Clearing before and after a natural disaster
This page explains the notification and approval requirements to clear vegetation to prepare, deal with and recover from natural disasters.
Preparing your property for a natural disaster
Firebreaks and fire management lines
Special provisions apply to clearing for fire management.
Other clearing under a code or development approval
You may be able to undertake other clearing to mitigate the impact of natural disasters using an accepted development vegetation clearing code.
These codes are self-assessable. You must notify us before starting to clear, and make sure you follow the requirements listed in the code. The codes in Table 1 have relevant provisions.
For any clearing beyond this scope, you’ll need to apply for a development approval.
Table 1: Clearing for natural disasters using a clearing code
Code | Vegetation types | Natural disaster provisions |
---|---|---|
Category B, C and R vegetation across Queensland | Flood preparation: removal of vegetation from a watercourse to mitigate flooding | |
Category B, C and R vegetation across Queensland | Clearing for firebreaks in non-coastal areas | |
Category C and R vegetation across Queensland | Clearing for fire management lines | |
Category C and R vegetation, across Queensland | Clearing for public safety risk |
Cleaning-up after a disaster
Clearing debris
You can remove fallen woody debris without a permit or notification from existing tracks, roads, fire management lines and firebreaks.
Clearing in disaster-declared areas
If the government has declared your district a disaster area, you don’t need to get our approval or to notify us if the clearing is necessary to prevent or minimise any of the following:
- loss of human life, or illness or injury
- property loss or damage
- damage to the environment.
This applies for 1 year following the disaster declaration. Table 2 shows current disaster declared areas in Queensland.
Disaster event | Local government area | Date declared | Exemption valid to |
---|---|---|---|
There are no current disaster declared areas in Queensland. | NA | NA | NA |
Find out more
- Find out more about bushfires and rural fire safety.
- Contact your local rural fire service.
- Find out about deferring your land rent or instalment if you’ve been impacted by a disaster.
- Find out about repairs to bores and other water infrastructure following a disaster.
- Read about assistance for disaster-impacted Queenslanders.
- Find out about low-interest loans for disaster recovery for rural businesses and primary producers.