Bushfire Assessment Planning and Design

LFA can undertake a range of bushfire assessments including the following:

• Bushfire Planning and Design (BPAD) – Level 3 Accredited Practitioner

• Bushfire assessments (both deemed to satisfy and performance-based) for infill development (eg. single dwellings & other developments) as per s.4.14 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) 

• Bushfire assessments required for Subdivision or Special Fire Protection Purposes (SFPP) developments, which are undertaken under s.100B of the Rural Fires Act 1997 and require a Bush Fire Safety Authority (BFSA)

• BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) Risk Assessment Certificates

• Bushfire Compliance Certificates - Determining compliance with given bushfire conditions of consent

• Village Protection Plans

• Conformance Certificates for infill development - when infill development complies with the acceptable solutions conformance certificates can be provided stating that the development conforms to the relevant specifications and requirements

Paola Rickard is a BPAD - Level 3 Accredited Practitioner (no. BPAD21855) and is listed on the Fire Protection Association Australia (FPAA) web site register. BPAD practitioners are recognised by the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) as Suitably Qualified Consultant.

The Level 3 - Bushfire Planning Practitioner (Performance), which is the highest accreditation level, recognises practitioners who develop planning, development and building applications by developing performance-based solutions to the prescribed bushfire management measures (excluding construction provisions) in accordance with local regulatory requirements and in additions to the activities performed by the lower accreditation levels.

Paola Rickard has extensive experience in the compilation of bushfire assessments, which she has been undertaking since 2003. Paola is also a biodiversity accredited assessor. There need to be synergy and coordination between the consultants undertaking the various Assessments. LFA can provide such integration, particularly where close cooperation between the biodiversity accredited assessor and the BPAD accredited practitioner are required to avoid and minimise potential adverse impacts on the environment.