ARE YOU PREPARED FOR BUSH FIRE SEASON?
With Troy our Property Manager and local Auxiliary Fire Fighter just returning from fighting huge fires around the South Burnett region, as well as an already busy fire season here on the Capricorn Cost, (we are sure you have seen the smoke), now is a timely reminder to make sure you are prepared for fire season.
If you live in a bushfire-prone area, here are some things you should do every year to prepare your home for bushfire season—as well as some tips for when fires occur.
Before bushfire season
- Ensure your house number is clearly displayed (for emergency service crews)
- Mow your lawn regularly
- Remove excess combustible material (e.g. dry grass, dead leaves and branches) from your yard
- Move any flammable items such as wood piles, paper, boxes, crates and garden furniture well away from the house
- Trim low-lying branches (those under 2m in height)
- Keep gutters clear of leaf litter
- Buy and test gutter plugs
- Enclose open areas under decks and verandas
- Install fine steel wire mesh screens on all windows and doors
- Make sure any LPG cylinders are upright and relief valves are pointed away from the house
- Check that pumps, generators and water systems are working
- Replace any damaged roofing and seal any gaps
- Check that your first-aid kit is fully stocked.
When a fire front is approaching
- Block drain pipes with gutter pugs and fill gutters with water
- Remove outdoor furniture, door mats and other items
- Move your car to a safe location
- Hose down verandas and vegetation near the house
- Turn on sprinklers in the garden
- Take down curtains and move furniture away from windows
- Fill containers with water, including the bath, sinks, buckets and wheelie bins
- Soak towels and place under external doors
- Have ladders ready for roof access (inside and outside)
- Have a generator and pump ready
- Prepare livestock and pets
- Stay close to the house
- Drink plenty of water
- Patrol your home for spot fires and extinguish them.
Follow this link for more information https://www.qld.gov.au/emergency/safety/prepare-home.html
