Keep firewood and green waste local this Easter

With the Easter long weekend and school holidays approaching, we are asking residents, part time residents and visitors to help protect our environment by not bringing firewood, green waste or garden materials into the region from inside the PSHB quarantine area

Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (PSHB) is a serious invasive pest that attacks a wide range of trees. It can spread easily when contaminated plant material is moved between properties or across regional boundaries.

By keeping materials local and “burning where you buy” you can help slow the spread.

How PSHB spreads

PSHB and other plant pests can spread through:

• untreated firewood
• garden cuttings and prunings
• mulch
• soil attached to roots or logs

Once introduced, these pests and diseases are extremely difficult, and sometimes impossible to eradicate. Preventing movement of plant material is one of the most effective ways to protect our forests, orchards and bushland.

Fire season update

We have moved into Restricted Burning as of 28 March.
This means:

• Garden refuse piles – permit required
• Vegetation – permit required
• Pasture – permit required
• BBQs & campfires – no permit required, but not allowed on days of High Fire Danger or above
• Transporting or storing firewood across boundaries increases the risk of spreading PSHB and other pests.

What you can do
✔ Buy or collect firewood locally - and burn it locally
✔ Dispose of green waste at local facilities within the same quarantine zone
✔ Check fire restrictions before lighting any fire
✔ Part time residents, please avoid bringing firewood, mulch or garden waste from your primary home
✔ Report any suspected borer activity via the MyPestGuide Reporter App or website.

Heading to the holiday house?

If you’re visiting the Shire for Easter or school holidays, please plan ahead:

• Do not bring firewood from Perth or other areas inside the PSHB quarantine zone
• Do not transport garden waste, prunings, branches or lawn clippings into the Shire
• Purchase firewood locally if fires are permitted
• Use local green waste disposal services

Your actions directly help protect the biodiversity and tree canopy that make our region so special.

For fire restriction updates and waste disposal information, visit the Shire website.

For enquiries, please contact Customer Service on 08 9780 5255.