Top 5 tips to prepare for the bushfire season

Preparing your property for bushfires can help reduce the risk of damage and loss

Bushfires are a fact of life in Australia. In the past two decades catastrophic fires have claimed hundreds of lives, destroyed thousands of homes, and caused billions of dollars of economic damage. With every year, bushfires are breaking out more regularly and becoming increasingly devastating.

Avoiding bushfire outbreaks may be impossible, but reducing your chances of property devastation is not. Effective, practical preparation for the possibility of a bushfire attack can minimise the degree of damage your home or business would experience. So why take your chances when you can take charge?

Just how real is the risk of bushfire?

All of Australia faces bushfire risk, depending on the season. Whether you live in the bush, on the coast or in a city, the chance of a fire breaking out near you is real. Bushfires move fast, and they can behave unpredictably.

Fire crews and authorities will do all they can to prevent a bushfire, and when emergencies arise, they respond as fast and as effectively as possible. But they can’t be everywhere, so it’s up to you to do what you can to protect your home and property.

Prepare your property for bushfires with these 5 tips

Before bushfire season even begins in your area, plan to prepare your home and property for the risk. Assess the condition and surroundings of each building from a fire preparation viewpoint. Be honest: this is a fire risk assessment, not a pass/fail test of your home maintenance schedule.

Remember that a bushfire can attack a property three ways:

• ember attacks – from lightweight pieces of burning material being blown ahead of the fire front by the wind and landing on buildings
• radiant heat exposure – from vegetation or other material close to the property burning
• direct flame contact – from the fire reaching the property.

Then, get stuck in!

1. Undertake overdue maintenance

• Repair any gaps in the building’s exterior walls, gutters and eaves.
• Rectify any damage to insect screens, doors, windows, paths and driveways.
• Clear gutters and downpipes of leaves, bark, twigs and debris.

2. Create a defensible space around the buildings

• Trim trees and shrubs that are close to the property.
• Consider replacing mulch and lawn with gravel or paving.
• Clear up and remove fallen leaves and other plant matter.
• Relocate combustible items such as outdoor furniture or firewood stashes away from the house.
• Mow lawns regularly and keep weeds down.
• Move rubbish and garden waste away from buildings and fences – preferably, remove it from the property completely.

3. Retrofit fire-resistance measures

• Replace combustible elements such as timber fencing, window trimmings and decking with fireproof alternatives.
• Cover external vents with corrosion-resistant metal mesh screens.
• Ensure any automatic garage doors have battery backups.
• Check that you have several garden hoses long enough to reach all areas of the building and surroundings.
• Enclose open areas under decks and floors.
• Consider FIRECOAT fire resistant paint as a key bushfire preparation strategy. These new exterior and interior undercoats can be applied as simply and easily as any conventional paint, yet they offer an unprecedented level of fire protection.

4. Review property access

• How visible is your house number or property name from the street?
• Is your driveway in good condition and accessible by large vehicles?
• Would overhanging trees and power lines block the way?
• Is there more than one way in and out of your property?
• How accessible is water, especially in a rural area that may depend on tank supply?

5. Review your local bushfire risk management services

It is highly recommended that you review local bushfire risk management information and advice on the following official state and territory fire service websites.

• Queensland
  QLD Fire Department

• New South Wales
  NSW Fire and Rescue
  NSW Rural Fire Service

• Australian Capital Territory
  ACT Emergency Services – Fire and Rescue

• Victoria
  Fire Rescue Victoria
  Victoria Country Fire Authority

• Tasmania
  Tasmania Fire Service

• South Australia
  South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service
  South Australian Country Fire Service

• Western Australia
  Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES)
  Emergency Western Australia

• Northern Territory
  Northern Territory Fire and Rescue

The information on this website is a general guide. Please be sure to refer to the official state and territory fire service websites for relevant information on preparing for the bushfire season and to be across bushfire advice and service information for your area.

FIRECOAT will help reduce bushfire damage

It’s so easy to think a bushfire will never happen to you, or that if it does, your assets will somehow be okay. But bushfires are a reality, and the best way you can protect your family, home, property or business is to be proactive and prepare for the possibility.

FIRECOAT can’t stop a fire from approaching your property, but it can minimise the damage if one does. The most highly certified fire resistant paint in the world, FIRECOAT is easy to apply, effective and affordable, so make it part of your bushfire preparation strategy. Don’t take your chances – take charge.