Plan for higher risks this bushfire season

Having a properly thought-out safety plan will help save lives, and homes, in the event of a bushfire emergency. 

SA Country Fire Service (CFS) regional prevention officer Tammy Heinrich, who works across the Riverland and Mallee, said clearing your property of all materials that could pose a bushfire risk should be a priority. 

“It’s important to be prepared as best as possible every season,” Tammy said. 

“This can be done by maintaining a defendable space around your home by managing the vegetation on your property, or clearing other materials and equipment.

“If you haven’t started preparing your property, it can seem like a big task. But you can break it into smaller tasks.” 

That can involve clearing gutters, mowing lawns, slashing grasses and removing all the flammable material close to your home, such as wood piles, fallen branches and other debris like bark and litter. Tammy said forecast conditions for a dry summer would “elevate the bushfire risk”. 

“We’re expecting a warm and dry season,” she said. 

“Fuel loads across the region are high, and the vegetation could become a hazard if a fire does start.” 

Tammy said all family members should be aware of what to do in a bushfire emergency. 

“Refer to the CFS website cfs.sa.gov.au for all the information you might need regarding Fire Ban Districts, Fire Danger Season dates and Total Fire Ban days,” she said. 

“Having a bushfire plan, including where people will go, what they will need, and what they will take, is important.  

“This could be a 5 Minute Bushfire Plan, which is available on the CFS website, or something more in depth. 

“Practice that plan, communicate it, and empower young people to understand what your plans are if a fire was to start.”