bushfire zone requirements

[daniel cunningh]

Hey all,

Just about to start a new house build. The DA is approved but seems to have unreasonable requirements in terms of meeting standards for being in a bushfire zone.

Obviously all the gutter guards, metal fly screens ect are standard and understandable but we have also been told we need to widen the driveway by 900 (so an RFS tanker can get access) and have a 5000 litre water tank with diesel pump on site as well as a pillar fire hydrant (to provide water from the water mains).

The house is in an urban area which in the event of a bushfire threatening the property it would actually be the metro fire service responding (not the RFS). Their is a fire hydrant already close by in the street and a metro truck would actually park in the street and run a length of hose down the driveway to defend the property.

Thus all these RFS requirements seem like overkill. My question is has anyone had experience with fighting/ammending such requirements?

I spoke to the local metro fire station and they agreed that it was way over the top.

Cheers
Dan

 

[keithj]

Have you ever been close to a bushfire that is threatening your property ?

The reason for needing a static water supply (tank) is that often the mains water supply is at very low pressure (or non-existent) because there are many firetrucks all using it at the same time to defend other properties.

If you want to try to get amendment, then the 'greenie' route can sometimes work. There is always conflict between preserving the bush & RFS requirements.

 

[daniel cunningh]

Hey Keith

Yes i've been near many bushfires impacting on property as i'm a fireman. The mains pressure is good, their are 250mm mains on Warringah road running downhill to the hydrant opposite the property. I particularly don't understand the widening of the driveway. The pump would be positioned in the street and would not be stationed down the driveway which would put it in an unecessarily dangerous position in the event of a fast evacuation being needed.

I'll see what happens anyway. Worth a try!