Home > Get Ready Challenge > Stage Five
Making Your Place Bush Fire Ready
There are many simple changes you can make to your garden and buildings that greatly increase their chances of withstanding a bushfire
In this article we’ll cover
- a checklist of home improvements to make your castle easier to defend
- why firefighters have to make hard choices about which house to try to protect
- useful online resources to help you plan hazard reduction around your house
The right improvements for your place will depend on your location and the type of structures you have. We offer a free local property assessment service and can give you tailored advice – just get in touch with the brigade to find out more.
Home Evaluation Checklist
These suggestions are drawn from a range of sources. Not every upgrade will suit every home or every budget, so pick what works for you and add your own ideas as you go.
Grab your trusty clipboard (a clipboard always makes you look extra important) and start writing up your own list of fire-proofing home improvement goals.
House & Building
- Install metal gutter guards.
- Fit metal mesh fly screens on windows and doors.
- Consider shutters or removable screens for glass doors and windows.
- Check your roof, cladding and external walls regularly – patch cracks and repair missing tiles.
- Seal gaps around doors and windows.
- Enclose under-house areas and cover ventilation gaps with fine metal mesh.
Water & Sprinklers
- Add a water tank with a diesel or petrol pump.
- Attach a sprinkler system to gutters.
- If you have a pool, large tank or dam, put a Static Water Supply (SWS) sign at your property entrance.
Around the Home
- Lay gravel, paving or concrete paths as a fire break around the house and keep them clear of weeds and leaves.
- Clear vegetation from underneath decks.
- Choose non-combustible door mats and outdoor furniture (store cushions inside).
- Keep a set of hoses long enough to reach every external wall of the house; unhook and keep them inside when not in use.
- Collect tools to defend your home: protective clothing, mop, buckets, ladders.
Gas & BBQ Safety
- Make sure LPG cylinders are accessible, upright, well maintained, and that safety vents point away from the house and any combustibles.
- Keep BBQ gas bottles safely upright and away from flammable materials.
Garden & Fencing
- Plant trees and shrubs thoughtfully to slow flame spread. Select less flammable species (insert fact sheet link).
- Choose non-combustible fences. They withstand heat best and may act as a shield. (Brushwood fences give firefighters nightmares.)
Hard Truths About Fire Trucks
You may have heard the myth that in there will always be a fire truck to defend your house. Unfortunately it’s just not possible for our trucks to be everywhere in a large and fast moving bush fire event.
Some homes are so poorly prepared they are simply undefendable under certain fire conditions. Firefighters often have to make a difficult choice between which houses can be defended and which are simply too difficult or may be unsafe.
The good news is that every small improvement helps. Preparing your home and garden now gives your home the best chance of making it through a fire, with or without someone being there to defend it.
If you’ve made it this far through the Get Ready Challenge, you’ve already improved your house’s odds!
More Resources
Bush Fire Household Assessment Tool
An in-depth guided online tool to assess your risk level and help you decide whether to leave early or stay and defend.
The 10/50 Rule Tool
In some bushfire-prone areas, homeowners may remove certain trees without council approval. Find out if your property qualifies using the RFS 10/50 tool
Planning for Bush Fire Protection (PBP)
The official guide for new builds and renovations, informing codes and legislation. This is updated periodically, the most recent guide being released in 2019.