Bushfire Plan for your Home and Property

Prepare for a bushfire

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has publications that can help you prepare your property in the instance of a bushfire, including:

• Bushfire ember protection
• Total fire bans
• Fire safety in your home
• Fire safety caring for seniors
• Evaporative air conditioner
• Bushfire warnings and emergency
• Are you bushfire ready information program.   

Prepare a survival kit

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has a Bushfire Preparation Toolkit which will help you to act quickly in an emergency.

Protect livestock

Your plan should include any pets and livestock. Please watch the Bushfire preparedness for small landholders video. It is about the Black Saturday experiences of a farmer and horse owner in the Yarra Ranges, Victoria.

Water supplies

Western Australia has challenging busfire seaons, so please remember not to rely on your scheme water supply if you plan to stay and defend your property. Heat-damaged water infrastructure or power outage may result in a loss of supply. High demand will also lead to a drop in pressure and water supply tanks can empty quickly

While leaving high-risk bushfire areas is the safest option, those planning to defend their home must have an independent water supply such as water tanks and pumping capability in the event of power loss.

How to prepare your home - video series

It is important to know the risks of a bushfire and how to be prepared in the event of a fire emergency. View our 'Preparing your home for Fire Season' video series on how to best prepare this Summer. 

New Fire Danger Rating System

As of 1 September 2022, we have a new Fire Danger Rating system that is part of a national project to ensure Fire Danger Ratings are communicated the same way, no matter where you are in Australia. Fire Danger Ratings tell us how dangerous a bushfire could be if one started, based on factors like the weather and the types of vegetation in the area and what to do.

Why has the system changed? 

The existing system was based on science over 60 years old and only covered a third of Australia's vegetation types. More accurate modelling means more locally accurate predictions.

What’s changed?

The new Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS) is much simpler and more action orientated, so you know exactly what you should do to help protect yourself and others from bushfire. It is also a more locally relevant system that is consistent throughout Australia.

What are the new AFDRS levels?

There are now four simple AFSRS levels:

1. Moderate – plan and prepare
   1. Most fires can be controlled
   2. Check your bushfire plan
2. High – be ready to act
   1. Fires can be dangerous
   2. Decide what you will do if a fire starts. Review your bushfire plan
3. Extreme – take action now to protect your life and property
   1. Fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous
   2. Put your bushfire plan into action. If a fire starts, take immediate action. If you and your property are not prepared to the highest level, plan to leave early
4. Catastrophic – for your survival, leave bushfire risk areas
   1. If a fire starts and takes hold, lives are likely to be lost
   2. It may be too late to make a bushfire plan. Prepare your emergency kits and choose where you will go and the different ways to get there. Stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before.

There is also a new ‘no rating’ for days where no proactive action is required.

Where can I go for more information?

Find out more about the new Fire Danger Rating system here.  For bushfire warnings visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au. For more information on how to prepare for a bushfire visit www.dfes.wa.gov.au/bushfire. To create or review your bushfire plan go to www.mybushfireplan.wa.gov.au or download the app.

Emergency contact and staying up-to-date

Please view the City’s information on emergency contacts for information on who to call during an emergency. If it is a life threatening emergency please call - 000. ABC Radio (720AM) broadcasts up-to-date information on bushfire and other emergencies.

More information and contact

For details on home emergency plans, please call the City’s Fire and Emergency Management Team on 08 9411 3444 or email [email protected].