Be fire ready

Victoria is one of the most fire-prone regions in the world. In preparation for Summer, the CFA has produced a FireReady Kit to help you understand your bushfire risk, prepare your property and develop a Bushfire Survival Plan based on your decision to leave early or to actively defend your property.

For more information, contact the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667.

High-risk bushfire areas

• These include heavily forested areas, thick bush or long, dry grass, coastal areas with lots of scrub.
• Fires can occur where suburbs meet the bush, in urban areas where houses have grassland or bush around them, and in rural and remote areas.
• Coastal scrub is a high fire risk as it burns very hot and fast.

Fire facts

• Every fire is different and creates its own set of particular fire hazards. Common to all fires are their erratic nature, flames, radiant heat and embers, which can start fires many kilometres ahead of main fire front.
• Speed – Fires can spread in bursts as fast as 60kmh in grassland and 40kmh in a forest in extreme bushfire conditions.
• Flames – Flames can reach more than 100 m in height and exceed temperatures of 1000°C in extreme bushfire conditions.
• Embers – Embers during the Black Saturday fires travelled as far as 35 km ahead of the fire front. Eighty-five per cent of houses lost during a fire succumb to ember attacks. 
• Radiant heat – Radiant heat is the heat you feel from a radiator heater, but can be 50,000 times more intense in a major bushfire. You cannot see radiant heat but it can ignite fuel and other combustible material ahead of a fire, without flame contact. It is the biggest killer in bushfires, causing death from heatstroke. However, a solid structure or building can block radiant heat and provide some protection.

Forest or coastal areas

• A forest fire will be very hot yet may not move quickly. Fires in coastal scrub also burn very hot and do not move as fast as a grass fire.
• However, the rate and intensity of a fire depends on the amount, type and moisture content of the vegetation. Grass, leaves and twigs, shrubs, trees and bark are all fire fuel. Houses are also fuel for a fire. The more fuel there is, the more ferocious the fire.

Grassland

• Grass fires are forecast for the fire season with fuel loads at their highest level following heavy rains. Townships, suburbs and farms surrounded by grassland are vulnerable to fire. Grass dries out much more quickly than bush or scrub and can ignite earlier in the day. These fires travel along the ground with great speed, consuming grass, crops and stubble.
• Extreme weather, terrain and vegetation all affect the intensity and spread of grass fires.
• Terrain – Fires move much faster uphill because the flames can reach more unburnt fuel in front of the fire. As the heat rises, it dehydrates the fuel ahead and makes it more combustible. The rate of fire spread uphill doubles for every 10 degree of slope.
• Vegetation – The rate and intensity of a fire depends on the amount, type and moisture content of the vegetation. Grass, leaves and twigs, shrubs, trees and bark are all fire fuel. The more fuel there is, the more ferocious the fire. A forest fire will be very hot yet may not move quickly. Fires in coastal scrub also burn very hot and do not move as fast as a grass fire.
• Wind – Sudden and unexpected changes in wind can be dangerous and life-threatening during a fire. A fire driven by a northerly wind will change direction when a south-westerly change creating another  fire front from what was previously the side of the fire. Strong winds can lift roofs and break windows, allowing embers to enter and start fires in houses.

Bushfire Survival Plan

• Being prepared and having a Bushfire Survival Plan will improve your chances of survival during a fire.
• You need a Bushfire Survival Plan if you live, visit or holiday in high-risk bushfire areas.
• Consider relocating children, the elderly, people with illness or disability, pets and livestock before fire threatens your area.
• Fires are erratic and can occur at unexpected times so it’s important to plan for different scenarios, such as on a work day, during school holidays or at a social function. 
• Plan with your neighbours and family, talk to your local brigade, attend a CFA FireReady meeting or join a Community Fireguard group for more information.
  Find out your community’s Township Protection Plan if you live in one of the 52 areas most at risk in Victoria. They contain important fire and emergency information and help residents identify and reduce their risks.

Prepare your property

• Prepare your property even if you plan to leave early on days of dangerous fire conditions.
• Clearing up and planning ahead will help protect your home from fire.
• Keep grass under 10cm high and shrubs short, trim any over-hanging branches near your roof and keep gutters clear of leaves.
• The CFA has a Household Bushfire Self-Assessment Tool to help you identify the amount of cleared space your property requires for better protection during a fire.

Warnings

• For alerts and warnings, visit the CFA website, tune into ABC local radio, commercial radio stations or Sky News TV, or call the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667.
• Be aware of warnings for surrounding towns in case your suburb or town is not mentioned.
• There are three alert levels in Victoria, each increasing in importance – they are Advice, Watch and Act, and Emergency Warning. This information will be available on the CFA and DSE websites or via the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667.
• Emergency Alert telephone warnings may be sent to your mobile and landline phone based on your billing address.
• Fires can quickly become life threatening and you may not receive a warning.
• You should not wait to receive a warning to leave. Once a fire is in your area, it may become difficult to leave because road conditions will be dangerous. There may be road closures, smoke, fallen trees and powerlines and embers.

Page last updated: 18 Feb 2011