BAL rating SA: how to find your property's BAL in South Australia
In South Australia, your BAL rating depends first on which bushfire overlay your land is in. The Planning and Design Code maps the state into bushfire hazard overlays. In the general and medium risk overlays, the BAL is set by the overlay itself. In the high risk overlay, the BAL has to be worked out for your building site, usually through a site assessment.
That makes SA simpler than most states for many blocks, and stricter for the high-risk ones. This page explains how to check your overlay, when you need a BAL assessment, who does them and what each level means.
How to find your BAL rating in SA, step by step
- Check your bushfire overlay. Look up your address in the SA Planning Portal's property map, the South Australian Property and Planning Atlas (SAPPA), or the Planning and Design Code property search. Note which Hazards (Bushfire) overlay applies.
- See what the overlay means for your BAL. In the general or medium risk overlay, the BAL is set for you (see below). In the high risk overlay, you need a site assessment.
- If you're in the high risk overlay, check your likely BAL with BAL Buddy. Trace the building and vegetation, classify each patch, and BAL Buddy works out an indicative BAL using AS 3959 Method 1, with slope from public elevation data. It shows how far the building would need to move for a lower level.
- Get the formal BAL assessment for your Building Rules consent.
Is there a BAL rating map for SA?
Not as such, but SA comes closer than most states. The Planning and Design Code's bushfire hazard overlays are mapped across the state, and for two of them the overlay sets the BAL. The Code currently has six Hazards (Bushfire) overlays:
- High Risk: the BAL comes from a site assessment under AS 3959.
- Medium Risk: deemed to be BAL-12.5.
- General Risk: deemed to be BAL-LOW.
- Urban Interface: urban land within 500 metres of the high risk overlay.
- Regional and Outback: lower-risk planning overlays for the rest of the state.
The CFS explains each overlay on its planning and building in bushfire areas page. More on maps in every state: BAL rating map.
SA's bushfire mapping and rules are reviewed from time to time. The State Planning Commission has consulted on updating the mapping and simplifying the overlays, so the overlay names on your property report may differ from the list above. Your council or the CFS can confirm what applies to your land.
Which rules and agencies apply in SA?
| Who or what | What it does |
|---|---|
| Planning and Design Code | The state's planning rules, including the Hazards (Bushfire) overlays, under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 |
| Ministerial Building Standard MBS 008 | "Designated bushfire prone areas: additional requirements". Says which overlays are bushfire prone for building purposes, sets the deemed BALs, and adds SA requirements such as a dedicated water supply and access |
| National Construction Code and AS 3959 | The construction requirements for each BAL (AS 3959 explained) |
| Country Fire Service (CFS) | A fire authority under the PDI Act. Its Development Assessment Service assesses bushfire matters for development in the high risk overlay and commonly does BAL site assessments |
| PlanSA and your council | Lodging and assessing planning and building applications |
MBS 008 matters as much as AS 3959 in SA: once your overlay and BAL are known, the CFS points you to it for the extra requirements, such as water tanks with fire fittings. Check you're reading the current version of MBS 008 on the SA Government's website.
When do you need a formal BAL assessment in SA?
- High risk overlay: a BAL site assessment is needed for a new dwelling and for additions with habitable rooms. The CFS is usually a referral body for the planning application, and the BAL is provided as part of that.
- Medium risk overlay: the site is deemed BAL-12.5, so a site assessment isn't normally needed. Build to BAL-12.5 plus MBS 008.
- General risk overlay: deemed BAL-LOW, plus any MBS 008 requirements.
- Urban interface, regional and outback overlays: planning requirements may apply, but these aren't designated bushfire prone areas for the building rules. Check with your council.
Who can do a BAL assessment in SA?
The CFS Development Assessment Service commonly does BAL site assessments for sites in the high risk overlay, as part of its role in development assessment. Private bushfire consultants also prepare them; many are accredited under FPA Australia's BPAD scheme. Ask your council or the CFS which route suits your application.
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 SA?
Private BAL assessments generally cost between about $800 and $2,000, mostly depending on travel and how complex the site is. The CFS charges for its development assessment work; check its current fees. For medium and general risk sites, the deemed BAL means you may not need to pay for a site assessment at all. More: BAL assessment.
BAL requirements in SA by level
SA uses AS 3959's construction requirements with MBS 008's extra requirements on top. Plain-English summary only.
BAL-LOW. The deemed level in the general risk overlay. No AS 3959 construction requirements, but MBS 008 may still apply. BAL-LOW guide
BAL-12.5. The deemed level in the medium risk overlay. Keeping embers out: sealed gaps, screened openings and vents. BAL-12.5 guide
BAL-19. High risk overlay sites. Stricter glazing and materials near the ground. BAL-19 guide
BAL-29. High risk overlay sites. 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 SA
In South Australia, BAL Buddy applies Method 1 with the fire danger index AS 3959 sets for the state, the same whether the site is in the Adelaide Hills or on the Eyre Peninsula. It doesn't check which bushfire overlay applies, so look that up first: in the medium and general risk overlays, the overlay sets the BAL, and BAL Buddy's result is mainly useful in the high risk overlay.
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
How do I find my BAL rating in SA?
Check which Hazards (Bushfire) overlay your land is in using SAPPA or the Planning and Design Code property search. General risk is deemed BAL-LOW and medium risk BAL-12.5. In the high risk overlay you need a site assessment; BAL Buddy gives an indicative result first.
Is there a BAL rating map for SA?
The bushfire hazard overlays in the Planning and Design Code are the closest thing. For the general and medium risk overlays, the overlay sets the BAL. For the high risk overlay, the BAL is site-specific.
What is MBS 008?
SA's Ministerial Building Standard for designated bushfire prone areas. It sets the deemed BALs for the general and medium risk overlays and adds SA requirements, such as a dedicated water supply, on top of AS 3959.
Does the CFS do BAL assessments?
Yes. The CFS Development Assessment Service commonly assesses BALs for sites in the high risk overlay. Private consultants do them too.