BAL rating NT: how to find your BAL in the Northern Territory
Looking for a BAL rating in the NT? The Northern Territory works differently from the states. As far as we can find, the NT hasn't designated any bushfire prone areas for building purposes, so the national bushfire construction rules don't usually apply to an ordinary house. That doesn't mean there's no risk, and some projects still ask for a BAL.
Bushfire is a normal part of the Top End and Central Australian landscape, and plenty of rural blocks around Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs back onto grass and woodland. If you want to know how exposed a building site is, or someone involved in your project has asked for a BAL, BAL Buddy gives you an indicative answer in a few minutes.
Do you need a BAL rating in the NT?
Usually not, for an ordinary house. Under the National Construction Code, the bushfire construction requirements only apply to buildings in a designated bushfire prone area, and each state and territory decides which land is designated. As far as we can find, the NT hasn't designated bushfire prone areas for building purposes; your building certifier can confirm. Most of the Building Act and the NCC also only apply inside declared building control areas.
You might still need or want a BAL if:
- your contract of sale, estate covenant or design guidelines ask for one
- a planning permit or other approval for your project includes a bushfire condition
- your designer or builder recommends building to a BAL because of the vegetation around your block
- you want to know how exposed the site is before you buy, design or build
If any of these apply, your building certifier can confirm what's needed.
How to find your BAL rating in the NT, step by step
- Check which rules apply to your block. See whether your land is in a building control area, check NT Atlas for any planning overlays, and read your contract of sale and any estate guidelines.
- Get an indicative BAL with BAL Buddy. Trace the building and the vegetation around it and choose a type for each patch. BAL Buddy works out the slope from public elevation data and applies AS 3959 Method 1. You'll see the indicative BAL, how it was worked out and how far the building would need to move to reach a lower level.
- Use the result to plan your site. On a big rural block, the "how far to move" figure is the most useful part: shifting the house, shed or an extension a little further from the vegetation can drop it a level. It also helps you plan firebreaks and cleared areas. See how to lower your BAL.
- Get a formal assessment if you need one. If a covenant, condition or your certifier requires a BAL, engage a qualified bushfire practitioner.
- Talk to your building certifier. In the NT, building permits are issued by private, registered building certifiers, who can tell you whether a BAL is required for your project.
Is my property bushfire prone? Checking NT maps
The NT doesn't publish an official bushfire prone area map for building purposes. The maps that exist tell you who manages fire in your area and what your obligations are, not your BAL:
- Fire management boundaries on the NT Government's natural resource maps show emergency response areas, fire protection zones and fire management zones, which decide your firebreak and permit-to-burn obligations.
- Planning overlays in NT Atlas show overlays such as land subject to flooding and storm surge.
- Fire history from the North Australia and Rangelands Fire Information (NAFI) site shows where fires have burnt recently.
More on maps in every state: BAL rating map.
Firebreaks: the bushfire rule most NT landholders deal with
Even without BAL rules, NT landholders have firebreak obligations under the Bushfires Management Act 2016 and, in emergency response areas, the Fire and Emergency Act. Firebreak rules depend on where you are, and generally cover a cleared strip around the property boundary and around the house and other structures, kept clear of tall, slashed or dead vegetation by the deadline for your area. Check the current requirements with Bushfires NT or NT Fire and Rescue Service for your zone.
Who can do a BAL assessment in the NT?
If you need one, use a qualified bushfire practitioner; many hold BPAD accreditation through FPA Australia. There are fewer practitioners based in the NT, so travel can be a big part of the cost. Ask your certifier what they'll accept.
Need a bushfire practitioner?
FPA Australia keeps a public register of BPAD-accredited practitioners, searchable by state and accreditation level: BPAD practitioner register. If you're not sure who to call, email me and I'll point you in the right direction. I don't take referral fees.
How much does a BAL assessment cost in the NT?
Most BAL assessments cost between about $800 and $2,000, but in the NT travel can push it higher if the practitioner has to come from interstate or a long way out. Ask whether the quote includes a site visit. More: BAL assessment.
BAL requirements by level
If you do build to a BAL, the requirements come from AS 3959. Plain-English summary only.
BAL-LOW. No bushfire construction requirements. BAL-LOW guide
BAL-12.5. Keeping embers out: sealed gaps, screened openings and vents. BAL-12.5 guide
BAL-19. Stricter glazing and materials near the ground. BAL-19 guide
BAL-29. Toughened glass and fire-resistant frames, decks and cladding. BAL-29 guide
BAL-40. Tested systems or shutters. BAL-40 guide
BAL-FZ. Systems tested for flame contact. BAL-FZ guide
How BAL Buddy handles the NT
BAL Buddy applies Method 1 of AS 3959 across the Northern Territory, with the one fire danger index AS 3959 sets for the whole territory, so a site in Darwin and one near Alice Springs are worked out on the same basis. Slope comes from public elevation data, and the summary says how detailed it is at your site.
BAL Buddy gives an indicative Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) only. It isn't a determination under any Act, and no council or building surveyor has to accept it. For a BAL you can rely on, use an accredited bushfire practitioner.
Questions people ask
Do I need a BAL rating in the NT?
Usually not for an ordinary house, because the NT hasn't designated bushfire prone areas for building purposes. You might if a covenant, approval condition or your certifier asks for one.
Is there a bushfire prone area map for the NT?
Not for building purposes. NT maps show fire management zones and firebreak obligations, not BALs.
Why get a BAL in the NT if it isn't required?
To understand how exposed a site is before you buy or build, to decide where to put the house and sheds, and to plan firebreaks and cleared areas.
What firebreaks do I need in the NT?
It depends on your zone. Generally a cleared strip around your boundary and around the house and other structures, kept clear by the deadline for your area. Check with Bushfires NT or NTFRS.