Building or renovating? – know your BAL rating
If you live in the areas identified as bush fire prone and plan to re-build or renovate your house, you’ll soon come across the term “BAL” (bush fire Attack Level). It’s important to understand BAL ratings because they can affect your building costs and overall budget – especially if your property has a high-risk level. Let’s take a look at BAL classifications and what factors can affect where your property rates for bush fire risk.
BAL is a nationwide standard that determines the level of risk of a building’s exposure to radiant heat, direct flame contact and ember attack. There are six BAL classifications that form part of the Australian Standards for construction in bush fire prone areas. A BAL-Low rating is the lowest risk category, whereas a BAL-40 or BAL-FZ means that your property is in an area of significant risk.
| BAL | Risk |
| BAL – Low | Lowest risk of potential fire |
| BAL – 12.5 | Risk is primarily from potential embers during a fire. |
| BAL – 19 | Moderate risk – particularly from embers and burning debris |
| BAL – 29 | High risk – particularly from embers, debris and heat |
| BAL – 40 | Very high risk – Likely to be impacted by embers, debris, heat and potentially flames |
| BAL – Flame Zone | Extreme risk – direct exposure to flames of a potential fire front |
As the risk increases, the types of materials required in the construction of your home will change and costs will increase accordingly. This is also an important consideration when you are organising your home insurance. As the majority of buildings in bush fire prone areas may predate current bush fire regulations, it may now cost significantly more to rebuild your home under the new Standards. Check out the resources in Bush fire Insurance section to make sure you have the right policy in place.
Hornsby Shire Council provides a service that helps you determine your BAL rating and issue an appropriate certificate. For more info visit Bush Fire Attack Level Certificates.
Related links
- Check if you are in the Bush Fire Prone Land
- Apply for a Bush Fire Attack Level (BAL) Certificate
- Further information on BAL from RFS
- Bush fire insurance resources