MUST obtain a Fire Permit to ensure that you can conduct the burn safely. Contact the Lower Hunter Fire Control for your closest permit Issuing Officer. 

Everyone: In addition to Fire Permit requirements, before burning, a minimum of 24 hours’ notice MUST be given to the NSW RFS or Fire and Rescue NSW. 

For NSW Rural Fire Service, contact the Lower Hunter District Office on 1800 890 533 or use the online burn notification tool. 

For Fire and Rescue NSW phone (02) 4015 4000. 

Resources: 

• Fire Permits
• Council’s Control of Open Burning Policy

Agricultural Burning is managed by NSW Rural Fire Service and they require notification all year round. 

Agricultural burning is for Primary Producers and farmers who make a profit or loss from agricultural land use. As part of agriculture operations, agricultural burning is the appropriate burning of stubble, orchard pruning’s, pasture improvement, diseased crops, and disposal of dead beasts, weeds or pest animal’s habitats.

Resources:

• Harvest Fires

Hazard Reduction Burning is protecting a property and assets from bush fires. Depending on your location, it is managed by the NSW Rural Fire Service or Fire and Rescue NSW.

A Hazard Reduction Certificate must be obtained before any clearing or burning. This is a requirement all year round. You can obtain a Hazard Reduction Certificate free of charge by contacting your local fire station.

• If your property is in an urban area, contact Fire and Rescue NSW on (02) 4015 4000.
• All other land owners should contact the NSW Rural Fire Service by calling (02) 4015 0000 during business hours.

The NSW Rural Fire Service can even assist land owners in their district to carry out hazard reduction burns on their land.

Hazard Reduction Certificates are not issued for existing piles of vegetation. Your Hazard Reduction Certificate will list the conditions that you will need to follow.