What are BAL Assessments?

A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment is a way of measuring the severity of a buildings’ potential exposure to radiant heat, ember attack and direct flame contact. They form the basis for determining the construction requirements to improve the protection of building elements from bushfire attack.

Based on the Bushfire Attach Level (BAL), the Australian Standard AS 3959-2009 (written for residential buildings to help improve the ability of buildings to withstand attack from bushfires) sets out construction requirements. At a BAL rating of LOW, there are no construction requirements as it is deemed that there is insufficient risk to warrant special requirements. The ratings then increase from BAL 12.5, 19, 29, 40 and FZ (fire zone) with stricter building requirements the greater the rating. This also then corresponds to greater costs in construction.

BALs are a point in time assessment used at the development application and building permit stage of development to determine whether additional bushfire risk management measures need to be taken in order to respond to a potential bushfire hazard.

A BAL rating is determined based on various factors including vegetation type, distance from the site to the vegetation and the slope of land under the vegetation. Any vegetation greater than 100m from the building is not included in the determination of the BAL rating.