As the fire season approaches, an effective BAL assessment can assist in preparation and is more important than ever for homeowners close to vegetation or bushland.
What is BAL and why it is important
A BAL assessment before a bushfire preparation plan helps you understand your Bushfire Attack Level. Assessment steps look at:
- distance from key vegetation,
- types of surrounding bushland,
- and any risk features near your property
The outputs from the assessment should provide you with an area, called an APZ or Asset Protection Zone, this area should be of upmost importance during the preparation and with a BAL Assessment you can get a defined APZ that works.
Houses are given a BAL (from LOW to FZ) and bushfire preparation requirements can grow as the critical as risk increases.
As the bushfire season approaches, understanding a BAL assessment and taking action on bushfire preparation are crucial in protecting your home and family. If you live near bushland or outside the urban fringe, now is the best time to review your BAL assessment and make essential bushfire preparation steps around your property.
What is BAL Assessment?
BAL assessment, or Bushfire Attack Level assessment, carefully measures how at risk your property is to ember fuels, radiant heat, and direct flames during a bushfire. The process includes a few critical steps:
- Assessing the distance to vegetation: How far your home sits from significant trees or bushland.
- Examining vegetation type: Some types burn faster, more intense or create more embers than others.
So, say your property receives a BAL—anywhere from BAL-LOW (minimal threat) to BAL-FZ (Flame Zone, the highest threat level). Your level helps determine building requirements however even if construction is not being done a BAL can provide you instant advice on where and what bushfire preparation actions you must take.
Practical Steps for BAL Bushfire Preparation
Vegetation Management
For better bushfire preparation, prune climbers, irrigate and mow the grass, under prune trees to 2m, remove all the dry ground fuels from around habitable buildings. Clear safe paths help lower your overall risk. Remember that doing all this early will provide a more comprehensive and stress free experience.
More advice on this here (preparing-your-home-for-bushfire-resilience)
or (creating-a-bushfire-resistant-garden)
Meeting Firebreak Regulations
Obey local advice for a bushfire preparation plan. Store firewood away, maintain your firebreaks, defendable spaces and update your knowledge about your area’s Firebreak Notice.
Protect Open Spaces & Boundaries
Bushfire preparation should include removing leaves from gutters and protecting water tanks from grass or scrub build-up around the habitable structures. The area between your dwelling and a boundary of native vegetation is very important and a clear and fuel free separation from the treat can make a difference.
Ember Control
For stronger bushfire preparation, avoid storing combustibles near doors or open/uncovered windows. You can retrofit your dwelling to resist ember attacks as well if your really keen (retrofit-for-bushfire-resilience)
Why get a BAL for Bushfire Preparation Early?
Review your assessment and take BAL bushfire preparation steps provided today. This will safeguard your home, give you piece of mind and allow you to leave in the event of a bushfire without hesitation.
Why get a new BAL?
Review your assessment and take BAL bushfire preparation steps today. This will safeguard your home and align with the risk that is specific to your property.
For more home safety tips, see https://www.wafiresafety.com.au/blog/the-ultimate-bushfire-preparation-checklist-for-perth-homes/
Here is the DFES Bushfire Preparation Page https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/hazard-information/bushfire/prepare