What is a BAL assessment used for?
A bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment is conducted to measure how prone a building site is to being exposed to an ember attack, radiant heat, and direct flame contact.
A BAL assessment aims to give an evaluation of the level of risk a site has of being affected by an ember attack in the event of a bushfire. From the BAL assessment, our BPAD accredited assessors will be able to provide you with applicable construction requirements to provide additional protection to your home, including cladding, door and window selections.
What are the BAL Ratings?
| Bushfire Attack Level | Radiant Heat Exposure | Risk | Prediction |
| BAL – LOW | Insignificant | Very low | Low risk to warrant any specific construction requirement |
| BAL – 12.5 | 0 to 12.5 kW/m² | Low | Ember attack |
| BAL – 19 | 12.5 to 19 kW/m² | Moderate | Increasing risk of ember attack, burning debris, windborne embers increasing heat flux |
| BAL – 29 | 19 to 29 kW/m² | High | Increasing risk of ember attack, burning debris, windborne embers increasing heat flux |
| BAL – 40 | 29 to 40 kW/m² | Very high | Increasing risk of ember attack, burning debris, windborne embers increasing heat flux with the likelihood of direct exposure to flames |
| BAL – FZ | 40 kW/m² and above | Extreme | Direct exposure to flames from the fire front |
What determines my BAL rating?
There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration when assessing the severity of a potential bushfire attack for a property such as:
- A site’s type of vegetation
- Typography distance from vegetation
- Fire Danger Index, which varies from state to state
When is a BAL assessment required?
If you are in a Bushfire Prone area, your first step in the construction process should be to get a BAL assessment completed. The bushfire prone areas are designated by each of the state governments.
Your project must comply with the requirements of the AS3959 – 2018 and have a BAL between BAL-Low and BAL-29. If your BAL is higher than a BAL-29, we would be able to recommend alternate designs to your project that will lower your BAL rating. Some suggestions that we can provide you with to reduce your BAL would be in regard to your asset protection zones, access, building and construction, water supplies and utilities, landscaping, and emergency management arrangements.
Once your BAL level is under a BAL-29 and approved by a BPAD accredited assessor, it will then need to be assessed by State government regulations for a Complying Development Approval.
where do we come in?
Contact us today for an onsite BAL assessment of your site and desired project. Our BPAD accredited assessors will conduct a BAL assessment on your site so that you can rest with ease knowing that your property is at a lower risk from a bushfire hazard. We will grant you a BAL certificate form – provided that your property passes the assessment. With this, we will provide you with your BAL as well as bushfire protection methods to help you make your home as bushfire proof as possible.
