Harvest Bans
Harvest and Vehicle Movement Bans are put in place when your local Bushfire Control Officer identifies the use of engines, vehicles, plant or machinery as high bushfire risk activities, during particular times of the day. Seasonal conditions and prevailing weather may necessitate a "Harvest Ban" being imposed.
A ban may be called for the following reasons:
- Unfavourable fire weather conditions
- Depletion of firefighting resources due to existing firefighting commitments
- Public Holidays (Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Australia Day)
During a Harvest Vehicle Movement and Hot Works Ban the Shire permits:
- Vehicle movement on a road or driveway that provides the most direct safe access to or a parking facility at, any residential, farming or business premises, if the area has been sufficiently cleared of inflammable material to prevent the escape of fire.
- Vehicle movement for the purpose of prevention or attendance of an immediate and serious risk to the health or safety of a person or livestock where all reasonable precautions have been taken to prevent the use or operation from causing a bush fire – this includes, but not limited to, the presence of sufficient firefighting resources and use of diesel powered vehicles only.
- Vehicle movement involved in direct firefighting operations.
- Vehicle movement and works by Western Power or approved contractor undertaking essential service restoration where all reasonable precautions have been taken to prevent the use or operation from causing a bush fire – this includes, but not limited to, the presence of sufficient firefighting resources and use of diesel powered vehicles only.
You can be notified of any Harvest Ban information through the Shire's Harvest Ban Notification SMS or alternatively please call the Harvest Ban Hotline Message on (08) 9645 0017.
In addition, please listen to regular radio broadcasts on regional radio stations to receive the latest information.
Council advises that should a landholder have concerns with the prevailing weather conditions, they are recommended to cease harvesting operation and vacate the crop paddock, whether there is a Harvest Ban in place or not.
A Total Fire Ban is declared by the Minister for Emergency Services on advice from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
When a Total Fire Ban is declared it prohibits the lighting of any fires in the open air and any other activities that may start a fire.
The ban includes all open fires for the purpose of cooking or camping. It also includes incinerators, welding, grinding, soldering or gas cutting. Exemptions are allowed for domestic purposes with conditions applied.
Total Fire Ban information will be broadcast on ABC radio, is available from the DFES information line: 1300 657 209 or the website www.dfes.wa.gov.au.
Note that Harvesting is an Exempt Industry and therefore can be conducted on a total Fire Ban Day. Harvest Bans are administered by the Council staff in consultation with the Fire Weather Monitors, the Chief Bush Fire Control Officer and Deputy Chief Bush Fire Control Officers and is subject to local weather Conditions and Forecasts.
Harvest Ban SMS Service
Landholders and Lessees are able to subscribe to a free of charge SMS service providing latest Harvest Ban and Fire Emergency information.