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BAL ASSESSMENTS

Local CFA Fire Stations do not undertake Bushfire Attack Level Assessments.
This is the responsibility of the Victorian Building Authority.
About Bushfire Prone Areas (BPAs)

To help protect buildings in the event of bushfire, special construction standards apply to bushfire prone areas throughout Australia. These were introduced after the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009, with the aim of reducing the devastation and damage caused by bushfire.

Building or renovating in a BPA

If your land is in a designated bushfire prone area, you must get a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment before you start designing and building your new home. This assessment will establish what construction methods and requirements you need to meet to help protect the building in the event of a bushfire – ranging from protection from embers to direct flames.

Building a new home

All new homes constructed in a BPA must be built to a minimum Bushfire Attack Level (BAL). This generally includes sealing roofs, and addressing doors and windows. Higher construction levels may be required depending on the property’s BAL assessment.

Renovating an existing home

While you are not required to renovate or retrofit your home in a bushfire prone area according to legislation, you should definitely consider bushfire risk. For more information on retrofitting your home for better bushfire protection go to the VBA website

For more information, click here.
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