Permits to burn

Burn pile

What you need to know

A permit to burn is required by the NTFRS year-round within their Emergency Response Areas (ERAs).

Permits are obtained by visiting your nearest fire station.

Contact your local fire station

Permits are available generally from December to May, weather and operational requirements permitting. Requests are only processed during business hours, Monday to Saturday. Burning is not permitted at any time in the municipal areas, such as Darwin and Palmerston etc.

All permits will cease at a date advertised to the public by the NTFRS with closure decisions routinely assessed encompassing all ERAs rather than individual locations (e.g. Humpty Doo).

As the dry season approaches, landholders in the Litchfield Municipality within the NTFRS Emergency Response Area will soon be unable to obtain permits to burn for garden green waste.

NTFRS will continue to monitor weather conditions until declaring the end of the permit period in preparation for the Top End fire season.

Not in a NTFRS ERA?

Then you will fall under Bushfires NT rules and regulations, please contact the Bushfires NT main office on (08) 8922 0844 for more information.

Applying

Permits to burn are currently available in the following areas:

Litchfield Council landholders

Permits to burn will be available to be issued to Litchfield Council landholders only within NTFRS Emergency Response Areas from today. Permits to burn will be valid from 9am Monday the 4th December 2023, no burning will be allowed prior to that date.

Contact your local Career Fire Station or NTFRS Volunteer Fire Brigade for issuing of permits to burn.

Strict conditions relate to permits to burn, which include;

Garden green waste only, no building or household waste allowed Burn piles to be no larger than 5m x 5m and have cleared 4 metre wide fire breaks on all sides The property must comply with the Fire and Emergency Regulations 1996, specifically Part 2, Section 3 (1) Firebreaks

 

Infringements will be issued for non-compliant burns and the NTFRS encourage all landholders to consider alternatives to burning wherever possible.

Please contact your local fire station for issuing of permits to burn.

  • The permitted burn must be monitored by a competent person over the age of 18 at all times until extinguished
  • Neighbours must be notified at least 48 hours before commencing a permit to burn and the Joint Emergency Services Communications Centre notified prior to ignition and at completion of burn
  • The landholder should have sufficient resources to extinguish the fire if required. 

 

Failure to obtain a permit or adhere to the terms and conditions of a permit may result in an infringement up to the value of $648.00 + $40.00 victims levy

 

Fire Station

Telephone Numbers

Berrimah Fire Station

08 8946 4142

Marrara Fire Station

08 8995 5222

Palmerston Fire Station

08 8932 1100

Humpty Doo Fire Station08 8988 0296

Volunteer Fire Brigades (after hours only)

Telephone Numbers

Howard Springs Volunteer Fire Station08 8983 2999
Humpty Doo Volunteer Fire Station08 8988 4333
Koolpinyah Volunteer Fire Station08 8988 5023
Virginia – Bees Creek Volunteer Fire Stations08 8988 2453 or 08 8988 9902
Katherine

From 14th December 2023, permits to burn will be available to members of the public who live within the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service (NTFRS) Katherine Emergency Response Area.

Requests for permits to burn will only be processed between 9:00am and 4:00pm, Monday to Friday. When requesting a permit to burn, identification address and property address must match, there will be no exceptions.

Fire Station

Telephone Numbers

Katherine Fire Station

08 8973 8014

Strict conditions relate to a permit to burn and infringements will be issued for non-compliant burns. 

Conditions include:

  • garden green waste only, no building or household waste allowed
  • burn piles to be no larger than 5m x 5m and have cleared 4 metre wide fire breaks on all sides
  • the property must comply with the Fire and Emergency Regulations 1996, specifically Part 2, Section 3 (1) Firebreaks
  • the permitted burn must be monitored by a competent person over the age of 18 at all times until extinguished
  • neighbours must be notified at least 48 hours before commencing a permit to burn and Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service (NTFRS) notified prior to ignition and at completion of burn
  • each site should have sufficient resources to extinguish the fire if required

The NTFRS encourage all landholders to consider alternatives to burning wherever possible.

Failure to obtain a permit or adhere to the terms and conditions of a permit may result in an infringement up to the value of $628.00 + $40.00 levy.

It is extremely important that if anyone witnesses unlawful burning, or suspects unlawful burning to be occurring, immediately ring the 24 hour Fire Assistance line and report it. You may be preventing a fire emergency.

Land owners are also encouraged to take advantage of the Street Sign Program, so that properties are easily identifiable in an emergency, not just a fire. Signs are produced at cost (approx. $20 each) and can be obtained directly from Norsign located at 7 Brooker St Winnellie.

Contact your local fire station or volunteer fire brigade

NOTE: Other fire districts (like Bushfires NT) within the Northern Territory set local policy, governed by the prevailing weather, topography and fuel state.