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Bushfire Planning

Navigating Bushfire BAL Ratings for Dural New Builds

Building in Dural? Understand BAL ratings, RFS mapping, AS 3959, material choices and bushfire design risks before you start.

TL;DR Many Dural properties sit close to bushland, rural vegetation or tree-heavy acreage. That means bushfire planning may affect where the home can sit, how it is built and what materials can be used. BAL ratings are not chosen by the owner or builder. They are assessed based on vegetation type, slope, distance from vegetation and the relevant NSW bushfire planning rules. Older references may mention AS 3959-2009 , but current advice should always be checked against the edition and requirements accepted by the certifier, council and NSW RFS at the time of approval. Introduction Bushfire planning is one of the biggest design issues for new homes in Dural. A site may look generous, but if the best building location is close to unmanaged vegetation, a gully, a tree line or bushfire-prone la…