Bushfire Hazard Assessment and Management Plan

                                                           Bushfire Hazard Assessment and Management Plan




6     Conclusion
This report has been prepared to provide a site-specific bushfire hazard assessment and management
plan for a proposed new dwelling at 178 Davis Road, Cootharaba. The results of the assessment show
that vegetation associated with the eucalypt forest (VHC 9.1) to the east, south and south-west of site
has a potential bushfire hazard class of ‘very high’. All other vegetation within 150 m of the development
site is not classified as bushfire-prone and therefore, calculation of radiant heat flux/bushfire attack level
(BAL) is not applicable.

PO7 of the Noosa Plan 2020 specifies that building envelopes on lots greater than 2500m2 are to be
separated from hazardous vegetation such that they achieve a maximum radiant heat flux of 29 kW/m2
(BAL-29). To achieve this outcome, the proposed building will need to be sited at least 39.9m from
retained vegetation within the south and south-west and 36.7m from the retained vegetation to the east.
A bushfire Asset Protection Zone (APZ) with these dimensions has been proposed on the property to
achieve this outcome. Regular fuel maintenance within the APZ will be required by the occupants of the
dwelling to ensure ongoing protection of the dwelling. The bushfire APZ will have a total footprint of
5823m2, consisting of an Inner Protection Area (IPA) of 1905m2 (full vegetation clearing) and an Outer
Protection Area (OPA) of 3918m2 (understorey clearing only, retention of canopy vegetation). Most of
the understorey vegetation within the APZ is already cleared and managed/slashed on a regular basis,
so the impact on ecological values from the APZ construction and maintenance will be minimal.

Direct access to the dwelling site is provided via a driveway along the eastern and northern boundary
of the site to Davis Road. This driveway is approximately 400m long and is currently unsealed, but will
be sealed with bitumen in the future. The driveway follows a ridgeline through the property and passes
through areas of intact, unmanaged forest. The existing driveway passes through a managed access
corridor of around 20m wide, where understorey fuel is managed via regular slashing but canopy trees
are retained. This driveway will provide for the egress of dwelling occupants in the event of an
approaching bushfire. The driveway surface is capable of supporting Rural Fire Service 4WD vehicles,
but the longitudinal gradient of the driveway exceeds 12.5% at two locations, which could cause issues
for emergency services vehicle access uphill to the dwelling.

In the event of a bushfire emergency where a bushfire were to cut off resident egress to the south via
the internal access driveway , residents can still egress the dwelling /property to the north via the
cleared paddock north of the dwelling and then through the neighbouring property at 112 Davis Rd.
This adjoining property is mostly non -bushfire prone vegetation (Macadamia orchards , grassed
paddocks , landscaped gardens ) and would allow for safe access out to Davis Rd to the north, away
from a bushfire that might be advancing from the south. Access through this adjoining property could
be achieved on foot or by vehicle, due to the existing driveway which accesses the existing dwelling
on that property, which is proximal to the boundary with the subject property at 178 Davis Rd.

The bushfire assessment has been undertaken in accordance with a contemporary methodology i.e.
 the methodology outlined in the QFES Bushfire Resilient Communities Technical Reference Guide
(QFES, 2019) and utilises QFES-published inputs (FFDI and fuel loads) for hazardous vegetation
classified in accordance with the QFES vegetation hazard classification system. The proposed
development complies with State Planning Policy 2017 Natural Hazards, Risk and Resilience
Assessment Benchmarks and the Noosa Plan 2020 Bushfire Hazard Overlay Code.




                                                     PR22116_BHAMP_178 Davis Rd, Cootharaba          Page 38