BAL ratings
What do I need to know?
The Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating system is an Australian standard used to measure a property’s potential exposure to bushfire. There are six BAL categories that indicate the potential levels of radiant heat, ember attack, and flame contact. The higher the BAL rating, the greater the level of bushfire exposure, and the stronger the construction requirements needed to improve a building’s resistance.
BAL ratings for home retrofits
For existing homes, a BAL rating can help guide the level of retrofit appropriate for improving its bushfire resilience. It means you can make improvements that suit your home's level of bushfire risk. For example, if your home has a BAL-12.5 rating, you might install ember mesh screens on windows. If your home has a BAL-29 rating, you might choose a stronger ember mesh screen and toughened glass.
How can I prepare?
While it’s not a legislative requirement for existing homes, knowing your BAL is strongly recommended. It helps you plan practical safety measures, such as ember-proofing windows, installing bushfire-rated doors, clearing vegetation, and creating defendable space.
Can I use my neighbour’s BAL rating?
Every home has its own BAL rating and should be individually assessed.
A BAL report considers regional fire weather, surrounding vegetation type, slope, and distance from the house to dense vegetation. If these aspects are all very similar, your BAL rating may be the same, but you cannot use your neighbour’s report for development applications.
A home that is only one metre closer to bushland may have a different BAL rating. However, for simple retrofits that do not require development approval, your neighbour’s BAL rating may be a good starting guide if your properties are very similar.
Can I reduce my BAL rating by strengthening my home?
The rating itself doesn’t change, as it's based on environmental factors like vegetation type, slope, and distance to bushland. However, retrofitting to strengthen your home against bushfire and ember attack is a good idea. Find out how to protect your home from bushfires.
You can reduce the risk to your home by managing vegetation, creating defensible space, keeping gutters and roofs clear of debris, and sealing gaps. These steps reduce the chance of your home igniting, even in a high BAL zone.
What's my next step?
Assessing your BAL rating can be difficult, so hiring a qualified consultant is recommended - and usually required if you're planning major renovations, extensions or rebuilds on bushfire prone land.
You can also estimate your BAL rating using CSIRO’s BAL assessment tool.