Yarra Ranges Council is urging residents to take measures to reduce smoke from their property this winter.
Wood heaters can create smoke pollution in the community, however there are positive steps that residents can take to reduce the amount smoke that these heaters can produce.
Some of these steps include:
Prioritising alternative heat sources
Ensuring your wood heater meets Australian standards and fitted by a licensed installer
Before each winter, making sure the flue and baffle plate are clean
Ensure the wood being used is dry and seasoned
When setting your fire, leave around 2cm of ash at the base
To start your fire, use plenty of paper and dry kindling instead of large pieces of wood
More tips on using wood heaters correctly can be found on Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria’s website.
There are also a number of community-led actions you can view by visiting the EPA’s Yarra Ranges smoke plan: community-led actions.
June and July is also the time of year in Yarra Ranges where some restrictions are in place for burning off, depending on how your property is classified.
If your property is classified as Bushland, you are unable to burn off at any time during June and July.
If your property is classified as Urban, you can still apply for a burning off permit, however we encourage you to dispose of your green waste by other means if you can.
If your property is classified as Rural, you do not need a permit to burn off, however once again, we strongly encourage you to dispose of your green waste by other means during June and July.
To find out what classification your property has, please visit https://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Environment/Burning-off.
Alternative methods to dispose of your green waste include:
Use the fortnightly green waste collection.
Use the bundled branch collection in November and December.
Utilise the yearly hard waste collection. The hard waste collection can contain some green waste, however there are some restrictions on what timber and wood can be collected.
Mulch smaller materials for garden beds or place small amounts in with compost to aerate the compost mixture.
Chip branches for gardens beds.
Take green waste and tree branches to one of Council’s Waste Transfer Station sites.
For more information on air quality in Yarra Ranges, please visit https://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Environment/Burning-off/Wood-heaters-burning-off-and-air-quality.
