When we think about fire preparation, our first thoughts are usually about cleaning up around the house. But as we head towards what’s tipped to be a particularly hot summer, there’s plenty we can learn from people who have survived catastrophic bushfires.
The unseasonably warm and dry spring Australia just experienced has followed a triple La Niña weather event. The increase in rainfall during the last three summers has contributed to thick forest undergrowth which, as temperatures increase, is drying out.
There’s nothing we can do that will have any bearing on the extreme temperatures Australia is expecting this fire season, but there’s things we can do to prepare, and designs we can implement that can put you and your family on the front foot if the unthinkable happens in the future.
PROPERTY PLANNING
Planning is best done in advance. Tell that to your family as you sit them down to discuss the conditions in which you will choose to leave and in which conditions you’ll be prepared to stay if a fire is approaching your property.
It’s very likely there’ll be differing opinions when it comes to deciding when to walk away or stay to protect the home.
