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A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment measures the severity of bushfire exposure a building is likely to face, and assigns your site one of six ratings under AS 3959 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas. The rating drives the construction requirements for your build — from window glazing and screening through to decking, cladding, roofing and subfloor detailing.
In Victoria, a BAL assessment is required where land is in a Designated Bushfire Prone Area (BPA) or covered by a Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO). Your building surveyor cannot issue a permit without one. We attend the site, classify the surrounding vegetation, measure distances and slope, and issue a rating your surveyor can rely on.
How the rating is determined: the assessment applies the method set out in AS 3959 for your site, based on the classification of the surrounding vegetation, the distance from that vegetation to the building, and the effective slope of the land beneath it — as those conditions exist at the date of assessment. If the conditions change — vegetation is cleared or planted, or the building footprint moves — the rating can change and the site may need to be reassessed. The classification is based on the site conditions and the applicable assessment method at the inspection date.
Please note: A BAL assessment classifies the site based on the conditions present and the applicable assessment method at the date of inspection. It does not guarantee planning or building approval.
Our assessment is carried out on site under AS 3959 Method 1 by a suitably qualified and competent practitioner, with the vegetation classifications, distances and slope measurements documented so the rating can be reviewed.
The prices shown are minimum advertised prices and include GST. Your final fixed quote will be confirmed before booking and may vary depending on the property size, location, condition, complexity, access and required scope.
A BAL assessment is required in Victoria whenever you are building or extending on land in a Designated Bushfire Prone Area (BPA), or on land covered by a Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) in the planning scheme. Both are mapped, and either one triggers the requirement.
In a BPA, the assessment determines which construction requirements of AS 3959 apply to your build. In a BMO, a planning permit is also required, and a minimum of BAL-12.5 generally applies regardless of the calculated rating. Assessments are commonly needed for new homes, extensions, replacement dwellings after fire, dependent person’s units and some outbuildings. If you are not sure whether your land is affected, send us the address and we will check the mapping for you.
Once your build is underway you will also need mandatory stage inspections, and if you are building the work yourself, a 137B owner builder report before you sell within six and a half years.
A BAL is a measure of the bushfire exposure a building is likely to face, expressed as one of six ratings under AS 3959. It accounts for ember attack, radiant heat and direct flame contact, and determines the construction requirements for your build.
If the land is in a Designated Bushfire Prone Area or covered by a Bushfire Management Overlay, an assessment is required. Both are mapped in the Victorian planning scheme. Send us the address and we will check it for you.
BAL assessments are undertaken by suitably qualified and competent practitioners in accordance with the applicable requirements. Assessments are carried out under AS 3959 Method 1 and your report is issued in a form your building surveyor can accept.
Sometimes. The rating depends on vegetation classification, distance and slope, so changes to where a building sits or how vegetation is managed on the site can lower it. We will tell you plainly where that option exists, and where it does not.
BAL-12.5 is the lowest rating with specific construction requirements and mainly addresses ember attack. BAL-FZ is the flame zone — direct exposure to flames — and carries the most demanding and most expensive construction requirements.
The site visit usually takes under an hour for a standard residential block. The report is normally delivered the next business day.
Send us the property details and the inspection you require. Our team will review the information and confirm the appropriate service and fixed price before booking.
