This page provides a list of planning and non-planning tools and products that support bushfire planning, mitigation and response.

They include guidance, mapping tools and work across agencies.

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Bushfire planning provisions

The Victoria Planning Provisions and all planning schemes include:

To find a Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) schedule in a local planning scheme refer to the relevant council on Planning Schemes Online or use VicPlan to identify and access a BMO schedule under Property Information.

Planning practice notes

Planning practice notes provide advice about applying and using the bushfire planning provisions:

This planning practice note provides guidance on local planning for bushfire protection, assists councils to tailor the local policy in response to bushfire matters where necessary, and provides guidance on how to prepare schedules to the Bushfire Management Overlay.

This planning practice note explains what should be considered as part of Ministerial Direction No. 11.  The purpose of Ministerial Direction No. 11 is to ensure a comprehensive strategic evaluation of a planning scheme amendment and the outcomes it produces.

Planning advisory notes

Planning advisory notes provide point-in-time information about new initiatives, and changes to specific Victoria Planning Provisions and planning scheme provisions, processes and subjects. Advisory notes are not updated.

Current

Past

Information on previous changes to the bushfire provisions. Planning Advisory Notes reflect a point in time. Content, names, contacts, links, planning scheme clause numbers and dates may be out of date.

Guidance
BMO fact sheets

Fact sheets are available on what the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) means for landowners, preparing simple planning applications in the BMO and the BMO mapping criteria.

BMO planning application templates

The templates can assist you to prepare a planning application. However, the templates are not a substitute for a comprehensive assessment.

They can be used for simple applications in the BMO. Subdivisions and complex applications will need additional details to be provided; for these seek advice from the local council or a bushfire consultant.

View templates

Mapping tools
NaturekitTool to map and report on Victoria's biodiversity values and investment prospects
Spatial Data MartAn online search and discovery tool that enables assessment of available Spatial Data resources
VicEmergency MapsInformation and maps about preparing for, responses to and recovery from emergencies such as fire and flood
VicPlanView, query and create your own planning property reports. It is also a gateway to a range of planning information.
Other

Regional Growth Plans

Provide broad direction for land use and development across eight regions

Other resources for fire management, mitigation and response

Bushfire Recovery Victoria
A new, permanent and dedicated Victorian Government agency working directly with local communities to listen, help and deliver what they need.

Emergency Management Victoria
Fire management brings together many agencies and organisations to discuss, plan and manage fire with the community.  These organisations are responsible for fire prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and cultural and environmental uses of fire.

Municipal Fire Management Plans (MFMPs)
MFMPs are a component of Fire Management Planning, which integrates planning at the local level.  There are 64 plans in Victoria.

Victorian Fire Risk Register - Bushfire (VFFR-B)
The VFFR informs and supports fire management planning and service delivery by identifying and describing the level of risk for various assets and places at risk of bushfire.

Community Information Guides - Bushfire
Community Information Guides are a key source of information for communities considered at risk of bushfire. They describe local bushfire risk mitigation and fire mitigation actions.

Neighbourhood Safer Places
A Neighbourhood Safer Place (or Bushfire Place of Last Resort) is for community members when all their other bushfire plans have failed.  Established by local government, they are locations that may provide some protection from the effects of bushfire. They do not guarantee safety.

More about other government activities undertaken to reduce bushfire impacts

Relevant guidance documents

  • Refer to CFA's website for a range of guidance material including, caravan park fire safety, landscaping, bushfire protection measures such as defendable space, standard permit conditions, water supply requirements.
  • Roadside Vegetation Management - Fire Exemption for Roadsides 2013 DEPI
  • Landscaping for Bushfire Prone Areas – Schools (DEECD)
Key agencies

Bushfire Recovery Victoria
A new, permanent and dedicated Victorian Government agency working directly with local communities to listen, help and deliver what they need.

Country Fire Authority
On 1 July 2020 the CFA was restructured with the new Fire Rescue Victoria. The CFA continues as a community-based volunteer organisation. The CFA provides resources on how to design and manage your property, how to plan and prepare for a bushfire event and how to prepare planning permit applications. This includes resources on subdivisions and more complex planning proposals.

Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning is Victoria's lead government agency for sustainable management of water resources, climate change, bushfires, public land, forests and ecosystems. It's emergency planning and recovery programs assist Victoria's rural landholders to prepare for natural disasters and support during and after an incident with pest and animal control, erosion protection and other issues.

Emergency Management Victoria
Emergency Management Victoria coordinates integration between the fire services, emergency management partners and the community.

Fire Rescue Victoria
FRV serves and protects communities across Melbourne and Victoria’s major regional centres and works with the Country Fire Authority (CFA), which is a community-based volunteer fire service. There are 85 FRV fire and rescue stations across the state, most of which are co-located with CFA volunteer brigades. FRV responds to fires, complex rescues, road crashes, emergency medical calls and hazardous chemical spills and can respond to emergencies across Australia and the world.

Insurance Council of Australia
The Insurance Council of Australia is the representative body of the general insurance industry in Australia. See their Bushfire preparation web page.

Metropolitan Fire Brigade
On 1 July 2020 the MFB was amalgamated with the new agency, Fire Rescue Victoria. It provides fire and rescue services, undertakes building inspections and fire investigation, and contributes to development of regulation, codes and standards, fire prevention and risk management and increasing community education and awareness.

Victorian Building Authority
The Victorian Building Authority is a statutory authority that oversees the building control system in Victoria. Refer to this website for information on construction requirements in bushfire areas.

Legislation, standards and reports

Planning and Environment Act 1987
The Planning and Environment Act sets out the framework for the planning system in Victoria. It sets out the objectives of planning in Victoria and key roles and processes in the planning system.

Building Act 1993
The Building Act sets out the framework for the regulation of construction, building standards and the maintenance of specific building safety features in Victoria.

Building Regulations 2018
The Building Regulations are subordinate legislation to the Building Act (they work alongside the Act and enable its implementation).

Australian Standard AS3959
The Australian Standard AS 3959 covers the bushfire safety requirements of building in a bushfire prone area, as well as providing the methodology for calculating your bushfire attack level.

2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission – Final Report
The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission investigated the causes and responses to the bushfires which swept through parts of Victoria in 2009. The Commission delivered its Final Report on 31 July 2010.

Page last updated: 07/11/22