General News
23 November, 2022
Prepare your home for summer
WHILE the fire season has been delayed due to weeks of heavy rainfall leading to flooding and high fuel loads, warmer weather is on the horizon and CFA is reminding Victorians to tidy up their properties to prepare for the increasing fire risk.
WHILE the fire season has been delayed due to weeks of heavy rainfall leading to flooding and high fuel loads, warmer weather is on the horizon and CFA is reminding Victorians to tidy up their properties to prepare for the increasing fire risk.
With the return of a La Niña weather pattern and widespread rainfall, firefighters do not expect to see the extreme fires of three years ago, however communities should not become complacent.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said CFA was preparing for this year’s fire season and was asking all Victorians to do their part by preparing their properties and fire plans.
“There are so many simple actions Victorians can take and repeat to keep their property safe from bush or grassfires,” he said.
“Most of them are basic chores such as clearing your gutters, picking up loose leaves and twigs, pruning tree branches so they aren’t overhanging the roof or touching the walls of your property, or even just keeping your lawn under 10cm tall.
“We know most of the state has experienced normal to above normal rainfall, which will lead to increased vegetation growth, so it’s important to keep maintaining your property into summer.
“It only takes one bad day to have a bad fire season so we need to stay vigilant this spring and summer.”
The message was also a timely reminder for families to sit down and make a bushfire survival plan together.
As of September 1, the new fire danger rating system changed and is now nationally consistent across every state and territory.
The system reduces the number of fire danger levels from six in the previous system, to four; Moderate, High, Extreme and Catastrophic.
Victorians can learn more about these fire danger rating system changes on the CFA website, where they can also find more information about how to make a bushfire survival plan.
Property preparation tips include:
• Move your winter woodpile away from the house or sheds;
• Prune tree branches so they are not overhanging the roof or touching walls;
• Clear gutters;
• Keep grass shorter than 10cm;
• Remove leaves and twigs from around the property;
• Prune back plants and garden beds near doors and windows;
• Test any systems that are part of your fire plan such as sprinklers, pumps and generators;
• Check that your home and contents insurance is current and includes a level of cover in line with increased building standards and regulations in bushfire risk areas;
• If you are burning off to remove green waste, register your burn-off online at Fire Permits Victoria (https://www.firepermits.vic.gov.au/); and
• Make sure your household has a Bushfire Survival Plan.