Att3 - Bushfire Report

Bushfire Hazard Assessment & Management Plan v1                                              NCES REF: J001061
Lot 7 on RP216403, Lot 394 on M371117, and Lot 650 on M37380 – 48-59 Kabi Road, Cootharaba



5.4 Fire Breaks
The provision of fire breaks and fire trails within a site located in a bushfire prone area offers
an important bushfire defence measure to assist in reducing the risk and severity of bushfire
ingress onto and through a site. In this instance, the location of the proposed buildings at
significant distance from the confirmed hazardous vegetation, and dominance of low hazard
vegetation about the buildings (i.e., golf course area, sports fields, and permaculture fields),
negates the requirement for a formal firebreak to be adopted between the buildings and the
identified hazardous vegetation.
It is noted that given the existing use of the site (golf course) and gentle grades across the site
(1-5 degrees) it is expected that emergency access to the hazardous vegetation by standard
QLD RFS 4wd MRV vehicles is readily available across the site.

5.5 Vehicular Access
Development in bushfire prone areas should be serviced by safe access/exit points for both
occupants and emergency services personnel.
The development is to be served by a combination of the existing site access in the
southwestern site extent alongside an access extension which traverses through the central
and eastern site extents. The site access is to comprise a sealed bitumen road with looping
turn arounds at each terminus (approx. 6m wide). The total length of the proposed road is
approximately 900m and will achieve a grade of <12.5%.
The majority of the access road is located within a low threat area comprised of manicured
lawn either side hence the risk of access/egress becoming constrained during a bushfire event
is deemed low.
However, the south-western portion of the existing access route from the site’s entry to the
carpark and maintenance sheds is located through a wooded area over a cleared understorey
and adjacent to VHC 8.1 vegetation. Therefore, to reduce the risk of access/egress becoming
constrained during a bushfire event it is recommended the proposed existing access route be
set within a 10m wide fully cleared corridor comprised of the driveway bordered by 3m fully
cleared conditions either side. The existing managed understorey conditions adjacent to the
existing driveway access should be maintained in perpetuity, and/or at least to 10m width
either side, to further reduce the risk of access/egress becoming constrained during a bushfire
event (refer Section 5.7).
All new roads are to be designed and constructed to satisfy:
    •    The Fire Hydrant and Vehicle Access Guidelines for residential, commercial and
         industrial lots, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, 2015, unless otherwise
         specified by the relevant water entity.
Overall, the risk of access/egress becoming constrained within the site during a bushfire event
is deemed low provided the recommendations above are implemented.

5.6 Landscaping and Regrowth
Existing and future landscaping within the site should avoid increasing the potential for
bushfire hazard. Assessment benchmark 5 of the SPP Bushfire 2019 seeks that the site layout
places the landscape and open spaces within the site between premises and adjacent mapped
medium, high or very high potential bushfire intensity areas. This landscaping and open space
comprises protective landscape treatments that:
1. Comprise only low threat vegetation (for example grassland managed in a minimal fuel
condition, maintained lawns, golf courses and cultivated gardens); or
2. Are designed to ensure a potential available fuel load is maintained at less than 8
tonnes/hectare in aggregate and with a fuel structure that remains discontinuous.
To reduce the potential for bushfire impact to buildings, structures and occupants as a result
of future regrowth and landscaping works within the site, it is recommended:




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