Bushfire attack level
Do you need a BAL? Here is how to find out — and how to get one done
A BAL is required when a property sits on land mapped as bushfire-prone and you are building, extending or applying for approval. It is assigned under Australian Standard AS 3959, and it decides what the building has to be constructed from.
Start with the address
See whether this property is in a mapped bushfire-prone area, its fire history and its 2050 projection — free.
Free preview · no account · instant. A ClimateNest report is not a BAL certificate.
We cannot issue your BAL. We tell you what the risk is, and who can.
The six BAL levels
AS 3959 assigns one of six levels, from no specific construction requirement through to Flame Zone:
What an assessment costs
Fees are published, so check them rather than guessing. At the time of writing:
- •Nillumbik Shire Council (VIC): A$330, correct as of 1 July 2025.
- •Wollongong City Council (NSW): A$525 including GST.
- •Private accredited assessors advertising standard single residential sites from A$465 and A$525 including GST.
Complex sites — steep, heavily vegetated, or likely BAL-40 or Flame Zone — cost more, and a full bushfire management plan costs more again. Industry cost guides put the added build cost of the rating itself anywhere from a few thousand dollars at BAL-12.5 to well over A$80,000 at Flame Zone, which is why it is worth knowing before you commit rather than after.
Who can issue one
A BAL must be determined by an accredited practitioner or, in some states, the council. Accreditation runs through the Bushfire Planning and Design (BPAD) scheme: Level 1 covers BAL assessments, and Levels 2 and 3 cover complex sites and bushfire planning. Only accredited assessors can prepare a BAL report in most jurisdictions, and councils commonly require the report to be recent.
Two sources from the accreditor, both free:
- Find a provider of choice — search by postcode, suburb or company; choose Bushfire Consultants (BPAD).
- BPAD accredited practitioner register — check that a practitioner's accreditation is current.
What we do, and what we do not
What a ClimateNest report gives you: an address-level score across bushfire and seven other hazards, whether the surrounding land is mapped bushfire-prone, the local fire history, the 2050 projection, and what to do about it.
What it does not give you: it is not a BAL certificate, it is not a bushfire attack level determination, and it cannot be used for a building approval. That determination is a site-specific assessment by an accredited practitioner. We tell you whether the risk is worth paying for one.
That distinction is the whole point of this page. If you need the certificate for approval, go to the register above first. If you are deciding whether a property is worth pursuing — or whether the approval risk changes the price — start with the address.
Check this address before you pay anyone
A$49 for the full report · 8 hazards · insurance trajectory and value drag · the actions that reduce it.
24-hour satisfaction guarantee · instant PDF · no subscription
Related: bushfire risk check by address · how we score hazards