Burning Restrictions & Bans

Lighting fires on your property can be extremely dangerous. Prohibited dates are set according to seasonal conditions and are adjusted when required..

All zones are in an Unrestricted Burning Period. This means a fire can be lit without a permit within the Shire of Esperance.

Sign up here to receive regular Bushfire and Harvest Ban SMS updates.

Current Bans

To keep up to date with current bans please check the Shire Facebook Page. 

Burning Periods

The Shire of Esperance can alter burning periods with notice. If you are unsure please contact us to see if you are allowed to burn.

1 November 2019 until 22 February 2020.

No fires are to be lit in the open air during this time.

 

3 October 2019 to 31 October 2019 and 22 February 2020 to 15 March 2020.

A permit is required to burn during these times. Permit Issuing Contacts can be found here

 

15 March 2020 to 2 October 2020.

Fires can be lit without a permit.

It is still common courtesy to notify your neighbours that you are burning.

Harvest Bans

Harvest and Vehicle Movement Bans are put in place by the Shire of Esperance under the Bushfires Act 1954. A ban is put in place to restrict activities that are likely to cause or contribute to the spread of a bushfire.

Sometimes only certain zones may be put into a Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban. If you are not sure which zone you belong to you can click here to find out.

To find out if a Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban is in place:

• Contact the Shire during business hours on (08) 9071 0666
• Call the Harvest and Vehicle Ban hotline on (08) 9071 5367
• Listen to ABC radio
• Register for the Shires SMS notification system with the Harvest Ban SMS Notification Form

 

It is the responsibility of an individual to determine if a Harvest and Vehicle Movement Ban is in place before carrying out an activity.

Total Fire Bans

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) are responsible for the placing of a Total Fire Ban on any area. "During a Total Fire Ban you are not allowed to light, maintain or use a fire in the open air, or carry out any activity in the open air that causes, or is likely to cause, a fire."

Information about what a Total Fire Ban means and how it affects you can be found on the DFES website Bushfire Fact Sheet Total Fire Ban. Additional assistance is provided in the form of a Frequently Asked Questions page.

Please follow the links for information on:

• Not sure which Zone you are in? See the Zone Map
• Esperance Fire Weather Forecast Areas
• Contact your local Bush Fire Brigade (non emergency calls only)
• Permit Issuing Officers
• A Guide to Constructing and Maintaining Firebreaks
• 2019/20 Fire Hazard Reduction Notice
• Application for Variation to Firebreak
• Firebreak Contractors for firebreak installation and maintenance
• Sign up to receive regular Bushfire and Harvest Ban SMS updates
• Fire Season Information