Home > Get Ready Challenge > Stage Five
The most powerful thing you can do against bushfire is to reduce the amount of fuel for a fire to burn. This ten-minute household task could save you precious time – maybe your home too – in a bush fire.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it
Make a checklist of ALL the trouble spots around your place.
No, it’s not that much of a mission really. But for this task you’ll want to take note of ALL the nooks, crannies and hidey-holes where leaves, bark, and other flammable bits like to collect.
Every house has them, so take a slow lap of your home and note them down as you go. Clipboard optional (but recommended if you want to look extra official).
You’ll thank yourself later and feel like a legend because:
- You can easily monitor them as part of your regular yard chores.
- You’ve got a ready-made checklist for action on a high fire danger day.
- If you’re staying to defend, it helps you focus and stay calm instead of running around in a panic.
- Once the fire front passes you’ve got a reminder of where to check for embers.
Cheat sheet
Common ignition mission trouble spots include:
- Roof joins and gables
- Behind water tanks
- Carports
- Under the deck
- Hedges and garden beds up against the house
- Awkward little corner nooks.
Make sure any access points into your roof cavity and under the house are clear at all times. Keep a sturdy ladder somewhere handy so you’re not searching for it when seconds count.
Bonus points:
Stick your Ignition Mission list on the fridge. During bush fire season, do a quick check of your trouble spots every week, especially after windy days when debris builds up fast.
This message may or may not self destruct in five seconds. But if it does, you’ll be ready.