Well Prepared Property
To effectively reduce your bush fire risk prepare yourself, your family your home and consider forming a Community FireWise Group with your neighbours.
While there are elements of bush fire risk that you cannot control like the weather, there is a wide range of planning and preparation activities that you can undertake which will dramatically increase the chances of you, your family and your home surviving in the event of a bush fire. It is important that once your property has been probably prepared you conducted a regular maintenance routine.
Always maintain an asset protection zone or defendable space around your home by
- Mowing your grass regularly
- Removing excess ground fuels and combustible material (long dry grass, dead leaves and branches)
- Clearing leaves, twigs, bark and other debris from the roof and gutters
- Trimming low lying branches 2 metres from the ground surrounding your home.
You should also
- Enclose open areas under your decks and floors
- Install fine wire mesh screens on all windows, doors, vents and weepholes
- Relocate flammable items away from your home including woodpiles, paper, boxes, crates, hanging baskets and garden furniture
- Seal all gaps in external roof and wall cladding so hot embers cannot enter .
For more information see our Prepare. Act. Survive. brochure.
Prepare Yourself
Bush fires can impact the health, safety and welfare of you and your family. You will experience stress, anxiety and a range of strong emotions during a fire caused by the heat, noise, flames and burning embers. It is vital that you are well prepared, both mentally and physically.
Remember - an unprepared property is not only at risk itself, but may also present an increased danger for your neighbours and their homes. Firefighters will carefully assess the risk to themselves and others before deciding if they are able to defend unprepared properties.
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