Fire Preparation Advice

Make a Bushfire Survival Plan

Your key to survival is preparation. Be sure your household is prepared with a Bushfire Survival Plan everyone understands and practice it together.

Have protective clothing

Have protective clothing ready for everyone in your household.

Decide whether to Leave Early or Stay and Defend

Review your risks. Using ESA resources, decide if you will Leave Early or Stay and Defend your well-prepared property.

Fire Danger Rating

Understand the Fire Danger Rating system and always be aware of the daily Fire Danger Rating.

Stay informed

Stay informed and seek out information. Don't assume you'll receive a warning if a bushfire is near.

Understand bushfire alerts

Understand the different types of bushfire alerts: bushfire advice message, bushfire watch and act message and bushfire emergency warning.

Understand your level of risk so you can make informed decisions in the event of a bushfire. If you live, work or travel in an Ember Zone or in a Rural Area of the ACT your risk from bushfire will be higher.

Make a bushfire survival kit

Prepare a bushfire survival kit and be sure everyone in your household knows its contents and where it is located.

Make a relocation kit

Be prepared should you need to evacuate and prepare a relocation kit for your household. Make sure everyone is familiar with it's contents and knows where is it located.

Keep your home and yard well maintained

Be sure your home and yard are well maintained and prepared for a bushfire.

Use only non-combustible doormats

Make sure your doormats are made of non-combustible materials and will not ignite if a bushfire approaches.

Keep flammable items away from your home

Do not store woodpiles, paper, boxes, crates, hanging baskets and garden furniture near your home.

Maintain you roof

Prevent burning embers from entering your home - make sure your roof is well maintained, all gaps have been sealed and any damaged or missing tiles are replaced.

Mow your lawn and maintain your yard

Be sure your lawn is mowed regularly, keeping grass short. Ensure your yard is well maintained and kept clear of debris.

Keep trees and shrubs trimmed

Make sure trees and shrubs there are next to your home are maintained. Cutback trees and shrubs that are situated against or overhanging your home. Trim low-lying branches 2 metres from the ground.

Enclose open areas

Be sure to enclose the open areas under your decks and floors to prevent burning embers from entering your home.

Keep your gutters clear

Be sure to keep your roof and gutters clear of any debris that could serve as fuel during a bushfire.

Have hoses long enough to reach your entire house

Purchase long hoses to reach the entire house and roof and ensure all fittings are metal not plastic.

Keep pressure relief valves on LPG cylinders face outwards

If you have a LPG cylinder on your property, be sure the pressure relief valves face outwards (so flame is not directed towards your home).

Consider planting fire retardant plants

Use trees and shrubs that are less likely to ignite due to their low oil content when planting around your home and property.

Make sure you have necessary fire-fighting equipment

Make sure you have sufficient personal protective clothing and necessary fire-fighting equipment if you have decided to stay and defend your property.

Have a standby water pump, water storage and backup power

Have a standby water pump, water storage containers and backup power source in case your mains power are cut off

Rural properties: Sign up for the Farm FireWise Program

Rural properties: Install a power generator and have a standby water pump

It is very likely that you’ll lose power during a bushfire. Having a backup generator will allow you to power a water pump to pressurize your system.

Rural properties: Store flammable material away from buildings

Store flammable materials and toxic materials at least 30 metres downwind of other buildings, especially your home. Store flammable items such as paint, woodpiles, petrol, cardboard boxes, paper and petrol away from non-flammable items.

Rural properties: Ensure emergency vehicles can access your property

Make sure emergency vehicle can safely access your property so they will be able to assist you in the event of an emergency.

Rural properties: Supply the ESA with a map of your property

Be sure to supply the ESA with a map of your property, clearly marking access roads.

Rural properties: Establish a Home Asset Protection Zone

A home protection zone provides a defendable space for both residents and fight fighters to better protect your assets. Create a Home Asset Protection Zone around your home and property assets.

Rural properties: Know your legal obligations

Know and understand your legal obligations to prevent bushfires from starting or spreading your property.

Rural properties: Protect your livestock and fodder

If you have livestock on your property, plan ahead and prepare a bushfire plan that includes protecting your livestock and fodder.

Rural Properties: Properly dispose of vegetation materials

Maintaining vegetation on your property can produce combustible waste. Ensure that it is disposed of properly to prevent it serving as fuel in the event of a bushfire.

Rural properties: Create Fuel Breaks on your property

The purpose of a fuel break is to limit the potential spread of a fire by creating a break in the vegetative materials that a fire might travel through.

Rural properties: Maintain farm vehicles and machinery

Keep farm vehicles and machinery in good repair and schedule regular maintenance.

Rural properties: Spark guards

Ensure that all incinerators, chimneys and exhausts have spark guards.

Rural properties: Use tools with caution

Ensure proper clearance before using welding, cutting and grinding tools. Be sure to have water or a fire extinguisher on hand should a spark ignite.

Rural properties: Keep fire extinguishers in all buildings

Ensure fire extinguishers or knapsacks are located throughout your property, in sheds and on machinery. Be sure they are maintained and in working order.

Rural properties: Burn domestic rubbish with care

Exercise caution when burning domestic rubbish or disposing of ashes.

Rural properties: Obtain necessary permits before conducting a burn off

Always obtain necessary permits before conducting a burn off and follow the Emergencies Act 2004. On days with a total fire ban, burn offs are dangerous and not permitted. Contact the Rural Fire Service if you have any questions about burn offs.

Rural properties: Keep basic tools on hand

Be sure to keep basic tools like shovels, rakes and other garden tools. These can be used to smother low flames and to create firebreaks. Have ladders that are long enough to reach your roof and any manholes on your property.

Rurual properties: Avoid using flammable mulch

Avoid or reduce use of highly flammable mulch, using highly decomposed organic or non-organic based mulches instead.

Apartment: Be sure your building and grounds are well maintained

Speak to your fellow tenants, body corporate and property manager about ensuring your building is well maintained. Always report anything that needs inspecting or repair.

Apartment: Find out in your building has a standby water source

Find out whether you have a standby water source and power source in case your mains are cut off during a bushfire. Consider speaking to your fellow tenants and building manager about investing in one if you are in a high-risk area.

Apartment: Be familar with fire-fighting equipment in your building

Know what fire-fighting equipment is available in your building and learn how to operate it. Speak to your fellow tenants and building manager about organising sufficient personal protective clothing and fire fighting equipment in you are in a high-risk area.