Hon Martin Aldridge questions the Minister for Emergency Services regarding DFES registering unlawful burns on EmergencyWA, potentially delaying fire reporting and response. The Minister denies that DFES registers unlawful burns.

AnsweredQoN 1596Legislative Council
Asked
28 November 2024
Portfolio
Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES —
BURNING PERMITS
1596. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Minister for Emergency
Services:
1 refer to question without notice
1547 in relation to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services registering
unlawful burns on EmergencyWA.
(1) Is it a statutory
requirement that local governments advise the DFES commissioner of declared
prohibited burning periods and any amendment to such periods?
(2) Are the fire danger ratings
readily available to DFES when considering a request to register a burn?
(3) Is the
minister aware of concerns that registering an unlawful burn with DFES and
having this placed on EmergencyWA may result in the delayed reporting of fires
by the public and a delayed response by DFES as the burn is registered?
(4) What action
will be taken to ensure that DFES is not registering unlawful burns and
advising the public of such by EmergencyWA, which may delay the timely response
to the outbreak of fire?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services
advises the following.
(1)–(2) Yes.
(3)–(4) No. DFES will not register an unlawful burn, and
it will not be placed on EmergencyWA. All calls regarding reporting
fires will be responded to without delay. DFES communications centre operators
follow agreed guidelines when members of the public call to register a burn.

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