If you live in a heavily wooded area, you need to ensure your property is prepared for the risk of bushfires. Ideally, you need the right equipment as well as an evacuation plan in case the fire gets out of control. Here's a look at some tips to help you prepare:
1. Invest in a class A fire extinguisher.
When trees are burning, that is a class A fire, and to fight it, you need a fire extinguisher with a class A rating. Ideally, you should stock a few of these fire extinguishers near your outbuildings, sheds and barns, as well as inside your home. That way, regardless of where you are on the property, you are not that far from an extinguisher.
2. Build up your water supply and supporting accessories.
Class A fire extinguishers use foam to suppress fires, but you can also use water. Ideally, if you live in an area with large risk of bushfires, you should have a vat of water as well as a hose so you can spray it on the fire. Keep in mind that plastics melt so any above ground pipes leading to the vat of water should be made of metal. Similarly, your water container should also be metal rather than plastic.
Finally, you need a pump to move the water out of the vat and through the hose, and as electricity tends to go out during fires, you need to make sure that your pump is connected to an emergency generator. Keep a fire extinguisher near the generator in case the heat of the nearby fire causes it to explode. However, if it's powered with petrol, you need a class C extinguisher, as those are designed to take care of fires related to combustible fumes. Also, don't just rely on water; make sure you also have extinguishers so you vary your strategy.
3. Create a barrier using the 50/10 rule.
One of the most effective ways to stop a forest fire is by eliminating its fuel. Traditionally, this means removing the vegetation in one area to create a empty barrier with nothing for the fire to burn. Bush firefighters use this tactic whilst actively fighting fires, but you can also use this tactic as a preventative measure.
In many areas, the government has a set of suggestions to help you create a fire barrier around your home, called 10/50 vegetation clearing. If you live in a high risk area, you can cut down the trees within 10 metres of buildings on your property, and you can remove shrubs and other ground coverage within 50 metres of buildings as well. That way if a fire starts to approach your house, it doesn't have much to burn, helping to protect your buildings.
For more fire protection ideas, contact a company like The Fire Protection Specialist Company Pty Ltd.
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