It is the responsibility of the fire control authority to assign a fire hazard rating of “low” or “high” to areas of land under Part 8 Section 80 of the Electricity Safety Act 1998 (the Act). These ratings are used in conjunction with the Electricity Safety (Electric Line Clearance) Regulations 2026, the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019 and the Electricity Safety (Bushfire Mitigation) Regulations 2023, to prescribe high (hazardous) or low bushfire risk areas.
As defined by the Act, a hazardous bushfire risk area (HBRA) means an area to which a fire authority has assigned a fire hazard rating of “high”. A low bushfire risk area (LBRA) is deemed to mean an area a fire control authority has assigned a fire hazard rating of “low”.
This dataset defines areas of low fire hazard rating. Areas that are not covered by this layer are rated as having a high fire hazard rating for the purposes of the Act.
A LBRA is usually restricted to an urban area and/or rural township where block sizes are small and well maintained. However, other examples of an LBRA may include high moisture crops (i.e. market gardens); irrigated farmland (continual irrigation over the summer period); vineyards; golf courses and sporting ovals (permanently green).
A HBRA is any area that is not identified as a LBRA. These areas contain sufficient ground fuel to carry a fire.
Further detailed information about the Electric Line Vegetation Clearance Project, please visit the following site:
https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/fire-safety/farm-fire-safety/electric-fences-and-powerlines