BUSH FIRES ACT 1954 - SECT 39A

BUSH FIRES ACT 1954 - SECT 39A

39A .         Duties of bush fire authorities on outbreak of fire

        (1)         On the outbreak of a bush fire at a place within or adjacent to the district of a local government, the bush fire control officers, bush fire brigade officers, or bush fire brigade members, of the local government, or as many of them as may be available may, subject to this Act, take charge of the operations for controlling and extinguishing the bush fire or for preventing the spread or extension of the fire.

        (2)         Where a bush fire to which this section applies occurs, if a bush fire control officer, bush fire brigade officer, or member of a bush fire brigade, of the local government in whose district the bush fire is burning is not present at the fire, a bush fire control officer, a bush fire brigade officer, or member of a bush fire brigade, of a local government whose district is adjoining or adjacent, may exercise in respect of the bush fire, all powers and authorities of a bush fire control officer of the local government in whose district the fire is burning.

        (3)         This section applies only to bush fires which —

            (a)         have been lit or are maintained unlawfully; or

            (b)         have occurred accidentally; or

            (c)         have ceased to be under control or are not adequately controlled; or

            (d)         are declared in the regulations to be bush fires to which this section applies.

        [Section 39A inserted: No. 35 of 1957 s. 8; amended: No. 51 of 1979 s. 5; No. 14 of 1996 s. 4.]