The following actions will help you to protect your home from the risk of wildfire:
- Prevent embers from entering your roof space by repairing/replacing any loose or broken tiles.
- Identify ember traps around your home – places where dead leaves collect naturally (examples include gutters and roof valleys) – and clear them regularly.
- Identify any gaps in soffits/cladding around the roof area and use wire mesh to screen them – this retains ventilation but helps to prevent embers from getting in. You must get advice before doing this if you suspect bats are present.
- Move any flammable material away from external house walls, such as leaves, compost heaps and log piles.
- Make sure that your home’s name or number is clearly visible from the road – this will help the emergency services to locate you should a fire occur.
- Avoid parking on or next to any fire hydrants – these are clearly identifiable with a yellow ‘H’ plate.
Make sure you have an evacuation plan – does everyone in the family know what to do if there is a fire, and what would you take if you have to leave? What would be on your list of essentials? We would suggest:
- Valuables
- Medication
- Money
- Clothing
- Food
- Pets
- Mobile phone and charger
- Essential documents – insurance policies, passports etc (have photographs of them as well on your phone as a back-up)
- List of essential phone numbers