Appendix F Bushfire Management Plan

     Other considerations
     There are a range of other things to be considered regardless of your decision to leave early or stay:

     ƒƒ   Firefighting equipment such as pumps, hoses and sprinkler systems should be tested regularly and
          maintained in maximum operational working condition.

     ƒƒ   Firefighters may need access to your property during a bushfire so it is in your best interests to allow
          enough space for fire trucks (4 metres wide by 4 metres high).

     ƒƒ   Your pets, livestock and other animals require proper care and attention during fires. Consider food,
          medication, transportation and sleeping arrangements for your animals.




     Myths versus Reality
      Myths                                                        Reality
      There will always be a fire truck available to fight a       Firefighters may be required to fight many fronts of a
      bushfire threatening my home.                                large fire. Fire trucks and firefighters are finite resources
                                                                   so it is important they are deployed in an appropriate
                                                                   manner to best manage the fire.
      I know the back streets in town like the back of my          If your decision in your Bushfire Survival Plan is to leave
      hand so it is OK for me to leave at the last minute.         early, then you should leave well before the fire front
                                                                   reaches your property. Irrespective of your local area
                                                                   knowledge you must stick to your plan and leave early.
                                                                   Leaving late can be fatal.
      Someone from an emergency service will knock on              Emergency services personnel may not be available to
      my door when it is time to leave.                            alert the community by door-knocking and encouraging
                                                                   you to leave. You need to monitor the bushfire alerts by
                                                                   listening to the radio, watching TV or checking the rural
                                                                   fire website. You need to be ready to leave early if your
                                                                   life or the people in your care are at risk.
      My house will not burn down because there is more   Most houses which burn down during bushfires
      than 50 metres between my home and nearby bushland. have been attacked by flying embers. Under certain
                                                          conditions embers can cause ignitions up to 20kms
                                                          in front of the main fire. A combination of your level
                                                          of preparation and your home’s construction will
                                                          determine the survivability of your home.
      I only have to clean my gutters and mow my lawns to          Fire requires fuel, heat and oxygen to occur. This means
      prepare my property for bushfire.                            that flames or embers do not necessarily rely solely
                                                                   on your gutters and lawns for fuel. They might utilise
                                                                   overhanging trees, woodpiles, old building materials
                                                                   under the deck or chemicals in the garden shed to
                                                                   sustain them. Take the time to properly prepare your
                                                                                                                                   1909QFRS0710




                                                                   whole property, which includes yourself, your house and
                                                                   your land.



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