Most homes are not designed to withstand the intense fires in catastrophic conditions.

If there is a fire on a Catastrophic rated day then leaving early may be the only option for your survival.

Bush fire prone areas should be left either the night before or early in the day, if you wait to see what happens the fire might impact so quickly that you no longer have time to leave safely.

Leaving it too late to leave may result in fatalities if overrun by the fire whilst in vehicles.

When you see a Catastrophic Fire Rating you need to decide when you will leave, where you will go and how you will get there, what you will take with you and when you will return.

Ember attack

MOST homes lost in a bush fire succumb due to the ember attack.

Embers driven by the wind can find their way into the smallest of cavities and can sit and smoulder for a long period before igniting the house.

To prevent this from happening inspect your house’s exterior.

Ensure there are no cracked or damaged tiles or gaps between sheets of tin.

Check for and block any gaps under the eaves, and around window and door frames.

If the house is built on piles block off the gap with metal screen mesh to prevent embers from blowing under the house.

Vents should also be metal screen covered.

When a fire is approaching block the downpipes, use bags filled with sand or commercial downpipe stoppers, and fill the gutters with water to douse embers.

Clear or thin out any vegetation within close proximity to the building and keep the grass cut short.

Remove any vegetation overhanging or close to building.

Check that gas tanks are secure, do not leak and safety valve is pointed away from the house.

Stack firewood and other combustibles well away from the house.

Store flammable fuels away from the house and secure in an enclosed shed.

Set up hoses at strategic points around the house.