Burning of growing vegetation on uncultivated land between 1 March and 31 August each year is prohibited by law.
In the proposed Heritage Bill 2016, the periods for hedgecutting and burning of hill vegetation were to be extended by one month on a trial basis to make land management more practical. As of yet, this has not been changed.
For farmers in hill areas who need to control vegetation to comply with schemes but cannot do this by other means, controlled burning is an option.
Controlled burning cannot be done at a whim and it takes careful planning and consideration.
With cool, mostly dry weather forecast, this represents a good opportunity for farmers to get burning done.
The Department has plenty of good information on its website for safe burning of vegetation.
By following the check list below, you will increase your chances of staying safe during burning: