How to get ready for bushfire season

Bushfires are frightening. It's hard to think clearly and make decisions that could save your life when you are faced with smoke and flames.

Here's what to do to get ready for bushfire season, whether you live on the coast, on the urban fringe or in the bush.

Before a bushfire

• Make a plan — Talk with your household about what you will do if there's a fire in your area, and make a written plan. You should make decisions like where you will go and what your trigger to leave will be. NSW RFS have created this guide to help you easily make a personalised plan. Put it somewhere everyone can see.
• Fire danger ratings — Know what each fire danger rating means and use them as your sign to stay or leave. Never wait and see. On days forecast for catastrophic or extreme fire danger, your safest option is to leave early, either the day before, or very early in the morning.
• Australian Warning System (AWS) — There are three levels of warnings for bushfires across Australia: an Advice warning, a Watch and Act warning and an Emergency warning. Each one will have a call to action such as "prepare to leave" or "leave now" when issued. Familiarise yourself with the bushfire warning system and know what you will do for each warning level. 
• Be ready to track fires near you — Bookmark your state's bushfire map and the ABC Emergency incident map.
• Know your 'Safer Place' — If you live in or intend to travel to a high-risk bushfire area, know the location of your nearest Neighbourhood Safer Place, meeting point or evacuation centre and how to get there. Neighbourhood Safer Places are places of last resort; they may save your life, but they do not guarantee safety. Find them on your state or territory fire agency's website (links below) or put "Neighbourhood Safer Places" into your search engine.
• Protect the vulnerable — Make a plan to move elderly family members, children and animals away from danger as early as possible, well before a fire arrives. If you have friends or family members living with disability, you will need to make a plan with them about their trigger to leave, where they will go, assistance they'll need and what they will need to take. Write the plan down and include contact numbers for medical professionals, medication needs and other medical aids. 
• Tell someone about your plan — Always share your plan with family and friends. Talk about your plans to stay or go and your planned route and destination.
• Prepare your survival kit — Be sure your bushfire survival kit is ready and you know where it is.
• Stay informed — Find the frequency of your local ABC Radio station, bookmark the link to listen to ABC Radio online, and follow your local ABC on Facebook. Check with your state or territory's emergency services and the ABC Emergency website for warnings during a fire, and follow ABC Emergency on Facebook and Twitter.
• What if something goes wrong? — Have a back-up plan. It will help keep you calm and increase your chances of survival. You need another option in case you can't leave when you thought you could, or the route you wanted to take is blocked, or if you need to escape a burning house. Know where you will shelter if it's not safe to leave.

Preparing to leave early

Leaving early is your safest choice. A well-prepared home has a better chance of withstanding a bushfire, even if you decide to leave well before the fire arrives. 

Before bushfire season begins

• Know your risk. Are you in an area likely to have bushfires?
• Check for specific advice from your local fire service (links below).
• Clear plants, long grass and flammable things from around your house.
• Clear your gutters.
• Make sure you have a sturdy hose and water supply.

Things to do before you go when leaving early

• Close all doors and windows.
• Fill sinks with water.
• Move doormats and outdoor furniture away from the house.
• Block the downpipes and partially fill the gutters with water.
• Turn off the mains gas supply.

When it is time to leave

• Wear protective clothing to shield you from deadly radiant heat.
• Identify several ways out so you can leave safely if your planned route is blocked.
• Pack food, water, woollen blankets, your emergency plan and contacts list and your survival kit in your car.
• Remember to pack for your pets.
• Move stock or large animals to a well-grazed area around your home that is sheltered from wind.
• Leave the front gate open.

Preparing to stay and defend

Only plan to stay if you are well prepared. Defending your home can be physically and mentally demanding, even for trained firefighters. 

If you're not prepared or you are not sure, you should leave early

• Know when to leave — You should not stay and defend your home if it's a catastrophic fire danger rating day.
• Make sure you are able — Defending your home requires at least two able-bodied, fit and determined adults.
• Know what you will do — Everyone should know exactly what to do when there is a fire.
• Prepare your property — Follow a guide like this one from NSW RFS or the fire and emergency services agency in your state or territory.
• Ask advice — Contact your state's fire authority (links below) and ask for a fire risk assessment or advice.
• Be fully equipped — 10,000 litres of water for firefighting purposes is recommended, as well as a firefighting pump and hoses.
• Listen to ABC Radio — You should also have a water sprayer, bucket, mop, shovel, torch and battery-powered radio tuned to your local ABC Radio station.

Protecting yourself

• Wear protective clothing — Have the right protective clothing ready if you're planning to stay and defend. Long trousers like jeans, sturdy boots and a long-sleeved cotton shirt are the bare minimum.
• Wear natural fibres — Radiant heat is the biggest killer in a fire, and synthetic clothing can melt onto your skin.
• Don't rely on mains water for drinking — Your usual water supply could become contaminated so be prepared with bottled water. Plan to drink plenty of water so you don't dehydrate.

Seeking shelter

• Be aware of the risk — If you plan to stay, be aware that when the fire arrives it will be very hot, loud and dark.
• Choose the room you will shelter in — It should be on the opposite side of the house from the approaching fire and have a clear exit out of the house.
• Children should be kept well away from the threat — They may be frightened and behave in unexpected ways.
• Keep your pets safe — If you're staying, know which room you will lock them in, like a toilet or laundry, and ensure they have access to plenty of water.

Have a back-up plan

• Even if you choose to stay and defend, and you are well prepared, things can go wrong so you must have a back-up plan for leaving if it is safe to do so.

Make a plan for your animals

Planning for pets and animals is an important part of your household's bushfire preparations. Take early action to protect or relocate them somewhere safe. Here are some things to think about while you're making and following your plan.

• Register your pets — Make sure your pets are properly registered, keep track of vaccination and registration documents and keep photos of your pets handy in case they get lost.
• Pack for your pets — If you have to evacuate, make sure you have all the things your pets might need, from food and water to medication and important documents. Also, bring any specialised animal equipment (e.g. blinkers for horses or a muzzle if your dog needs it).
• Ensure your pet is secure — Put leads on dogs, cats in carriers and consider moving animals like fish or birds to smaller tanks or cages for easier transport.
• Prepare earlier for large animals — Have a plan for livestock. Know what you will do with cattle, sheep and other large animals well before fire season starts. Horses will need to be evacuated well before the emergency situation occurs. Check warnings regularly and make note of where the fire is in relation to your property and how it might affect access.
• Moving your animals — Consider where you will move livestock if you need to evacuate. Can you leave any pets with friends or family? You can also consider informal agreements with people in your animal networks (e.g. pony clubs or dog breeding groups).
• Create a safe paddock or refuge — If you can't move your animals easily, you can make a safe place for them if there's a fire. Heavily graze or plough a paddock, remove trees likely to burn as well as anything that could burn or entangle your animals. Have a number of strong water troughs and firebreaks at least 6m wide. Have low hedges that won't burn, build walls and or create earth banks as protection from radiant heat.