A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessment is a means of measuring the severity of a buildings potential exposure to ember attack, radiant heat and direct flame contact in a bushfire event, and thereby determining the construction measures required for the dwelling.
You only have to have a BAL assessment done if your property falls within the current designated bush fire prone areas, as on the Map of Bushfire Prone Areas. See if your property falls within the designated bush fire prone areas here
The BAL assessment takes into account several factors including the Fire Danger Index, the slope of the land, types of vegetation and how close it is to the proposed building.
Once a BAL is calculated, building construction requirements can be calculated from the relevant sections of the Australian standard to ensure the correct resistance to bushfires. These requirements take into account the BAL rating for attack from burning embers, radiant heat and flame contact.
The Bushfire Attack Levels are broken down into 6 categories:
BAL Low
There is insufficient risk to warrant specific construction requirements
BAL 12.5
BAL 19
BAL 29
BAL 40
BAL Flame Zone
Each one of these can add costs to your building costs, so it is important to get a qualified person to prepare a report that recognises the most cost effective method of assessment. To ensure you are getting the best result, Bushfire Smart BAL assessments are carried out by FPAA accredited consultants.
Have you got a question about BAL assessments? Look at our
Frequently Asked Questions
to find out more, or feel free to contact us at 08 9583 4333 and