Clean up or a bushfire will do it instead
27/10/2014
Cleaning up vegetation, long grass and flammable material close to the home should be a high priority for all property owners, during the Fire Danger Season.
CFS Director Preparedness Operations Leigh Miller is warning of the potential consequences of poor property maintenance in bushfire prone areas and the potential threat to neighbouring properties.
"It's widely accepted that a well prepared home is more likely to survive a bushfire than one that hasn't been prepared," Mr Miller said.
"The most effective way to protect your home is to clear vegetation and rubbish, carefully manage trees and vegetation by keeping them at least 20 metres away and to fill gaps in the house walls and roof where embers might enter," he said.
"The installation of firefighting hoses and an external sprinkler system with an independent water supply that can be powered by a stationary engine or generator will also provide an extra shield of defence that could be used to protect a home during a bushfire."
The CFS advises that now is an ideal time to clean up flammable vegetation, undergrowth and other material near a home before a bushfire does during the Fire Danger Season.
"I encourage property owners to make mowing, slashing, pruning tree branches and removing leaves from gutters, part of their regular home maintenance routine to prepare for bushfires," Mr Miller said.
Mr Miller said that an emergency kit should also be prepared by every householder to help them survive during a bushfire and items that may be needed after the event.
"A basic kit should contain items such as a battery powered radio, spare batteries, a torch, woollen blankets, a first aid kit and emergency contact numbers," he said.
More information about an emergency kit and Bushfire Survival Plan is available on the CFS website at www.cfs.sagov.au or contact the Bushfire Information Hotline on 1300 362 361.
