Similar to an APZ, Assert Protection Zone, a Hazard Separation Zone (HSZ), is a fuel-reduced area that surrounds a building or asset (in accordance with the Western Australian Planning for Bushfire Protection Guidelines). A Hazard Separation Zone is used to reduce the fire intensity when a potential bushfire impacts on a building or asset.
Usually a tool used in a BMP (Bushfire Management Plan) a Hazard Separation Zone extends a minimum width of 80 meters from the outer edge of the Assert Protection Zone. A Hazard Separation Zone must be located within the boundaries of the lot, and where possible it should be located within the overall residential development.
Loose and flammable materials loads will be reduced within a Hazard Separation Zone and constantly maintained. Tree crowns will be a minimum of ten meters apart from each other and have no dead material within the plants crown or on the trunk.
A Hazard Separation Zone is used as a tool in a BMP, Bushfire Management Plan, to dramatically reduce the risk to all patrons within the building by creating a barrier with a lesser fuel load. It differs from an APZ, Assert Protection Zone, because it doesn’t have such strict regulations in clearing the property. A Hazard Separation Zone should be considered in any BMP, Bushfire Management Plan, to allow for the maximum amount of preparation time in evacuating or defending a premises.
