Phil Glover
WE’RE being warned by the various state and federal government agencies that the fire danger levels for this season indicate we’re in for a high risk of vegetation fires, and we need to be prepared.
The combination of high rainfall and high temperatures has created high growth rates of vegetation, which will increase the fuel load around your property or rural community.
Bushfires will always occur, and the causes vary from lightning strikes, hot vehicle exhausts, unattended or abandoned campfires, human error or arson and many more, and we should take steps to mitigate the risk of a fire occurring and reduce the consequences of a fire that does occur.
If you live in a fire danger area, with trees, long grass and bush on or surrounding your property, there are some basic steps you should take to reduce the risk to your property.
As a ‘rule of thumb’ the flame height will be about twice the height of the fuel, so if you have grass and shrubs on your property which are (say) one metre high, the top of the flames will be approximately three metres high, which are bent over by the wind, and pre-heats the fuel ahead, which assists the forward rate of fire spread.
For every 10 degrees increase in slope of the land, the fire will double in intensity and forward rate of spread, and a fast running vegetation fire quickly becomes unstoppable.
A bushfire will generate its own wind currents, and depending on the fuel load and types, and the topography, the fire development and direction becomes unpredictable.
The basic things you can do to reduce the risk to your property include reducing the fuel load around your property, slash the grass, clean any vegetation out that might be growing in your house gutters that might catch fire and assist the fire to get into your roof, think about how an ember attack might impact on your property, such as setting fire to nylon shade cloth material, and put children’s plastic play areas and toys in your shed or garage.
Take your garden hose inside and remove plastic tap connections, which may melt and distort in the heat and prevent you from connecting your hose after a fire has passed through or over your property.
Liaise with your neighbours and agree on an escape plan, and an escape route, and maintain contact with your neighbours and family members. Know where your safe refuge areas are located and what safe routes there are to get there.
Have important documents in a bag or suitcase and in a place where you can grab it if you need to leave in a hurry.
Pack plenty of drinking water, medications, clothing and woollen blankets in your car.
Reverse your car into your garage or carport and have the keys in the car or on you so you don’t waste time searching for your keys.
Download the emergency warning apps on your phone and monitor them. Keep your phone fully charged.
Consider your pets or any farm animals, horses etc, who will rely on you for their survival. If possible, move your animals to a safer location while the fire danger exists.
If there is imminent danger of a wildfire impacting on your property or your community, leave early, and be mindful that the roads may be covered by debris and avoid creating a traffic hazard.
Remember that your car’s engine requires oxygen to operate, and in a severe fire situation, the fire will consume the oxygen, and your car’s engine may stop. Remember too that you require oxygen to breathe, and if the fire is so intense that your car engine stops, due to a lack of oxygen, you will probably be unable to function too. That situation occurred during the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires in Victoria.
Seek advice from your local fire brigade, and make sure the access onto your property is adequate for a fire appliance or other emergency vehicles to safely drive onto your property.
Remember that in a serious fire event, all emergency agencies will be fully committed, and its unlikely that you’ll get any immediate assistance, so plan to rely on your own resources for some time.
A large bushfire in rural areas can produce an ember attack on towns some distance away, so a bushfire is not just a threat to the rural area, it can impact on towns and even cities.
About the author: Phil Glover is a veteran of a 40 year fire service career, with 35 years served in New Zealand and five years in Victoria.
During his five-year deployment with CFA, Glover was the Officer In Charge of the Morwell Fire Brigade, Regional Operations Officer and Gippsland Area Fire Investigation Coordinator.
