Environmental approvals (air pollution)
In cases where burning is not for the purpose of hazard reduction under an issued Hazard Reduction Certificate (HRC), other environmental approvals may be required as summarised in the table below.
A fire permit is still required all year round for any fire lit in Fire and Rescue NSW Fire Districts. Ask your local Fire and Rescue NSW Fire Station for further advice.
In the Sydney Basin, open burning for any purpose is not allowed without appropriate written authorisation, whilst in other areas, only fires lit for a certain purpose are permitted and only with appropriate written authorisation.
Residents should review what open burning controls apply under the Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2022 (PDF) [external link] in their local government area or contact their local council directly for further advice.
Fires lit for a certain purpose may require appropriate written authorisation, dependent upon what Local Government Area you are in and where the fire is located. Understand open burning in your LGA from the EPA Website here. [external link] Tip: On the EPA website, use the map to check what restrictions apply and what environmental approval may be required.
| Burning activity | Type of environmental approval required | Who issues the approval |
|---|---|---|
| Pile burn for purposes other than hazard reduction. | Authorised burning under approval | Local Council/NSW EPA |
| Bonfire | Not required | Not required |
| Burning of windrows | Authorised burning under approval | Local Council/NSW EPA* |
| Agricultural burning of material such as stubble, sugar cane, orchard pruning or diseased crops | Not required | |
| Burning in an incinerator | Authorised burning under approval | Local Council/NSW EPA* |
| Burning domestic waste | Authorised burning under approval (not permitted in some areas) | Local Council/NSW EPA* |
| Burning to demolish a building or other building materials | Authorised burning under approval (not permitted in some areas) | Local Council/NSW EPA* |
| Burning to destroy sawmill waste material | Authorised burning under approval | Local Council/NSW EPA* |
| Lighting fires to produce charcoal | Authorised burning under approval | Local Council/NSW EPA* |
| Burning animals that have died or have died due to disease | Not required | |
| Camp fire for cooking or heating | Not required | |
| Burning of tyres (except for the purpose of giving firefighting instruction) | Prohibited | |
| Burning of coated wire | Prohibited | |
| Burning of paint containers and residues | Prohibited | |
| Burning of solvent containers and residues | Prohibited | |
| Burning of treated timber | Prohibited | |
| Burning to clear native vegetation | Approval under the Native Conservation Act | Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources/Local Council |
*These approvals are only required in areas listed in the schedules in the Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2022 (PDF) [external link]
Note: The Rural Fires Act Section 89 [external link] state a fire permit must not be issued unless:
- a bushfire hazard reduction certificate has been issued, or
- any approval, consent or authority required for the purpose under the Environmental Planning Assessment Act 1979 [external link] or any other law has been given.
NSW Rural Fire Service
For the latest information on current bushfire warnings and bushfire safety resources visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au [external link]