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If you're building in a bushfire-prone area, you'll need a Bushfire Attack Level rating before your application goes anywhere. Get on the list and we'll be in touch as soon as we're accredited.
The basics
A Bushfire Attack Level assessment measures how much bushfire exposure a building site is likely to face. It looks at the vegetation around the site, how far away it is, the slope it sits on, and the fire danger index for the area.
The result is a rating, and that rating determines the construction standard your build has to meet under Australian Standard AS 3959. It's usually one of the first things a shire or building surveyor will ask for.
It matters more than most people expect, because the rating drives real cost. The difference between a low rating and a high one can be tens of thousands of dollars in construction requirements, so getting it assessed properly rather than conservatively is worth actual money.
The ratings
Each level carries different construction requirements. Higher rating, stricter build.
Insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements.
Risk of ember attack. Basic construction requirements apply.
Increasing ember attack and burning debris, with some heat exposure.
Heightened ember attack and burning debris, with increasing heat exposure.
Increased heat exposure, ember attack, and the likelihood of flame contact.
Flame Zone. Direct exposure to flames. The most demanding construction requirements.
If your property is in a designated bushfire-prone area, a BAL is usually required before approval.
A BAL is required as part of the building permit application in bushfire-prone areas. Best done early, because the rating shapes design decisions and budget before you're committed to either.
Significant additions to an existing building generally trigger the same requirement. Worth checking before you finalise plans rather than after.
Habitable outbuildings, granny flats and some larger structures can also require an assessment, depending on the shire and the use.
Creating new lots in a bushfire-prone area usually needs bushfire assessment as part of the planning process, often alongside a management plan.
Replacing a building on an existing site typically requires a current assessment, even where a previous one was done years ago.
Your shire or building surveyor will tell you whether your site is in a designated bushfire-prone area. If you've been asked for a BAL, you need one.
Why Firezone
Most BAL assessors do assessments and nothing else. They arrive, measure the vegetation, produce a rating, and leave.
We do the assessment and the work. That matters because vegetation classification and distance are what set your rating, and in some cases managed vegetation can change where you land on the scale. An assessor who also does clearing can tell you whether that's a realistic option on your block or a waste of time.
Brad also started his flying career as a fire spotter, which means he's spent time looking at how fire actually moves across country rather than only reading about it in a standard.
BAL assessments for statutory purposes must be carried out by an accredited practitioner. Brad's accreditation course is booked and we'll be taking assessments from November 2026.
We're not taking BAL bookings before then, and we won't tell you otherwise. If you need one urgently, we'd rather point you to someone accredited now than string you along.
From November 2026, once accreditation is complete. The course is booked. If you register your interest now we'll contact you as soon as we're taking bookings, and you'll be near the front of the queue.
Tell us and we'll point you toward an accredited assessor who can help now. We'd rather you got it done than waited on us.
The site visit itself is usually an hour or two depending on the size and complexity of the property. The written report follows after that.
Sometimes. The rating is driven by vegetation type, distance and slope, so in some cases managed vegetation or a change to where the building sits can shift the outcome. It depends entirely on the site, and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth pursuing on yours.
There's no fixed expiry, but it reflects site conditions at the time of assessment. Vegetation grows and neighbouring properties change, so surveyors and shires generally want a current one. If yours is a few years old, expect to need it redone.
No. A BAL is a rating for a specific building site that determines construction standards. A Bushfire Management Plan is a broader document, usually required for planning approvals and subdivisions, covering how bushfire risk will be managed across the site. We'll be offering management plans from 2027.
Tell us about your project and we'll be in touch the moment we're taking BAL bookings.
Register Your Interest