Cleaning up around the home is something every resident can do to be fire-ready.FIRE preparation is everybody’s responsibility.
The Shire of Yarra Ranges has begun its summer roadside slashing program and fire hazard inspections of local properties.
In the past 12 months, council staff and contractors have been inspecting the shire’s 61 water tanks, 64 fire access roads, 42 water supply points and around 3000 fire hydrants, ensuring that everything is useable and accessible.
Shire CEO Glenn Patterson said while the shire was preparing for the imminent possibility of bushfire, residents needed to be doing the same.
“Each year our officers issue up to 2000 notices to landowners to clean up their properties in preparation for the fire danger period,” Mr Patterson said.
“November is the month when the shire’s bushfire preparations go into full swing and local landowners also need to do their part to help keep the community safe.”
The first step for residents should be clearing excess fuel from around their homes, which might mean slashing long grass, cleaning roofs and gutters and, moving firewood and fallen branches away from the house.
The shire’s fortnightly garden green waste collection service was also available to help keep potential fuel under control.
Residents in areas of bushfire risk also needed to have a bushfire survival plan.
“At its most basic level, this might mean ensuring that everyone in the family knows where and how to contact everyone else on days of extreme fire danger. This is especially important as we move into the school holidays when many young people may be at home alone during the day,” Mr Patterson said.
“The next decision should be whether to stay at home on days of extreme fire danger or to leave and head to a safe destination.
“This might be a shopping centre, a neighbour’s house or to stay with relatives who aren’t in a fire-prone area,” Mr Patterson said the key message was that people who do decide to leave their homes should leave early.
“By making an early and conscious decision to either leave the area or stay and defend their properties, residents can avoid making last minute and potentially fatal decisions.”
