AS SPRING settles in and summer is fast approaching, the warm weather brings with it the very real risk of a bushfire, and now is the time to start preparing your property.
The local CFA urges everyone to start thinking ahead and preparing your property for the blistering heat.
No stranger to the ever-present dangers of bushfire season, Olinda Fire Brigade member Scott Allison has important advice for landholders preparing for the fire danger period.
“Together we clean the gutters, move wood away from the house, cut back the trees that are close by, and make sure any highly flammable materials are in the bottom shed further away from the house, not the top shed,” Scott said.
“Cleaning your gutters is probably sitting at number one too, but on a really hot day, please move your gas bottles!”
While it is important to make sure you are prepared, it is also important to know when it is time to leave.
“I’m not going to be staying and defending my own house, as I will be out responding with my fire brigade, however, for the last 20 years, leaving the mountain in the morning has always been the plan for my family,” Scott explained.
Surrounded by the dense bush within the Dandenong Ranges, each year Scott works with his neighbour to conduct safe burning-off activities when the conditions allow.
“Our neighbour is a little bit older, so we always help him with his yearly burn-off,” Scott said.
“He waits eagerly for ours too so he can come along and put some twigs on. But we generally take it on together and get it done”.
The CFA not only aids in supporting and protecting our local communities but also strives to educate the community on preparedness from the get-go.
Learn more about how to prepare for the upcoming bushfire season at https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/fire-safety/your-fire-plan/preparing-for-bushfire-season.
