Bushfire Prone Land

Bushfire prone land is land that can support a bushfire or is likely to be subject to a bushfire attack. The City of Ryde Bush Fire Prone Land Map identifies areas that may be at risk in the event of a bushfire. It was updated in February 2018 in accordance with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, following certification by the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Bushfire Prone Land Map

To check if your property is in a bush fire prone area please visit the NSW Rural Fire Service website to access their bushfire prone land mapping tool.

Alternatively you can download the City of Ryde Bushfire Prone Land Map(PDF, 2MB).

Building in a Bushfire Prone Area

All Development Applications (DAs) on bushfire prone land must be accompanied by a Bushfire Assessment Report. The assessment report determines the suitability of a proposal with regards to bushfire through consideration of the requirements contained within the Planning for Bushfire Protection document prepared by the Rural Fire Service. 

There are two primary methods for the preparation of a Bushfire Assessment Report:

1. Prepare the report yourself using the Rural Fire Service's application kit. This is only suitable for development involving single dwelling application that meets all of the acceptable solutions of the Rural Fire Service's Planning for Bush Fire Protection document. It should be noted that applicants who decide to prepare a report themselves take on the responsibility of providing accurate information to Council and the NSW Rural Fire Service. Submissions of inaccurate information may result in requests for additional information and a delay in the DA process.
2. Engage an appropriately qualified bushfire consultant. The Fire Protection Association of Australia provides contact details for consultants with formal accreditation.

Integrated Development

In addition to the above, certain types of development on bushfire prone land are identified as integrated development and must be referred to the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service for consideration. 

These types of development are identified within Clause 100B of the Rural Fires Act 1997 and include:

• Subdivision of bushfire prone land that can be used for residential or rural residential purposes, and
• the use of bushfire prone land for the following purposes:
  • a school
  • a child care centre
  • a hospital (including a hospital for the mentally ill or mentally disordered)
  • a hotel, motel or other tourist accommodation
  • a building wholly or principally used as a home or other establishment for mentally incapacitated persons
  • seniors housing within the meaning of  Part 5 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021
  • a group home within the meaning of  Part 2 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021
  • a retirement village
  • any other purpose prescribed by the Rural Fires Regulation 2008. 

All DAs for integrated development must include three additional copies of all documentation and incur an additional fee of $250 which must be made out to the NSW Rural Fire Service. 

Bushfire Assessment Reports Requirements 

The following matters should be considered when submitting a Bushfire Assessment Report to Council:

• A description of the property (including the address) subject to the development application
• The type of proposed development (e.g. residential, commercial or integrated)
• A classification of the vegetation on and surrounding the property (out to a distance of 140 metres from the boundary of the property)
• An assessment of the slope on and surrounding the property (out to a distance of 140 metres from the boundary of the property)
• Identification of any significant environmental features on the property which may affect a bushfire
• Details of any threatened species, population or endangered ecological community occurring on the property
• The details and location of any Aboriginal relic occurring on the property
• A bushfire assessment of the proposed development (including the methodology used in the assessment) that addresses the following matters:
  • an assessment of the extent to which the proposed development conforms with or deviated from the specification set out in Planning For Bushfire Protection 2006. The extent to which the development is to provide for setbacks including the asset protection zones.
  • the siting and adequacy of water supplies for fire fighting
  • the adequacy of arrangements for access and egress from the development site for the purpose of an emergency response
  • any proposed bushfire maintenance plans and fire emergency procedures for the development site
  • the category of bushfire attack (e.g. low, medium, high, extreme or flame zone) as determined by Table A3.2 of Planning For Bushfire Protection and the level of construction to be used in accordance with Australian Standards 3959 -1999 in relation to the building elements in the development.
  • the capacity of public roads in the vicinity to handle increased volumes of traffic in the event of a bush fire emergency (Integrated Development only)
  • whether or not public roads in the vicinity that link with the fire trail network have two way access (Integrated Development only)
  • the adequacy of sprinkler systems and other fire protection measures to be incorporated into the development (Integrated Development only)
  • has payment been included with this referral? (Integrated Development only).

Find out more

For further information or enquiries:

• Phone the Business and Development Advisory Service on 9952 8222
• Visit the NSW Rural Fire Service website
• Visit the Office of Environment and Heritage website.