# Buying in a Queensland bushfire-prone area: maps, BAL and insurance
How to read the bushfire overlay on a Queensland property, what a BAL rating means for renovating or rebuilding, the insurance questions to ask, and what seller disclosure leaves out.
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A house at the edge of the bush is one of the great pleasures of Queensland living: a view of the ranges, birdsong at dawn, room around the house. It also raises a question best answered before signing: is the land inside a bushfire prone area, and if so, what does that change?
The answer matters in three places. It decides how any future extension, deck or rebuilt home must be built. It shapes the conversation with an insurer. And the seller does not have to put it in front of the buyer, so the buyer has to find it.
This guide explains the two kinds of bushfire mapping used in Queensland, how to check a property, what a bushfire attack level (BAL) rating measures, when the building standard AS 3959 applies to renovations and rebuilding, what can be cleared around a house, which insurance questions to settle early, and what the seller disclosure statement says about natural hazards.
100 mimpact buffer around mapped hazardous vegetation
6 moutbuildings this close to a home are covered
72 hoursbushfire cover gap on a brand-new policy
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services technical reference guide (October 2019), Queensland Government building page, and Moneysmart's fire insurance page (updated 18 August 2026).
## Two maps with two different jobs
The word "overlay" is used loosely, and it helps to separate two things that often sit on the same map.
The first is the planning side. Under the State Planning Policy of July 2017, bushfire is one of the natural hazards that councils must take into account when they write their planning schemes and assess development applications. The Queensland Fire Department describes the bushfire prone area used for this purpose as land that could be affected by a significant bushfire, including the vegetation likely to carry one, together with nearby land that such a fire could reach. Master Builders Queensland has described how councils show this mapping in their planning schemes as a bushfire overlay, which can trigger extra assessment of a development application.
The second is the building side. Section 7 of Queensland's Building Regulation 2021 allows a local government to designate all or part of its area as a designated bush fire prone area for the purposes of the Building Code of Australia or the Queensland Development Code. The regulation requires the council's planning scheme maps to show each designated area. Once land is designated, the parts of the building codes that deal with bushfire apply to building work on it.
For a buyer, the practical point is that the map that switches on the building rules sits in the council's planning scheme, and in some schemes it is the bushfire overlay itself. Brisbane City Council's technical guide on bushfire reporting, for example, states that the land in its City Plan bushfire overlay is designated as a bushfire prone area for building purposes. Each council's scheme says how it has done this, which is why the local planning scheme, not a general web map, is the document that counts.
## Where the State's mapping comes from
Behind council overlays sits statewide mapping produced by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services with CSIRO. The State's open data portal lists the methodology report, the statewide bushfire prone area series and the vegetation hazard class series, along with the inputs CSIRO used, dated July 2014.
The State's technical reference guide, Bushfire Resilient Communities, published by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services in October 2019, explains how the map is built. Land is sorted by its potential bushfire intensity into three classes, measured as fireline intensity in kilowatts per metre of fire front:
- **Medium**: 4,000 to 20,000 kW/m
- **High**: 20,000 to 40,000 kW/m
- **Very high**: more than 40,000 kW/m
Around those areas sits a potential impact buffer of 100 metres. The guide ties that width to research showing that 85 per cent of bushfire fatalities occur within 100 metres of hazardous vegetation. A house can therefore be inside the mapped bushfire prone area without a single tree on its own block, simply because bushland starts across the road.
The State's planning guidance on bushfire, issued in December 2019, adds a rule that explains why the same map appears in so many places: where a council has not identified bushfire prone areas in its own planning instrument on the basis of a local study, the State's mapping applies. The same guidance encourages councils to check and refine the statewide layer locally, subject to approval by the Planning Minister.
## Checking a property before making an offer
None of the checks below is expensive, and most can be done from a desk in an evening. They are most useful before an offer, while a buyer can still walk away or build the findings into the price and the contract.
Five checks on a property near the bush
Council planning schemeFind the bushfire overlay map in the council's online scheme and note which category covers the lot.
State mappingCompare it with the bushfire prone area layer in the State Planning Policy interactive mapping system.
Fire service risk checkUse the Queensland Fire Department's postcode checker for the area's general bushfire risk.
Site and surroundingsLook at vegetation, slope and distance from the house on the ground, not only on a map.
Building and insurance answersAsk a certifier or bushfire consultant about the likely BAL, and get an insurance quote.
The State Planning Policy interactive mapping system holds the bushfire prone area as one of its layers, according to the Queensland Fire Department, which describes it as a tool for councils, communities and industry to see where bushfire could affect development. The department's own BRC MapViewer, which replaced an older tool called Catalyst on 25 January 2025, is aimed at planners and consultants verifying the mapping and vegetation classes.
The fire service's public "know your risks" page, updated on 31 July 2026, points residents to a postcode checker map that shows bushfire risk for an area. It also lists simple self-checks, such as whether there are trees or shrubs within 20 metres of the home, and notes that a home does not need to be in bushland to be at risk, because embers, radiant heat and smoke travel. Where an owner is unsure, the department offers Property Advice Visits booked through 13QGOV (13 74 68).
## When the map and the ground disagree
Statewide mapping is drawn from data, not from a walk around each block. The State's 2019 planning guidance acknowledges that the mapping can contain inconsistencies, such as intensity shown over land with no vegetation, and that it may not reflect recent clearing. It also notes that hazard levels may be verified at site level.
That works in both directions. A lot shown in the buffer may, on inspection, sit beside grassland that has been mown for years. A lot outside the overlay may back onto regrowth that has thickened since the data was captured. The planning overlay decides which rules apply. The site itself decides how hard those rules bite, because the building standard works from what is actually around the house.
One detail from the national code is worth knowing. Queensland's variation to the National Construction Code housing provisions, as published in the 2022 edition, switches off the bushfire construction requirements where the classified vegetation under AS 3959 is rainforest (other than wet sclerophyll forest types), mangroves, or grassland under 300 millimetres high.
## What a BAL rating measures
A bushfire attack level is the measure AS 3959, the Australian standard for construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas, uses to describe how severely a particular building site could be exposed to a bushfire. The Queensland Government states that Queensland has adopted the 2018 edition of the standard.
The rating is set from a handful of site factors. CSIRO, which publishes assessment tools based on the standard's method, lists them as the fire danger index, the type of vegetation, the slope of the land under that vegetation, the slope of the site and the distance between the building and the vegetation. Master Builders Queensland has noted that the standard applies a single forest fire danger index of 40 across Queensland, something it says other states do not do.
The six bushfire attack levelsRadiant heat exposure, kilowatts per square metre
Level
Radiant heat
What the site may face
BAL-LOW
Insignificant
Very low risk; no specific construction requirements, though embers can still arrive.
BAL-12.5
Up to 12.5
Mainly ember attack and burning debris.
BAL-19
Above 12.5, up to 19
Rising ember attack and moderate radiant heat.
BAL-29
Above 19, up to 29
High risk from embers, debris and radiant heat.
BAL-40
Above 29, up to 40
Very high risk; flames may touch the building at times.
BAL-FZ
Above 40
Flame zone; direct flame contact from the fire front is likely.
AS 3959 levels as summarised by CSIRO (page modified 9 February 2024) and Victoria's Building and Plumbing Commission (updated 9 September 2026).
Each step up the scale adds construction requirements. The Queensland Government's page on building in bushfire prone areas lists what the most exposed sites can call for: a concrete slab, non-combustible external walls such as brick veneer or concrete, non-combustible roof, veranda and deck materials, wall and roof joints sealed against embers, non-combustible shutters or toughened glass, fire-resistant door frames with a base weather strip, and metal rather than plastic trim, vents, gutters and downpipes.
A BAL is normally worked out when building work is planned, so the sale documents for an existing house are unlikely to include one. A buyer can ask the seller whether the home's original building approval, or a later extension, came with a BAL assessment.
## Renovating: what brings the standard into play
Buyers who plan to extend are the ones most affected. The Queensland Government's page on building in bushfire prone areas, last updated on 26 February 2024, lists the work to which AS 3959 applies in a designated area:
- additions to a home, and outbuildings within six metres of a dwelling;
- repairs to part of a building or outbuilding, such as a garage, shed or fireplace;
- rebuilding of homes or outbuildings.
The national code says the same in its own words. The housing provisions apply the bushfire requirements to a Class 1 building, which is a house, and to a Class 10a building or deck associated with it, but only in a designated bushfire prone area. Compliance can be shown through AS 3959 or through the National Association of Steel-framed Housing standard for steel-framed construction in bushfire areas.
Queensland used to have its own code part for this, MP 2.4 of the Queensland Development Code. The Queensland Government's list of code parts, updated on 28 September 2026, shows MP 2.4 as repealed, so the requirements now come through the national code and the standard.
The person who applies these rules on a project is the building certifier. According to the Queensland Government's business portal, certifiers manage the building approval and inspection process, advise whether an approval is needed, must be licensed by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission and may not design or build the work they certify. Because the construction requirements depend on the site's BAL, the rating is something to establish early in the design. A buyer who has a deck, a carport or a granny flat in mind can ask a certifier or a bushfire consultant for a preliminary view before buying, because a high rating changes the materials list and the budget.
## Rebuilding after a fire
The Queensland Government's building page also states that the standard applies to rebuilding homes and outbuildings. For a house built before the area was designated, or before the current edition of the standard, the starting point is that the rebuild must meet the standard, whatever the house was first built under.
The Insurance Council of Australia makes a further point in its fact sheet on repair, rebuild and cash settlement: after a bushfire, the BAL for a property may be revised to a higher level, and the rebuild may have to meet it. Depending on the age of the home, it says, the extra cost can be significant. The fact sheet suggests checking with the insurer whether the sum insured would cover a rebuild that complies with the BAL.
The fact sheet also notes that a cash settlement leaves the owner responsible for managing the rebuild, that a cash-settled rebuild still has to comply with all regulations and codes and be done by a licensed builder, and that a mortgage contract or policy may require the insurer to pay the money to the lender.
> On a block near the bush, the house being bought is not the only house that matters. The one the owner might have to build again counts too.
## Clearing around the house
Buyers often assume they can clear what they like around a new home to reduce the risk. Queensland's vegetation rules allow a good deal, within limits. The Queensland Government's guide on clearing for bushfire management, updated on 19 May 2026, describes clearing that is exempt, meaning it needs no approval or notification under the State's vegetation laws:
- a firebreak protecting buildings and structures, up to 1.5 times the height of the tallest vegetation or 20 metres, whichever is wider;
- a fire management line, such as a track or fence-line clearing used for back-burning or reaching water, up to 10 metres wide;
- maintenance of existing buildings, fences, roads and watering points, and removal of vegetation that poses an imminent risk.
The clearing must be necessary to protect lives and property, and different purposes cannot be stacked to create a wider strip. Fuel reduction burns need a permit from the local fire warden. Wider clearing may be possible under a code for infrastructure in non-coastal areas or through a development application.
The State's exemptions do not override council rules. The same guide says some councils, naming Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich and Redland, have local laws protecting trees and native vegetation, and it advises owners to check with their council before clearing. A buyer who hopes a firebreak will lower the risk around a home should confirm that the council's local laws allow it.
Owners also carry ongoing duties. The Sunshine Coast Council's bushfire preparation notice, dated 1 August 2025, reminds residents that landowners are responsible for managing bushfire hazards on their land and that authorised officers may inspect private property under the Fire Services Act 1990 where they identify a potential hazard.
## Insurance questions to settle before signing
Fire, including bushfire, is a standard part of most home insurance in Australia. Moneysmart, the consumer site of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, says most home and contents policies cover damage caused by fire, including bushfire. Its page, updated on 18 August 2026, also lists common exclusions. Damage must be caused by flame, so heat damage such as scorching or melting, and smoke, ash or soot damage, are generally not covered. A bushfire that starts less than 72 hours after the policy was bought is also generally excluded.
That 72-hour gap matters in a purchase. In a fire season, a buyer who waits until settlement week to arrange cover may find that a fire already burning in the district is outside the new policy. When the property becomes the buyer's risk under the contract is a question for the buyer's lawyer.
Moneysmart's page on underinsurance makes a second point that weighs more heavily on a bushfire block. Underinsurance means the policy will not pay the full cost to rebuild, repair or replace what was lost. Many policies reduce payouts in proportion to the shortfall when cover falls below a set share of the replacement value, often around 80 to 90 per cent. Costs that owners commonly forget include demolition, site clean-up, asbestos removal, council fees, architects and surveyors, and temporary accommodation. Moneysmart suggests reviewing cover every year and after renovations, using calculators such as those from the Insurance Council of Australia, or asking a builder, quantity surveyor or valuer for a current rebuild cost.
On a property near the bush, a buyer can ask the insurer, before signing:
- whether the property is accepted for cover at all, and at what premium;
- whether the policy is sum insured or total replacement, and which one is offered;
- whether the sum insured allows for a rebuild to the BAL that would apply today, or after a fire;
- what is excluded, including the 72-hour window and any heat, smoke or soot damage;
- how a cash settlement would work if a rebuild is not possible.
None of these answers decides whether a home is a good purchase. They show whether the price of owning it is what the buyer expects.
## What the seller disclosure statement says, and what it does not
Since 1 August 2025, a seller of an existing home in Queensland must give the buyer a seller disclosure statement, Form 2, before the contract is signed, under the Property Law Act 2023. It is a useful document, but it was not designed to answer the bushfire question.
The Queensland Government's page on the scheme lists what is disclosed: seller and property details, title and encumbrances, tenancy arrangements, land use and planning matters such as zoning, transport and resumption notices, contamination register listings, tree orders and heritage, buildings and structures including pools and certain notices, and prescribed certificates. The same page says that structural soundness, flooding history and previous building or development approvals are not required.
The form itself goes further in its opening notes to the buyer. A copy of Form 2, version 1, effective from 1 August 2025, published by a Queensland council as part of a land sale, states that the statement does not cover flooding or other natural hazard history, structural soundness or pests, current or past use of the property, building or development approvals, limits that planning law places on use, connected services, or asbestos. Buyers are encouraged to make their own inquiries and warned that they may not be able to terminate if such matters come to light after signing.
Read the form
The word bushfire does not appear in the disclosure statement
Form 2 asks the seller about zoning, contamination, heritage and trees. On flooding and other natural hazards, it tells the buyer to get the information from the local council and make their own inquiries. The form does not ask the seller to flag a bushfire overlay.
The planning section of the form does include a line on flooding or another natural hazard, and on whether the land sits within a natural hazard overlay. But it does not ask the seller to answer it. It directs the buyer to the local government for that information, and points to two flood portals, FloodCheck Queensland and the Australian Flood Risk Information portal. There is no equivalent bushfire portal on the form.
This shapes the buyer's remedies. The State's page explains that a buyer may terminate before settlement if the disclosure documents are not given. A buyer may also terminate if disclosed information is inaccurate or incomplete, provided the buyer shows the matter was material, was unknown at signing, and would have stopped the buyer from signing. Because natural hazard information is not part of what the seller must disclose, a buyer who discovers a bushfire overlay after signing will usually find that the disclosure regime gives no way out. The protection, in practice, comes from checking first, or from a special condition in the contract that gives time for those checks, drafted by the buyer's lawyer.
## Reading the answers together
Each source answers a different part of the question. The council's planning scheme says whether the land is in the overlay and whether it is designated for building purposes. The State's mapping and the fire service's tools show how the hazard was drawn. A certifier or bushfire consultant can say what BAL the site is likely to carry, and so what an extension or a rebuild would require. The insurer says what cover costs and what it leaves out. The seller disclosure statement leaves natural hazards to the buyer.
A mapped bushfire prone area is not, by itself, a reason to walk away. The mapping tells a buyer which rules travel with the land. Knowing them before signing turns a vague worry into a set of costs, conditions and choices that can be weighed against the price.