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The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has asked Council to remind Whyalla residents about outdoor burning regulations.
Fire danger season starts from November 1, 2019, so any approvals in Whyalla to burn will only be considered by Council up until then (no approvals for backyard burn offs will be granted during the Fire Danger Season).
The application form can be found at http://www.whyalla.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/burning%20in%20whyalla%20council%20area%20application%20form.pdf with more information available at http://www.whyalla.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=819
Enquiries on burning can also be made by calling Council on 8640 3444 during office hours, by submitting a customer enquiry on our website http://www.whyalla.sa.gov.au/page.aspx or via the free My Local Services app which can be downloaded at https://www.lga.sa.gov.au/mylocalservices
Below is the information provided by the EPA.
Think before you burn this spring
The Environment Protection Authority is reminding anyone planning to burn as part of a spring clean-up to check with their Council first to see whether they need approval.
EPA Program Manager Steven Mudge said a free permit was required to burn outdoors in metropolitan Adelaide and in townships.
"A bonfire is not necessarily the best way of dealing with organic material like fallen branches and garden prunings, especially in the suburbs or inside town limits," Mr Mudge said.
The preferred option is to dispose of the material through the regular green bin system or the low-cost green disposal at the Mt Laura Recycling and Resource Centre. This has the added benefit of recycling the material for compost rather than just burning it.
"Your council will issue a permit if burning is considered necessary for fire prevention or to dispose of piles of agricultural or forestry waste, so this won’t affect anyone’s ability to prepare for bushfire season," Mr Mudge said.
"If you are planning to burn, ask your local council to see whether you are in an area that needs a permit. If you do need approval, they will be able to talk you through the process.
"The penalty for burning in the open without a permit is $300, so checking before you burn could save you a lot of money."
Mr Mudge said the regulations covering burning in the open were updated in 2016 to apply to all built-up areas across the state.
"Smoke can have serious effects on human health and pollute the environment," he said.
"It can affect anyone, but the risks are greater for the elderly, young children, and people who have cardiovascular or respiratory diseases.
"As well as being hazardous to health, smoke is more likely to create a nuisance in built-up areas, so it’s also a matter of being considerate to your neighbours."
Wood-burning barbecues and pizza ovens, and outdoor heating options that use charcoal, such as chimineas and braziers, do not require a permit and can be used on any day when there is not a fire ban in place.
Any material being burnt should be dry and well-seasoned, and must not be treated with white ant deterrents.
For more information on burning in the open, visit
https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/environmental_info/air_quality/assistance_and_advice/burning-in-the-open%20 or contact your local council.
If you are doing a broadacre burn or disposing of vegetation piles outside a township, no permit is required, but you must comply with the relevant CFS Code of Practice:
https://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/prepare_for_a_fire/cfs_codes_of_practice.jsp