⚠️ The Most Important Message in This Guide
Leaving early is the safest option. Every Australian fire agency agrees on this. A home can be rebuilt. You cannot be replaced. If in doubt about whether to stay or go — leave early, before conditions deteriorate. Do not wait to see smoke or flames.
Understanding Australia's Wildfire Risk
Australia's bushfire history is shaped by a continent that evolved with fire — and a climate that is intensifying those fires with every passing decade. The Black Summer of 2019–20 shocked the world: 18 million hectares burned, over 3,000 homes destroyed, 33 lives lost directly (with an estimated 400 additional deaths from smoke exposure), and a billion animals killed.
Climate modelling consistently projects that fire weather conditions in Australia will become more frequent, more intense, and occur across a longer season. The 2019–20 fires occurred under conditions that were previously expected to happen once per century — conditions that models suggest will become far more common by mid-century.
This is not cause for despair — it is cause for preparation. Australian households in or near fire-prone areas have significant agency in how they prepare. Homes with well-maintained defendable space, sealed building envelopes, water supplies, and occupants with a clear plan survive at dramatically higher rates than unprepared homes. Families with a clear evacuation plan and the discipline to leave early are the ones who survive.
Understanding Fire Danger Ratings
Australia's national fire danger rating system gives communities advance warning of fire conditions. Understanding what each rating means — and what action it should trigger — is fundamental to effective preparedness.
Your Bushfire Survival Plan — The Non-Negotiables
Every household in a bushfire-prone area needs a written Bushfire Survival Plan. This is not a bureaucratic exercise — it is the difference between a clear-headed, decisive response during an emergency and a panicked, reactive one. A plan made under stress is a bad plan. A plan made calmly in advance is a good one.
Your plan must address three key questions:
- Will you leave early or stay to defend? Most Australian fire agencies recommend leaving early for the vast majority of households. Staying to defend is only appropriate for: a well-constructed, well-maintained, well-prepared home; an owner who is physically capable and trained; who has adequate water and a plan; and who has made this decision clearly in advance — not under duress on the day.
- If leaving, when are your trigger points? What specific conditions, warnings or ratings will cause you to leave? Define this in advance: "We leave when a Watch and Act is issued for our area" or "We leave on any Extreme or Catastrophic forecast day before fire season."
- Where will you go? Have two destinations (in case your primary route is blocked). Know the routes. Have a contact person who knows your plan.
Home Hardening — Making Your Property More Fire-Resilient
A significant proportion of homes that are lost in bushfires are lost not to direct flame contact, but to ember attack — burning embers carried kilometres ahead of a fire front that land on or around a house and ignite secondary fires. Understanding this changes how you think about home preparation.
Gutters and Roof
Gutters full of dry leaf litter are among the most common entry points for ember ignition. Clean all gutters before fire season and after any significant wind events. Install ember-resistant gutter guards. Inspect your roof for gaps, damaged tiles and penetrations where embers could lodge.
Vents and Subfloor
Gaps under doors, in subfloor vents, and around pipe penetrations allow embers to enter the building. Install 2mm metal mesh over all subfloor and roof ventilation openings. Seal gaps around water pipes, electrical conduits and air conditioning units with fire-resistant sealant.
Decks and Outdoor Storage
Timber decks attached to the house create a fire pathway directly to the structure. Remove all flammable items (doormats, outdoor furniture, potted plants, stored timber) from decks and areas immediately adjacent to the house before a fire threat. This is a task for the morning of an elevated fire danger day.
Defendable Space — Vegetation Management
The area immediately around your home dramatically influences fire impact. A well-maintained defendable space reduces heat, ember load and direct flame contact reaching the structure. General guidelines (verify with your state's specific requirements):
- Zone 1 (0–10m from house): Low-growing, moisture-retaining plants only. Remove all dry vegetation, fallen leaves and bark. No wood piles. Ground clear around the base of the house.
- Zone 2 (10–30m from house): Maintain low fuel load. Trees pruned to 2m+ of canopy clearance. Grass mowed short. Shrubs thinned and spaced to reduce fuel continuity.
- Zone 3 (30m+): Reduce total fuel load where possible; not always feasible with natural bushland but important on large rural properties.
Water Supply
If you are planning to defend your property, an independent water supply is essential. Mains water pressure often fails during emergencies due to high demand and power outages. A minimum of 10,000 litres in a dedicated fire fighting tank, with a petrol-powered pump and sufficient hose to reach all sides of the building, represents the minimum standard for a defending household.
Emergency Kit — What to Pack for Bushfire
✅ 72-Hour Emergency Kit Checklist
Pre-Packed Emergency Kits
Ready-made emergency kits designed to support a household for 72 hours. A good starting point before customising for your family's specific needs.
Shop Emergency Kits →Interconnected Smoke Alarms
When one alarm sounds, all alarms sound throughout the house. Photoelectric technology recommended for Australian homes — most effective for smouldering fires.
Shop Smoke Alarms →Fire Extinguishers
ABE dry powder extinguisher for general use. Wet chemical for kitchens. Every home in a fire-prone area should have at least one accessible, serviced extinguisher.
Shop Extinguishers →If You Can't Leave — What to Do
Despite every preparedness effort, some people will be caught by a fire unexpectedly — on the road, in an area cut off before they can leave, or in a situation where leaving suddenly becomes more dangerous than staying. Understanding survival principles in this scenario can save lives.
- Get inside a solid building immediately. The most important thing is to be inside a solid structure when the fire front passes. Do not shelter in a caravan, tent or shed.
- Seal the building. Close all windows and doors. Plug gaps under doors with wet towels. This reduces ember entry and toxic smoke intrusion.
- Move away from windows. Windows can shatter from heat. Stay in an interior room or on the floor of the lowest level.
- Fill baths, sinks and containers with water. You may need to extinguish spot fires inside the building after the front passes.
- Wait for the front to pass. A fire front typically takes 5–10 minutes to pass. The heat is intense but brief. After the front passes, check for spot fires and exit if necessary.
- If in a car and caught by a fire: Pull off the road on the non-fire side, park, turn off the engine, turn on hazard lights. Get below window level and cover yourself with a wool blanket. Do not run from the car.
Frequently Asked Questions — Wildfire Preparedness
Stay Informed During Fire Season
Reliable information during an emergency is critical. Know your sources in advance:
- NSW: NSW RFS website and app — rfs.nsw.gov.au | Emergency Alert: 1800 227 228
- Victoria: CFA/VicEmergency — emergency.vic.gov.au | Hotline: 1800 226 226
- Queensland: QFES — disaster.qld.gov.au
- Western Australia: DFES — emergency.wa.gov.au
- South Australia: CFS — cfs.sa.gov.au | Hotline: 1800 362 361
- National: ABC Emergency (radio 612 AM) and ABC Emergency app are authoritative emergency broadcast sources across Australia