Burning off

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Some Knox residents can burn off in the open air with a valid Permit to Burn. You are only able to burn off at certain times of the year.

Penalties apply to Knox residents burning off without a valid permit.

Knox City Council determines who can burn off on a case-by-case basis.

Fire Danger Period declared

The Fire Danger Period for the 2024/25 period has been declared to commence on 23 December 2024.
Permits to Burn will not be issued by Knox City Council during this time.

Permit to Burn

A Permit to Burn helps you burn off in a way that is safe and responsible. It reduces fire hazard and prepares your property before the Fire Danger Period.

If you own, rent, or live in a property in the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) you may be eligible for a Permit to Burn. The BMO is a planning control applied to land at risk from bushfires.

Outside of the BMO, there is a permit fee of $76 (non-refundable if the permit is refused).

Even with a Permit to Burn, you cannot burn off:

on Total Fire Ban days
during the Fire Danger Period
in June or July.

We aim to acknowledge permit to burn applications and provide you with information on next steps within 3 business days.

Any applications for Permit to Burn received in the months of June and July 2024 will not be approved or processed. Any applications received will be placed on hold for processing from 1 August 2024.

Apply for a Permit to Burn

Before you apply

Permits will expire on the declaration of the Fire Danger Period.

Be aware that:

You cannot burn off during the Fire Danger Period.
You must register any burning off before it occurs. Register with Fire Permits Victoria.
We provide further conditions on approval of your permit. You must follow these.
You must read and be aware of all permit conditions.

Prepare for burning off

Council’s Municipal Fire Prevention Officers may inspect your property to make sure the burn off will be safe.

You will need to have:

your burn piles in a cleared location
everything ready for inspection
an ample water supply.

Burn offs without a valid permit may receive a fine. An infringement notice for burning off without a permit is $500.

When you can burn off

There is a ban on all open-air fires during Total Fire Ban days.

Burning off is not permitted during the Fire Danger Period.

We suspend permits for the duration of any Total Fire Ban days and during the Fire Danger Period.

You must also:

have a valid Permit to Burn
follow the permit conditions
notify your neighbours at least two hours beforehand
have a 3-metre clear area around the fire
attend the fire at all times
have means to put out the fire
make sure the fire is completely out before leaving.

Burning off alternatives

Make sure you have disposed of what you can through other channels before considering burning off. This reduces fire fuel.

You could:

use your green bin
use your hard and bundled green waste collection
compost or mulch dead leaves, small branches and sticks
take items to the Knox Transfer and Recycling Station.

Using fire for cooking or warmth

You do not need a Permit to Burn to use a barbeque to cook food for human consumption. You can also use a brazier, chiminea or small receptacle built for containing fire for the purposes of heating.

You must ensure that there is no nuisance caused by the emission of:

smoke
soot
ash
odours.

Incinerators

An owner or occupier of land must not construct, erect, install, use or permit to be used an incinerator on any land.

Need help?

Or call our Local Laws team on 9298 8000.