Preparing for bushfire season: 7 essential jobs to secure your home
Preparing Your Home for Bushfire Season: A Guide for Victorian Property Owners
As bushfire season approaches, property owners living near bushland, forests, grasslands, or the coast in Victoria are encouraged to take proactive measures to protect their homes. The Country Fire Authority (CFA) and RACV have provided valuable advice to help residents prepare their properties effectively.
According to the CFA, it is crucial to monitor local fire danger warnings and take necessary precautions. This includes removing flammable materials such as dry leaves and long grass, clearing gutters, and trimming trees. It is also essential to ensure garden beds and lawns are well-watered and maintained [1].
In addition to these steps, homeowners should also focus on maintaining reliable water supplies, such as tanks or hoses, and assembling emergency equipment. The RACV emphasizes the importance of community awareness and support for bushfire preparedness measures [1][2].
A detailed step-by-step checklist may be lacking, but the CFA's strategy involves preparing adequate firebreaks, removing combustible debris, securing all roofing, vents, and openings, having an evacuation plan, and coordinating with neighbours and local fire authorities for community safety [1].
To further enhance your property's defence against bushfires, consider the following recommendations:
- Replace combustible door sills with non-combustible products.
- Use fire-retardant products to seal gaps around window frames and install shutters to protect windows from cracking from flying embers.
- Keep grass short, especially during bushfire season, and maintain the area around your property to keep it free of excess vegetation and debris.
- Prune tree branches to ensure they are not overhanging the roof or touching walls.
- Install metal screen doors over timber doors to reduce the chance of fire embers igniting the door.
Home maintenance and preparation can help reduce the risk of damage to properties from bushfires. Gaps in the roof can be sealed with compressed mineral wool insulation, and window sills should be maintained so there is no flaking paint, as this is a combustible material that embers may ignite on. Window fittings should be checked for damage and gaps to help protect homes from smoke seeping in [1].
For added protection, seal the gaps around the door frame to prevent embers entering. It is recommended to download the VicEmergency app and set up watch zones for real-time emergency information and warnings [1].
Regularly test equipment like sprinklers, pumps, and generators that are part of your bushfire safety plan. Ideally, gutters should be cleaned by a trained professional at least twice a year, especially before summer. When cleaning gutters, take necessary safety precautions such as the use of gloves and non-slip shoes, as working at height on a ladder can be risky [1].
Trimming your hedges is an effective way to help prepare your property for bushfire season. By following these recommendations, you can significantly reduce the risk of damage to your property from bushfires.
[1] Country Fire Authority. (n.d.). Bushfire Survival Plan. Retrieved from https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/bushfire-survival-plan/
[2] RACV. (n.d.). Bushfire Survival Plan. Retrieved from https://www.racv.com.au/bushfire-survival-plan/
- To bolster your home's resilience against bushfires, consider implementing strategies such as replacing combustible door sills with non-combustible materials, using fire-retardant products to seal gaps around window frames, and pruning tree branches to prevent overhanging the roof or touching walls.
- In addition to traditional bushfire prevention methods, homeowners should also consider home improvement practices such as sealing gaps around the door frame, maintaining garden beds and lawns during bushfire season, and installing metal screen doors over timber doors to reduce the chance of fire embers igniting.
