Are you bushfire ready?

Preparing a bushfire survival plan could prevent you losing your property or even your life this summer, according to the City of Busselton’s fire chief.

Community emergency services manager Tim Wall said property owners needed to start getting ready for bushfire season now because it was too late once the flames were bearing down.

“Bushfires can start without warning,” he said.

“Residents and property owners need to prepare their properties now and establish a bushfire survival plan. If they do all the work now they can enjoy the summer without having to worry about a bushfire approaching.”

To reduce the risk of embers starting a fire, Mr Wall advised property owners to establish a 20m building protection zone, fill the gaps in their roof space, wall cavities and under the house, clean their gutters and install gutter guards and remove any debris lying around the yard.

The City will start compliance inspections on December 1 and Mr Wall warned residents who did not meet the conditions of the Firebreak and Fuel Hazard Reduction Notice could be fined.

“We’d love to have a 100 per cent compliance rate but unfortunately it doesn’t happen for a variety of reasons. Compliance is getting better every year, ” Mr Wall said.

He also emphasised the importance of creating a bushfire survival plan, with triggers for the safe time to leave your property, and a survival kit with a battery-powered torch and radio.

He said the City had carried out its own prescribed burns program but this did not completely eliminate the risk.

“We’ve done quite a few burns over winter and early spring and they were done in strategic locations around the Dunsborough area to take out the fuel levels there, ” he said.

“We’ve still got our maintenance program going which involves mechanical slashing of fuel loads and that will go on throughout the summer.

“Each year we target out greatest risk. There is still high fuel loads throughout the City of Busselton, like most country towns.”

For more information, visit the City of Busselton or Department of Fire and Emergency Services website.

Alternatively, join your local Bushfire Ready Action Group.

"Residents and property owners need to prepare their properties now." - Tim Wall

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