CHECKLIST PREPARING YOUR PROPERTY PAGE 1 OF 3

PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVE.

www.dfes.wa.gov.au

STARVE THE FIRE

Reduce the fuel loads around your home so that embers

will have less chance to start a ﬁre when they hit the

ground. This will also help reduce the damage caused

by the ﬁre.

For at least 20 metres around your home and other

buildings:

Cut long grass and dense scrub. Remove dead

material.

Remove all rubbish and rake up leaf litter, twigs,

bark and material that may catch ﬁre.

Maintain a minimum two metre gap between your

house and tree branches. Make sure that no trees

overhang the house.

Prune lower branches (up to two metres off the

ground) to stop a ﬁre on the ground spreading to

the canopy of the trees.

Do not clump shrubs, ensure that there is a gap.

Shrubs should be planted at a distance of at least

three times their height at maturity from buildings.

Other actions you will need to take:

Keep your gutters free of leaves and other

combustible material.

Create a mineral earth ﬁrebreak, with no vegetation

along your boundary.

Build your paths adjacent to the building and have

your driveway placed so that it maximises the

protection to the house.

If possible, plan your garden so that your vegetable

garden, lawn, pool or patio is on the side of the

house likely to face a ﬁre (where the bush is).

Store ﬁrewood away from the building.

Ensure that your gas bottles are secured and

positioned so that it will vent away from the building

if it is subject to ﬂame contact or radiant heat.

Ensure fences are non-combustible so they can

help to shield your home from a bushﬁre and

radiant heat.

FILL THE GAPS

Houses usually catch ﬁre when embers get into the roof

space, a wall cavity, on to ledges or under the house.

Prevent sparks from entering your house by blocking

all the gaps.

Block any gaps under ﬂoor spaces, in the roof

space, under eaves, external vents, skylights,

chimneys and wall cladding.

Place metal ﬂy wire mesh on all windows, vents and

install an ember protection screen on evaporative

air conditioners to keep sparks and embers out.

FIX THE FIRE TRAPS

Do not pile wood against or near the house.

Remove any timber, rubbish and old junk lying

around.

Move all fuel containers into a shed away from

your house and have a ﬁrebreak around it.

Keep gas cylinders on the side of the house furthest

away from the likely direction of a ﬁre (where the

bush is). Ensure the pressure relief valve is directed

away from the house. Store gas cylinders upright

and secure them with a metal chain to a secure,

non-combustible post to prevent cylinders from

falling over.

PROTECT YOUR ASSET

Have a sufﬁcient independent water supply of

at least 20,000 litres and a petrol, diesel or a

generator powered pump capable of pumping

400 litres per minute.

Check that your home and contents insurance cover

is adequate. Take into consideration renovations,

ﬁxtures and additions such as swimming pools,

sheds, gazebos, luxury ﬁttings or new appliances.

Prepare your home and property for the bushﬁre season. It is everyone’s responsibility.

If you live in or near bush take the time to complete and action this checklist.

PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVE.

www.dfes.wa.gov.au

CHECKLIST PREPARING YOUR PROPERTY PAGE 2 OF 3

1 Do not pile wood against or near the house

2 Install a ﬁre or heat radiation shield such as a solid fence

3 Place metal ﬂy wire mesh on all windows, vents and install an

ember protection screen on evaporative air conditioners to keep

sparks and embers out

4 Block any gaps under ﬂoor spaces, in the roof space, under

eaves, external vents, skylights, chimneys and wall cladding

5 Create and maintain a minimum two metre gap between your

house and tree branches

6 Rake up leaf litter and twigs under trees

7 Remove shrubs and small trees under and between larger trees

8 Ensure garden mulch is kept away from the house and grass is

kept short

9 Ensure all gaps in external wall claddings are sealed

10 Keep roof gutters and valleys clear of leaves and bark

11 Keep gas cylinders on the side of the house furthest away

from the likely direction of a ﬁre (where the bush is).

Ensure the pressure relief valve is directed away from the

house. Store gas cylinders upright and secure them with a

metal chain to a secure, non-combustible post to prevent

cylinders from falling over

12 Block any gaps in the roof space

13 Hoses must be long enough to reach all parts of your

house. Use metal hose ﬁttings for taps as they are less

likely to melt

14 Remove ﬂammable materials and store them away from

the house

15 Have a sufﬁcient independent water supply of at least

20,000 litres and a petrol, diesel or a generator powered

pump capable of pumping 400 litres per minute.

16 Refer to DFES’ Homeowners Bush Fire Survival Manual

available at: www.dfes.wa.gov.au

BUILDING PROTECTION ZONE (CIRCLE OF SAFETY)

Create a minimum 20 metre building protection

zone around your home and other buildings. Reduce

the fuel load in this area by removing all rubbish,

keeping grass cut short, and raking up leaf litter,

twigs, bark and material that may catch ﬁre.

Prune lower branches (up to two metres off the

ground) to stop a ground ﬁre spreading into the

canopy of the trees.

Create a mineral earth ﬁrebreak along the boundary

of your property. Make sure you meet your local

government’s ﬁrebreak requirements.

Cut long grass and prune the scrub so that it is

not dense, and does not have ﬁne, dead aerated

material in the crown of the scrub.

EXAMPLE OF

A SUBURBAN

PROPERTY WITH

A BUILDING

PROTECTION ZONE

PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVE.

www.dfes.wa.gov.au

CHECKLIST PREPARING YOUR PROPERTY PAGE 3 OF 3

1 Check bridge loading for ﬁre tanker access

2 Trim branches away from power lines

3 Replace or repair damaged rooﬁng and weatherboards

where embers can enter

4 Put in ﬁrebreaks along paddock boundaries

5 Store ﬁrewood away from the house

6 If ﬁre threatens move livestock to a well grazed paddock

7 Store petrol and gas safely away in a shed

8 Draw water from dams and pools. Don’t rely on mains

water supply

9 Keep a well maintained area with ﬁre retardant plants

EXAMPLE OF A REGIONAL PROPERTY WITH A BUILDING PROTECTION ZONE

10 Install pumps with a spray nozzle

11 Seal under ﬂoor spaces to prevent embers entering

12 Check cattle grid loading for ﬁre tanker access

13 Place water pipes underground from the dam pump

to the house

14 Have a hose ﬁtting on an internal tap to douse spot

ﬁres in the roof cavity

15 Fill water tanks and connect them to pumps for

ﬁreﬁghting

16 Keep grass cut

17 Install gutter guards and keep gutters clear of leaf litter