Are you ready for the bushfire season?
According to the Rural Fire Service of New South Wales, the statutory Bush Fire Danger Period runs from 1 October to 31 March, however it may vary due to local conditions. With the local environment being much drier lately due to lower levels of rain throughout the year, officials are urging the community to ensure they are well-prepared for the upcoming bushfire Season, and encouraging us to all consider our own personal bushfire safety plan for our home and family.
Getting ready for the bushfire season doesn’t have to be complicated, and the RFS has put together a range of simple checklists to make it super easy for everyone to plan ahead and have a safer summer.
You can read the full list of how to prepare your home and family here.
Included in the checklists for bushfire season preparation is a series of steps to make sure that your home is protected in the event of a fire. Below is a summary of what we found in the checklists as well as some information on the types of tools that can be useful in helping you prepare in a safe and efficient manner.
Prune trees & shrubs
Trim overhanging trees and shrubs, focussing on areas around the perimeter of your house. This can stop a fire from spreading to your home. Coastal Hire has chainsaws and pole pruners that can help with this job. If you’re cutting down a tree, don’t forget we also have a stump grinder and log splitter to make the job even easier. The bonus is you can also top up your firewood supply for next winter – just remember to store the wood safely and away from your house so it doesn’t add to the problem in the event of a bushfire.
Tidy your lawn
Mow your lawn and dispose of lawn clippings responsibly by either composting them or placing in your green bin for council collection. Don’t leave clippings lying around in your yard as they will act as fuel in the event of a fire. Always ensure there is a clear area around your home. Coastal Hire can supply you with a brush cutter to help get your lawn edges in check or for more rigorous grassy areas needing a heavy-duty solution. We also have commercial-grade ride on lawn mowers available for hire which will make mowing your lawn or acreage much easier and faster!
Clean Up
Remove any materials lying around your home that would burn, such as leaves, mulch, outdoor furniture, door mats, paint and firewood. Why not do a tip run while you’re at it? This is a good time of year to do a big clean-up, as loose items left lying around can also become dangerous projectiles in the event of a storm or high winds. If you need a trailer for the tip run, Coastal Hire has a range of single and double axle trailers available for hire.
Clear
Clean out the gutters of your house and any sheds in your yard. Remove debris and leaves from the gutters as they can become a hazard if flying embers set them alight. Burning embers can set your home on fire. Ladders can be dangerous to use, so we recommend using a scissor lift or mobile scaffold to reach the heights required. Coastal Hire has a range of scissor lifts and scaffold available for hire, so if you want to make the job of cleaning your gutters even easier, give us a call for a quote, or check out the range on our website.
Firebreaks
You may wish to create fire breaks on your property by cutting the grass back to bare earth, removing any grass so that the fire does not have any fuel to burn. In this instance earthmoving equipment such as our Toro Track Loader or Excavator which can be hired from our Port Macquarie or Tamworth branches. You can read about our earthmoving range here.
Remember this important fact…
Around 90 percent of homes destroyed in a bush fire are lost because of burning embers. Embers can travel many kilometres from the fire, so even if you’re a few blocks back from the bush you may be at risk. That’s why it’s so important that you prepare your home, in order to reduce the risk of embers becoming a danger to you and your family’s safety.
That concludes our list of ways to prepare your home for the upcoming bushfire season. So as we edge closer to 1 December, remember the below steps and if you need more information, make sure you check out the Rural Fire Service website for the full checklists.
Plus, remember these important planning steps…
Discuss
Discuss with your family what you will do in the event that a bushfire is threatening your home and personal safety. Make a plan together and ensure everybody is on the same page. Read more
Prepare
Prepare your home and get it ready for the bush fire season. Read more
Know the bushfire alert levels
Check out the RFS Website for information on the different levels of alert and what they mean. Read more
Keep all of the important contact information handy
Here is a handy list of the information sources and agencies who can help you in an emergency.
