THE City of Wanneroo is using drones to do firebreak inspections in rural areas this summer.
Property owners are required to clear firebreaks around the perimeter of their land by November 1 each year and maintain them until the following April.
Community and place director Debbie Terelinck said the City was using drones to conduct firebreak inspections in areas such as Two Rocks and Yanchep, where properties were generally large and featured expanses of natural bushland.
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READ NOW“Firebreak inspections are vital but labour intensive with rangers often needing to arrange access to properties and manually take photographs,” she said.
“Using drones to inspect large properties saves time and is less intrusive for residents as rangers don’t need to meet with property owners.”
In semirural areas, rangers are continuing to manually conduct inspections.
Inspections have been carried out in suburbs including Eglinton, Alkimos, Pinjar, Mindarie, Tamala Park, Carramar, Banksia Grove, Tapping, Ashby, Sinagra and Jandabup.
Any properties which have not installed firebreaks, or have installed insufficient firebreaks, will have already received reminder letters and second inspections will start within the next two weeks.
Inspections in other areas will also take place within the next two weeks, with second inspections taking place in early January.
If firebreaks are not completed by the time second inspections are carried out, the City will issue infringements and firebreak contractors will install firebreaks during February, at a cost to property owners.
For more information, visit www.wanneroo.wa.gov.au/firebreaks or call 9405 5000.
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