Wood smoke information
The City receives many calls from residents each winter about smoke from wood fired heaters and other products. Activities where wood or vegetation are burnt create smoke that contributes to the pollution of our air. Smoke may be a nuisance in urban areas when produced in excessive quantities by impacting on neighbours outdoor activities or resulting in drying clothes having to be rewashed. Negative health impacts may also be experienced.
Backyard burning
Please refer to the page below on Burning Permits and fire bans for more information relevant to burning waste on your property:
For further informatiopn please see the Department of Water and Environmental Regulations Backyard Burning brochure below:
Development sites
Burning on a development site over 2000m² is prohibited under the Environmental Protection Regulations 1987. This includes where multiple lots make up a total continuous area over 2000m². Development work means work taken to develop the land such as clearing of vegetation, re-contouring, earthworks or construction.
Vegetation clearing as part of an agricultural purpose is exempt from this requirement however other requirements of the Bush Fires Act 1954 would apply.
Domestic wood heaters
Wood heater owners have a responsibility to ensure their wood heater operates correctly and only burn dry, seasoned firewood. Even if you are healthy you can still be negatively affected by wood smoke causing you to feel lethargic and generally unwell.
You can reduce the amount of smoke pollution from your chimney by:
- Keeping woodpiles under cover.
- Never burning green, wet or treated firewood.
- Checking your chimney for smoke.
- Starting your fire with dry kindling and with the wood heater air control fully open.
- Keep the fire burning brightly.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulations (DWER) Home Heating brochure will help you with information on how to operate your wood heater correctly:
For more information on wood heaters and your health visit the Department of Water and Environmental Regulations webpage.
Nuisance smoke - What do I do if it is impacting me?
- Speak with the person producing the smoke directly. They may not realise they are causing a problem and can then take action to fix it.
- Print out some information on the particular smoke issue from the DWER website to give to them or put in their letterbox.
- If that person is not approachable or is not helpful, you are requested to complete a Wood Smoke Log Sheet. Once completed please return to the City:
City of Wanneroo
Locked Bag 1
Wanneroo WA 6946