What you told us

Fire safety was not raised as a specific, standalone high-volume theme in the stage 1 community engagement, however general feedback emphasised the importance of neighbourhood amenity, health, safety, and the need for rules that are clear and enforceable.

Some comments referred to unpleasant smoke or smells and concerns about fire risk in public activity areas.

The proposed amendments respond to these broader concerns and clarify when open-air burning is unacceptable, being explicit about materials that must not be burned, and providing Authorised Officers the authority to direct the extinguishing of a fire while preserving appropriate exemptions for Indigenous community smoking events, cooking and safe heating.

Clauses that relate to ‘Fire safety’ include (pages 15 - 16 in the draft Community Local Law 2026):

22. Incinerators, fires and open air burning

23. Direction to extinguish fires

Key themes for proposed amendments

• Providing clarity on Council expectations for residents, including fires that are offensive, may impact health or visibility on roads.

• Clearly identifying (listing) items not to be burned.

• Exemptions for:

• Indigenous people to undertake community smoking events. 

• Cooking food in a barbeque, pizza oven or other properly constructed appliance for the purpose of cooking.

• A brazier, fire pit or chimenea while it is being used for heating. 

New provision proposed for laws about fire safety in Bayside include:

• A new clause that provides Authorised Officers to direct a person to extinguish a fire immediately.