Fire Action Week – Prepare. Act. Survive
The 19th October to 25th October is Fire Action Week, and we are urging all Victorians to prepare themselves and their properties for this year’s bushfire season.
Any bushfire season in Victoria has the potential to be a bad one and communities can’t be complacent.
With above average rain fall forecast from now to December, this year’s fire season has the potential to be a grassfire-dominated season, with shorter-duration fires in grass and dry forests during hotter and windier days.
A big clean-up before the fire season can make a huge difference to the safety and survival of your home in a bushfire.
Make sure you’re ready for the upcoming bushfire season, by:
- Moving furniture, woodpiles and mulch away from windows, decks and eaves
- Pruning tree branches so they are not overhanging on the roof or touching walls
- Keeping grass shorter than 10cm. Regularly remove leaves and twigs
- Not having plants higher than 10cm in front of windows or glass doors
- Making sure you remove all flammable items from around your home before you leave. Houses have been lost to embers landing on a doormat
- Checking that your home and contents insurance is current and includes a level of cover in line with current building standards and regulations.
Fire Action Week is also a great reminder for all of us to get a better understanding of our fire risk and what to do about it.
Plan for all situations by talking to your family and friends about your triggers to leave, where you’ll go and how you’ll get there. Get into the habit of checking Fire Danger Ratings on the VicEmergency website or app daily to understand the fire risk in your area.
It’s up to all of us to stay informed by using more than one source of information, understanding the three levels of warnings, what they mean and what you should do. Visit https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about/fire-action-week-2020 for more information about bushfire planning, preparation, and about leaving early.
Garry Cook
Acting Chief Officer CFA
