What is the difference between the BMO and Bushfire Prone Areas?
Bushfire Prone Areas are areas where the bushfire hazard has been identified and mapped under the building system. These areas are subject to or likely to be subject to bushfires. This triggers building permit requirements where new buildings are required to build to a national bushfire construction standard. This is known as a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL).
The Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) is a planning control that applies to bushfire prone areas with very high and extreme bushfire hazards. This triggers planning permit requirements including mandatory bushfire protection measures such as defendable space, water supply, access and ongoing vegetation management requirements. Areas where a BMO applies are also by default Bushfire Prone Areas.
What about the construction standards?
If you're building in a BMO, construction standards also apply as part of the building permit application process.
Page last updated: 07/08/20