[Jan Fisher]

A fire ripped through eastern Victoria this week and it’s not even summer.

Two years of high rainfalls means there’s going to be a lot of fuel for fires this year.

I was in regional Victoria during the last serious bushfire outbreak when much of the eastern seaboard was on fire. I thought it was a late fog until I opened the door and realised it was smoke and we were nowhere near any fires.

I think the best advice I have seen about bushfires is unless you have supreme confidence in your firefighting abilities, leave early. Many people have died trying to outrun the firefront, only to become panicked and make poor decisions.

Consider others will also be leaving the area and try and find alternative routes just in case you need them.

But sometimes that’s not always possible. I know of one family in the black Saturday fires who were lucky to escape with their life. They believed they were not in the path of the fire and had shut all the curtains and put the air-con on, only to find the back of their house was in fire from drifting embers.

If you choose to stay, or have to stay, there’s some great advice here.

And for those wanting to help after fires, wait until communications are open and only donate what is needed.

After the black Saturday fires, helpers on the ground were inundated with useless ‘donations’ that had to be disposed of. Second-hand knickers are no use to anyone.

Too many people said they should be grateful for anything they get. No, they should be offered some dignity at possibly the worst time of their life.

Are you in a bushfire-prone area? Do you have a fire plan?

[Cosmo]

The advice in the “if you decide to stay” attachment is very good and worth reading whatever your intentions.

I would not presume to advise anyone whether they should leave early or stay but sometimes the fire can arrive so quickly that you have little choice but to stay. Many cases where people who have stayed and were moderately prepared have saved their homes when neighbours who were absent sadly lost theirs.

I believe it’s worth preparing for both situations because you don’t know what conditions will eventuate. Embers can travel several km and start a localised fire far from the main blaze.

From experience many people don’t have a serviceable hose or a hose tap that works so check and fix in good time. Remember that while you may be near but not be directly hit by a fire, your whole area may be without power for days afterwards. Mobile phones and even water and sewerage systems may be affected and your local super won’t have fresh food without power so at the very least it’s worth being prepared to be be self supportive for at least a few days. The common advice of having a battery radio and torches preferably working from the same battery size is not so commonly followed.

[Author]

Posts