Bushfire safety

Bushfires are a natural and unavoidable occurrence in most areas of Australia and can pose considerable danger to lives and property in farming districts. Most farmers are familiar with these dangers, and many are involved as volunteers in emergency service provision such as firefighting and fire preparedness/education roles in their rural communities.  

For those farmers who are less familiar with managing, mitigating and responding to fire risks, the information below provides a snapshot of current information. 

Be prepared for fire 

Fire management planning on farms involves protecting both assets and people. Farmers and landowners in bushfire risk areas have a particular responsibility to prepare thoroughly for bushfire.

Having a written plan is the best way to do this. All family and farm staff should be involved in the development of your fire preparedness plan and be familiar with its contents through regular review and discussion prior to each fire season. It should be easy to find and include property maps and an action plan (or bushfire survival plan) for high risk days.

Resources and checklists to help prepare your plan are available through state government emergency service and agriculture department websites. 

Know the seasonal restrictions and fire danger ratings  

The Fire Danger Period is declared for each municipality during periods of increased fire risk. 

Total Fire Bans are declared on days when fires are likely to spread rapidly and be difficult to control. Many farm activities should be avoided because the risk of starting fires is extremely high and the impact of fire on these days is likely to be greater. Find out what farm activities are restricted during the declared Fire Danger Period, and on days of Total Fire Ban. 

Fire Danger Ratings are shown in the same way across all of Australia. They indicate how dangerous a fire could be if one started. This helps you to decide what actions to take to protect yourself and your family. 

There are four levels of fire danger:  

• Moderate – Plan and prepare. 
• High – Be ready to act. 
• Extreme – Take action now to protect your life and property. 
• Catastrophic – For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas. 

Make sure you understand the fire danger and warnings and stay informed.  

On a catastrophic fire danger day in a bushfire risk area, you should stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before. Homes cannot withstand fires in these conditions. Later in the day you may not be able to leave, and help may not be available. 

On an extreme fire danger day in a bushfire risk area, fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous. You should take action to protect life and property. If a fire starts, take immediate action. Unless you and your property are prepared to the highest level, go to a safer location well before the fire impacts. Avoid travel through bushfire risk areas. 

On a high fire danger day in a bushfire risk area, fires can be dangerous, so you should be informed and ready to act due to the heightened risk. Decide what you will do if a fire starts. 

On a moderate fire danger day, most fires can be controlled. You should plan and prepare and stay up to date. Be ready to act if there is a fire. 

If there is no fire rating, this does not mean that fires could not happen, but that they would be unlikely to behave in ways that threatens the safety of the community. 

Stay informed to make good decisions 

Listen to emergency broadcasters, like local ABC radio, and monitor your state/territory emergency website and/or associated apps on your smartphone.

The Australian Warning System has three levels of warning that will be given if there is a fire in your area. Each warning level has a set of action statements to give the community clear advice about what to do. 

• Advice (yellow) – There is a hazard in your area. There is no immediate danger. Stay informed, the situation could change. 
• Watch and Act (orange) – There is a threat to lives and properties. Conditions are changing. Take action to protect yourself and your family. 
• Emergency warning (red) – This is the highest warning level. You are in danger. Take action immediately. Any delay will put your life at risk. 

Wear appropriate clothes if you are likely to be exposed to fire 

Cover all exposed skin and wear:

• Natural fibres and materials.
• Long-sleeved, collared, cotton or wool shirts, long cotton or wool trousers, jeans or overalls.
• Sturdy leather shoes or boots, cotton or wool socks.
• A wide-brimmed cotton hat.
• Thick leather or cotton gloves.
• Safety goggles or safety glasses. 

Send children to safety early if you plan to stay

If you plan to stay, it’s better to send your children to stay with family or friends in an area away from bushfire risk. Reassure them that you will stay in touch. Children, while they may appear to cope with stress, often have traumatic reactions, like nightmares and behaviour problems for a long time after the crisis.

Listen to emergency broadcasters, like local ABC radio, but be aware that on high fire danger days you may not receive a warning about an encroaching bushfire.

Contact local fire authorities

Always refer to your state fire authority for further information about bushfire safety:

• New South Wales – nsw.gov.au
• Northern Territory – nt.gov.au
• Queensland – qld.gov.au
• South Australia – cfs.sa.gov.au
• Tasmania – tas.gov.au
• Victoria – vic.gov.au
• Western Australia – wa.gov.au

For information about safe return to your farm property after fire impact and farmer wellbeing during the following weeks and months please refer to NCFH fact sheets on these topics.

Fast facts:

• Decide on your bushfire plan before the start of the fire season and complete a Bushfire Survival Planning Template.
• Make sure everyone on the farm, including farm workers and contractors, understands the Bushfire Survival plan.
• Understand what the warning codes mean and what actions your state/territory fire authority recommends for you to do for each code.
• Listen to emergency broadcasters for updates, but be aware that on high fire danger days you may not receive a warning about an encroaching bushfire.
• Ensure you have downloaded the emergency management app for your state/territory on your smartphone.