The state government has released the revised State Planning Policy 3.7 - Bushfire and the associated Planning for Bushfire Guidelines, which will become operational on November 18.

The policy has been developed following extensive consultation with industry and community stakeholders for planning in bushfire-prone areas, providing streamlined approvals within the metropolitan area and Bunbury, and a more practical and flexible approach to development proposals with complex site and environmental characteristics.

It will also assess the landscape beyond a development site outside the metropolitan area to help identify locations with an unacceptable level of bushfire risk, and an appropriate approach to consider different tourism land uses.

Planning Minister John Carey said the new bushfire policy and guidelines deliver on the state government's commitment to ensure Western Australia is well-equipped to manage bushfire prone areas for now and into the future.

“In the past four years, we've considered extensive feedback from industry and the community to overcome previous inconsistencies around bushfire risk and make major improvements so that application of the policy is more in line with the level of bushfire risk.

“This process has removed significant areas previously designated as bushfire prone within the new Area 1, resulting in over 4500 properties no longer being subject to the requirements of the policy.

“We now have a flexible, pragmatic and comprehensive policy that prioritises bushfire requirements early in the planning process and establishes a much more measured and practical response to development within bushfire prone areas.”

Acting Emergency Services Minister Don Punch said climate change is an ongoing risk to the frequency and severity of bushfires.

“It is critical we have the right tools and technology to map bushfire risk as accurately as possible.

“This revised policy and guidelines join the map of bushfire prone areas to expand the effectiveness of the bushfire framework for the state.

“The ongoing refinement of the map greatly boosts decision making around managing bushfire risk across WA - including in built-up urban areas.

“It means we can be more practical and consistent in the way we apply bushfire building standards to help keep our communities safe.”

The new policy concludes the third and final stage of the 2019 Action Plan for Bushfire Framework Review and resolves implementation issues within the previous policy framework to establish a more measured response about where and how the policy applies.

More information on planning and building requirements in bushfire prone areas is available here and on the building and energy website.

The gazetted map of bushfire prone areas is available on the DFES website.