As bushfire season approaches, preparing your home can make all the difference in protecting your property and ensuring the safety of your family.
Here are some essential steps to help make your home bushfire-ready and reduce the risk of damage:
Create a Defensible Space and Reduce Fuel Sources
Creating a defensible space and reducing fuel sources is important to try and limit the fuel close to your home:
- Regularly mow lawns and keep grasses short.
- Remove dead plants, dry leaves, and branches that could act as fuel.
- Clear vegetation, leaves, and debris at least 10 meters from your home.
- Prune trees and remove low-hanging branches that could easily catch fire.
- Keep the area around your home clear and limit flammable items, including wood piles, outdoor furniture, and fences, close to the house.
- Use non-flammable landscaping materials like rocks and gravel near structures.
Prepare the Exterior of Your Home
By preparing the exterior of your home you can reduce the chances of embers being able to ignite, you can do this by:
- Seal gaps, windows, vents, and under eaves to prevent embers from entering.
- Install metal fly screens and cover vents with mesh to block embers.
- Clear gutters of leaves and debris; embers can ignite dry material here easily.
When Building or Renovating, use Bushfire-Resistant Materials
It’s important when building or renovating to know your Bushfire Attack Level and use materials such as:
- Materials that can withstand high temperatures, such as metal or brick, for roofing and cladding.
- Install toughened glass for windows and doors, and ensure they are well-sealed.
- Using metal meshed flyscreens and flydoors on openable windows and doors.
Keep Water Sources Ready
Have water readily available in case of a fire. This might include installing water tanks, ensuring hoses reach all parts of the house, and having buckets and fire extinguishers on hand. You could also consider setting up a sprinkler system for added protection, particularly on your roof and around outdoor areas.
Develop an Emergency Plan
Bushfires can be deadly, by creating a bushfire survival plan that includes evacuation routes and meeting points you reduce the risk of anyone in your family being injured or killed in a bushfire. Ensure that everyone in the household is familiar with the plan and rehearse it periodically. Keep an emergency kit ready with essentials like water, first aid, protective clothing, and important documents for in case you need to evacuate in a hurry.
Stay Informed
Staying informed during bushfire season saves lives, you can do this by:
- Signing up for bushfire alerts through local emergency services or apps, so you receive timely updates.
- Monitor local conditions, especially on high-risk days, and act promptly if evacuation becomes necessary.
Final Thoughts
Taking the time to prepare your property and family now can save lives and reduce damage in the event of a bushfire. A bushfire-ready home means staying vigilant, proactive, and informed, so you’re better prepared to protect what matters most. This season, make bushfire preparation a priority and give yourself peace of mind.
