Are you bushfire ready?

Take the time to follow these simple tips to get bushfire ready and give yourself, your family and your home the best possible protection during the upcoming summer months.

Clear it away

For most people, keeping the garden neat and tidy is usual practice, however at this time of year, it’s essential. In fact, you need to reduce the amount of vegetation around your home as much as possible.

Cut back any trees or shrubs that are overhanging your home, prune any dead branches and remove any flammable shrubs from beneath trees.

Keep your garden area cleared by raking up any dead leaves, bark or branches scattered on the ground.

Always ensure your lawns are neatly mowed and your garden beds are as tidy as possible.

Home maintenance

There are a few jobs you can do around the home to prepare for bushfire season, such as always keeping your gutters and

downpipes clear of leaves or debris. Enclose any gaps under the house, deck or verandah so fire or burning debris can’t spread underneath.

Ember attacks are a very real threat during bushfires, so it’s vital to repair damaged roofing, replace broken or missing roof tiles and seal any gaps to prevent embers finding their way in.

It’s also a good idea to cover or mend any holes in external walls and put seals around windows and doors to reduce any gaps.

Finally install fine mesh screens on all your windows and doors as this will stop windborne embers or flying debris coming into your home and setting fire to soft furnishings such as curtains, cushions or carpets.

Water supplies

It’s recommended that you make sure your garden hose is long enough to reach right around the front and back of your house.

It’s also a good idea to install a fire sprinkling system on your gutters or roof.

If you have a pool, water tank or dam you may want to consider installing a Static Water Supply sign so that firefighters know where they might be able to source water supplies.

Pack it up

Move any flammable material well away from your home. This might be garden furniture, a stack of wood stowed away for winter log fires, garden mulch, cardboard boxes, crates, kids toys, piles of newspapers, anything that might catch alight and help spread the fire to the house.

Household matters

Finally on an administrative level, make sure the number of your home can be easily seen by emergency services.

Also check your home and contents insurance to make sure is has adequate cover and is all up to date.

Finally, always have a fully stocked first aid kit close-at-hand, as well as a simple transistor radio, torches and spare batteries, in case power and internet services are lost.