During a bushfire, your safety depends on your preparations and the decisions you make.
Make your bushfire survival plan now and know exactly what you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your property.
The message from the QFES is that a well prepared home is easier to defend and reduces the risk to surrounding properties.
How can you prepare for bushfire season?
• Clear gutters of leaf litter, twigs, bark and other debris
• Remove flammable items away from your home (such as long dry grass, woodpiles, mulch, hanging baskets)
• Trim low lying branches around your home
• Ensure your house or property are clearly numbered from the road
• Ensure fire trucks can access your home (at least four metres wide and high with turn-around area)
• Prepare your evacuation and first aid kits
• Remember also to include your pets in your Bushfire Survival Plan. Prepare an evacuation bag for your pets, including leads and food
• Prepare your horses and livestock – all internal gates should be left open, but they should not be able to get on the road. Horses should be secured in paddocks with a large water supply and be big enough that your horse can easily escape flames as they pass. Remove rugs, fly veils, boots, halters and head collars as they are all flammable and may melt to your animals.
• Ensure your insurance policies are up to date
• Have a contingency plan – bushfires are unpredictable and plans can fail. Having a contingency plan in place may save your life if you are caught in a fire.
• Listen to your local radio station, or access the QFES and QPS social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter for updates and warnings
Remember, a single cigarette butt thrown from a vehicle can cause a catastrophic fire.
