Appendix C - Bushfire Hazard Assessment and Management Plan

5.4     FIRE BREAKING TRAILS
Approximately 60-70m of cleared open space is located between the cottage and the surrounding
vegetation which is to be maintained as a dedicated APZ consisting of cleared grassed area. The 60m wide
APZ surrounding the cottage is located on low grades with gentle slopes and offers suitable operating
conditions for emergency services with excellent exposure to the forest edge. Therefore, no formal
firebreaks are considered necessary around the cottage. The development will rely on the other bushfire
risk management measures detailed within this management plan to reduce the bushfire risk to an
acceptable level.

5.5     WATER SUPPLY
The proposed development will not be connected to a reticulated water supply. It is noted that a large
(approximately 3 acre) permanent dam is located 160m to the south-east of the cottage. Acceptable
Outcome 3.2 of the Noosa Plan Bushfire Hazard Overlay Code, states that where there is no available
reticulated water supply, the premises has an accessible dam, swimming pool or water tank available for
firefighting purposes with an onsite water volume of not less than 5,000 litres. It is considered that the
water supply provisions stipulated in AO3.2 of Council’s bushfire code are a suitable water supply.

5.6     VEHICULAR ACCESS
The development area is currently accessed from two existing formed vehicle tracks which traverse
through extensive areas of hazardous vegetation. Note that a Bushfire Evacuation Plan has been provided
in Section 6 below. However, as an additional safety measure and to ensure safe access and egress and
operational space for rural fire-fighting vehicles, where possible, the existing driveways should be
maintained as per criteria set out in Assessment Benchmark 4 of the SPP Bushfire which nominates:
    1. A trafficable area (cleared and formed):
        a) with a minimum width of 4 metres that can accommodate a rural firefighting vehicle
        b) with no less than 4.8 metres vertical clearance from canopy vegetation
        c) with no adjacent inhibiting embankments or retaining walls
    2. A working area each side of the trafficable area:
        a) with a minimum width of 3 metres each side
        b) cleared of all flammable vegetation greater than 0.1 metre in height

In this instance, the above access maintenance specifications are provided as a general guide only. It is
noted that the existing access tracks are currently provided with sufficient cleared area to provide easy
unencumbered access for trucks. When maintaining the access tracks, the applicant must ensure that
access is easily achievable for emergency services whilst maintaining the ecological value of the adjoining
vegetation as far as possible.

Assessment Benchmark 4 of the SPP Bushfire states that to facilitate safe evacuation during a bushfire
event, a development footprint plan should be located within 60 metres of the street frontage and sited
to enable a route between the development footprint plan and the street frontage with a gradient that
does not exceed of 12.5 percent.

The cottage is located on low to moderate grades and has sufficient space to provide adequate turning
space for fire-fighting appliances. Furthermore, as per the recommendation presented above, the access


JULY 2022                    BUSHFIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT & MANAGEMENT PLAN                          Page: 21
                                         296 KIDD ROAD, POMONA