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Bushfires have been a condition of severe risk in several parts of Australia, especially during hot summers. Is your place prone to bushfire? If so, what are your plans to fight the situation? It is very essential to stay prepared for the worst situation and this needs a survival plan.
In this blog, you will find important tips to withstand bushfire situations and avoid their occurrence. Keep reading!
Create a bushfire survival plan
No matter you live in the suburbs, city or country, if the place shows even slight risk of bushfire, having a bushfire survival plan is a must.
Properties adapting a survival plan involve:
- A house built in an area with bushfire record.
- Houses located just a few blocks from bushland.
- Property not directly related but built near a wilderness corridor.
- If the escape way is through a bushland
Implement changes in your home
We know a bushfire survival plan or the advice of your bushfire consultant in Sydney involves escaping from site, but preparing your house against bushfires is still important.
Dealing with an ember attack
As per the information from fire service, latest research shows ember attack is one of the major causes of house fires in times of bushfires.
Turning your home fire resistant helps you work on areas where sparks and umbers can reach and cause fire. Such areas cover:
- Doors
- Windows
- Decks
- Roof
As such, while renovating keep these areas in mind and follow the advice of bushfire experts.
Make a firewise garden
While landscaping, make sure to place garden beds, trees and other substances considered flammable; better choose less flammable plants that wouldn’t cause quick fire like others.
When you clean up your garden or yard, follow these tips:
- Develop a defendable space
- Keep the plants at safe distance from each other
- Select, locate and maintain tress carefully
- Clear any flammable objects from the area
Have a fire protection zone
You can combat the risk of fire in your home by following the simple formula of maintaining a “protection zone” in and around your home.
Gutters
- Try installing leaf guards to avoid build-ups
- Clean your gutters frequently to keep away dirt, dust, leaves and sticks
Vents
- Prevent embers to catch fire in your home by installing metal mesh guards on vents.
Gas
- Know the whereabouts of any stored flammable liquids
- During emergency, know the right place to move your LPG cylinders and BBQ
- Avoid gas usage in windy or hot conditions
- Know how to turn off the gas
Litter and other fire fuels
- Never allow piling up of litter in or around your property
- Store the firewood piles covered and away from your house
- Keep clearing the braches, twigs and leaves frequently
Gardening
- Keep the lawn and grass short
- Ensure pruning overhanging shrubs and tress
- Instead of flammable mulch, try using rocks and pebbles
Fire retardants
- Regularly check the extinguishers, fire pumps and hoses for proper working
- Locate and check the nearest fire hydrant
Water
- Have enough water in your house to deal with the long haul
- Install a proper pump in case you have a water tank or bore
- Ensure the garden hose is long to reach the house boundary
Be ready physically, mentally and emotionally
Don’t be too confident. Be realistic enough about the potential bushfire risks and also know your limitations
It is not possible to manage the situation all by yourself and take help from a bushfire expert for bushfire threat assessments. You need to have plans to defend your property from bushfire. So stay prepared for a dangerous and frightening experience. Know a place to take shelter in at time of a bushfire and also ensure you have the essential supplies and equipment.
Feeling unprepared?
If you feel unprepared or unaware about the details of bushfires, leave the job to the fire fighters. Take assistance from skilled, experienced and trained bushfire experts and never wait for the fire to reach you. It is always wiser to have an exit plan as “stay and defend” won’t work for a catastrophic fire.
