Appendix D - Bushfire Hazard Assessment and Management Plan

2.0     BUSHFIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT
2.1     STATE ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY
2.1.1   General
The State Planning Policy requires a site-specific bushfire hazard assessment to be undertaken when a
development site is located within a mapped Bushfire Hazard Area. Chapter 2, Part 1, Section 8, Item 4(a)
of the Planning Act 2016 states that where there is an inconsistency between a State Planning Policy and
a local government planning instrument, a State Planning policy applies instead of a local planning
instrument. The SPP mapping is therefore used as the trigger for assessment against Council’s Bushfire
Overlay. Furthermore, the site-specific hazard mapping required by the Planning Scheme is to be prepared
consistent with the methodology adopted to prepare the SPP mapping.

The methodology used to prepare the SPP mapping is described in the following publications:
   Natural Hazards, Risk and Resilience –– Bushfire State Planning Policy – state interest guidance
     material (The Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, 2019)
   Bushfire Resilient Communities. Technical Reference Guide for the State Planning Policy State
     Interest ‘Natural Hazards, Risk and Resilience - Bushfire’ (Queensland Fire and Emergency Services,
     2019)

The preparation of a Local Hazard Area Map has been undertaken for the site in accordance with the
methodology described in the above referenced documents. The input parameters used to determine the
bushfire hazard acting on the site are detailed in the sections below.

2.1.2   Vegetation Hazard Classes
Fuel loads need to be determined when preparing a bushfire hazard assessment. The Queensland Fire
and Emergency Services (QFES) refers to the process for identifying, classifying and mapping vegetation
hazard classes as a Vegetation Hazard Class Assessment. In accordance with the methodology outlined in
Section 6 of the Bushfire Resilient Communities (QFES, 2019), the following Vegetation Hazard Classes
(VHC) were identified within the assessment area (which includes a 150m buffer surrounding the site):
     VHC 22.1 – Melaleuca open forests on seasonally inundated lowland coastal swamps – which is
       attributed a combined surface/near-surface fuel of 23.4t/ha and a total potential fuel load of
       28.4t/ha
     VHC 39.2 – Low to moderate tree cover in built up areas – which is attributed a combined
       surface/near-surface fuel of 5t/ha and a total potential fuel load of 8t/ha

2.1.3 Maximum Landscape Slope
The slope of the land is a major determinant of fire behaviour. Fire burns faster as it travels up a slope,
via the preheating of unburnt fuels ahead of the fire, increasing the rate of spread and fireline intensity.
Conversely, fires move more slowly as they travel downslope. Fireline intensity (kW/m) is a function of
the rate of spread. As a general rule, the rate of fire spread (and fireline intensity) doubles up a 10-degree
slope and quadruples up a 20-degree slope (QFES, 2019).



DECEMBER 2021                 BUSHFIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT & MANAGEMENT PLAN                             Page: 9
                                       21 JIRRIMA CRESCENT, COOROIBAH