Prevention of

							Are there any special things to do when I do burn?                                                                                     Prevention of
                                                                                                                                       Outdoor Burning
When you have a fire going you must not leave the area while the fire is alight.


What will happen if I burn without a permit?
                                                                                                                                       by-law No. 9 of 2007
An authorised Council Officer may issue you with an on-the-spot
infringement notice and Council may recover costs for expenses sustained
or incurred as a consequence of that offence.




                                                                                                                                       Helping You and Your Environment
 New State Government
 backyard burning regulations
 The new Tasmanian regulation for backyard burning state that you are
 still able to burn if your block of land is 2,000 square metres or larger.
 Please note that the new Launceston Outdoor Burning By-law
 overrides this State regulation with regards to land in the
 Launceston municipal area.


 Penalty
 • On-the-spot fine - $200.00.
 • If the on-the-spot fine is not paid, a fine not exceeding $1000.00.


 Need More Information?
 A copy of the By-law, Exemption Policy and Application for Exemption
 are available on the Council’s website www.launceston.tas.gov.au
                   Environmental Management System. Rethink staff No.29397
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 assist you with more information.
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                                                                                    Town Hall St John Street
                                                                                Launceston Tasmania 7250
                                                                             T 03 6323 3000 F 03 6323 3001
                                                                                    www.launceston.tas.gov.au                                                     www.launceston.tas.gov.au
Helping you and your environment                                                     (c) camp fires and similar fires for cooking food, for heating liquids or
                                                                                         warming human beings; and
The Prevention of Outdoor Burning By-law No. 9 came into force on 18 July
2007. It applies to all properties in the Launceston municipal area and              (d) the burning of fires for quarantine purposes.
was made for the purpose of preventing outdoor burning and the use of
incinerators. The main purpose of this By-law is to reduce smoke pollution.       What can’t I burn?
To assist you in disposing of waste Council has a rubbish and recycling           Under no circumstances, are you to burn:
collection service operating weekly. Private waste removal services are
also available to help dispose of excessive garden waste. Mobile chippers            (a) painted, treated or contaminated wood;
can chip garden waste into mulch.                                                    (b) any rubber or plastic substance;
                                                                                     (c) any petroleum oil or material containing petroleum oil;
Exemption from By-law                                                                (d) any paints or receptacles which contain or which contained paints;
Clause 7(1) of Council’s Prevention of Outdoor Burning By-law Number 9 of
                                                                                     (e) any manufactured chemicals;
2007 allows that a person may apply in writing to the Manager Environmental
Services for an exemption to light a fire in an incinerator or a fire outdoors.      (f) any food waste;
Clause 7(2) allows the Manager Environmental Services to issue an
                                                                                     (g) wet or green plant or vegetable matter;
exemption with or without conditions, subject to any legal requirements.
                                                                                     (h) any aerosol can; and
Given air quality monitoring and the issues with wood smoke in the Tamar
Valley, any application for an exemption to burn off during the winter               (i) any commercial waste.
months between June to August will be refused.
A person seeking an exemption from the By-law outside these winter months         What if it is su mmer?
must apply in writing. The Application for Exemption form is available from
                                                                                  During the summer Fire Permit Period you must follow the
Council’s website or at the Customer Service Centre, Town Hall.
                                                                                  Tasmania Fire Service rules.
Exemptions will be determined based on the information received from the
applicant, a site inspection and weather forecasting information.


What can I burn?
The By-law prohibits all burning of outdoor fires except for:
   (a) burning of fires in the course of ordinary farming and forestry
       operations in heaps exceeding one cubic metre in volume;
   (b) the burning of fire breaks and vegetation under the provisions of
       the Local Government Act 1993 or the Fire Services Act 1979 or
       otherwise for the protection of life, property or to reduce potential
       fire hazards;