Braziers are self-contained outdoor fires that use wood as fuel for warmth. They are portable and can be moved around to suit your needs.
There are rules for using braziers during a restricted fire season.
- Your fire area must be less than 0.5 square metres.
- Don’t light your fire within three metres of any part of a building, hedge, shelter belt or any other combustible material.
- In case your fire gets out of control, you must have a suitable way to extinguish it within five metres of your brazier such as a garden hose.
Follow the rules below to ensure your brazier doesn’t pose a risk to people and properties.
Before you light your fire
Check the fire season to find out the current fire season for the area where you plan your bonfire. Braziers are banned in a prohibited fire season.
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Other agency requirements - Check council websites for air quality rules, restrictions including air shed zones and smoke nuisance guidelines. Braziers are not permitted on Public Conservation Lands.
Safety zone - Put your brazier on a stable, level, non-flammable surface such as a metal tray, gravel, concrete or dirt. Keep your brazier more than three metres from buildings and anything else that could catch alight and burn, e.g. plants, grasses, or branches.
Smoke - Place your brazier so that smoke won’t impact others.
Extinguish - Keep a garden hose turned on or buckets of water within five metres of your brazier. You need to be ready to put out your fire and extinguish any hot embers that escape.
Don’t light your brazier if you have any doubts that it is safe.
When your fire is lit
Fuel - Only burn clean, dry untreated wood or charcoal. Never burn rubbish, plastic, rubber or treated wood. These produce toxic fumes which are harmful to your health and the environment.
Fire control - Your fire should be less than 0.5m2 or 80 cm diameter. Load small amounts of wood at a time and don’t move the brazier when it’s in use.
Supervise - Ensure someone stays with the brazier until it’s put out. Have a ‘no go zone’ to keep children and pets safe.
Weather - If a change to the wind direction or speed makes your brazier unsafe — put it out.
Be responsible - You need to be able to take charge if there’s an emergency, and should not be impaired.
After your fire
Extinguish - Leave the fire to burn out. Cover the opening with a mesh screen so sparks, embers, or burnt wood don’t escape and start a fire. When cool carefully place ashes and embers into a metal container and saturate with water.
Stir them and check they are cold before you properly dispose of them. Extinguished coals and ashes should be placed a safe distance from all structures and combustible materials.
Store - If you store your brazier inside, let it cool down completely before storing.
Dial 111 immediately in an emergency. Anything that could cause loss of life, serious injury or loss of property is a fire emergency.