General News
7 March, 2025
Stubble burns set to begin
Permits for stubble burns become available next week as the community are told to possibly expect smoke.
Community members might start seeing smoke from next week as permits for farmers’ stubble burns become available online.
Farmers can start applying for Schedule 13 permits on Tuesday next week to conduct stubble burning.
These permits are in anticipation of farmers wanting to start their cropping process as we come into autumn.
CFA’s District 2 Commander Hugh Kelly said the permits are primarily used for removing standing stalks left from the last harvest making way for machinery and the next crop.
“You might find in the Mallee where the country is a little bit more marginal, there’s no need for stubble burning. Down closer to Maryborough and north of Bendigo there’s a lot more of it because they’ve got different soil types … and not only does it grow good crops but it grows weeds,” he said.
Goldfields Group Community Safety Officer Tony Mortlock said if the public sees smoke, it could be a permit burn but if they think it’s out of control call Triple Zero (000).
“A column of smoke in the distance is not really an out of control fire but a fire you see going across a road that shouldn’t be doing it is an out of control fire. Common sense,” he said.
However, the permits do accommodate a network of officials that have to be notified in advance of the burn. Mr Kelly said going through the process outlined in the permit means Triple Zero (000) gets notified for example.
“If you drive past in your car and go ‘gee there’s a fire in the paddock I’ll ring Triple Zero (000)’ they say ‘oh is that at this address’ and say that’s a permit burn,” he said.
The permits outline various conditions that are required as a part of the burn which the farmer must comply with.
“These are all things that can cancel a permit,” Mr Kelly said.
For example if the shade temperature exceeds 32 degrees celsius or the average wind speed exceeds 15 kilometres per hour, the burn can not commence or must be extinguished.
As a result it’s recommended farmers permits go from one date to another.
Mr Mortlock assures the community that the conditions of the permit stride to keep the burns controlled.
“It’s more than just ticking a box,” he said.