Bushfire: Do you stay and defend or leave early?

An important decision when a bushfire occurs is whether to stay and defend, or to leave the affected area early. While the intensity of each bushfire may vary and affect your property differently, you and family should have a bushfire action plan in place, well before the bushfire season begins. Your decision to stay or to leave early should not be a last-minute thought. It takes careful consideration to be well prepared in both instances. 

Before making your decision, Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA) recommend you think about the following:

⇒ Staying to defend your property can be physically demanding. Are you physically fit and prepared?

⇒ Do you own and have access to the equipment and resources to extinguish fires around your property?

⇒ Would you have sufficient supply of alternate water during a bushfire?

⇒ Is your house adequately prepared? Or is it in a location that makes it difficult to defend, such as being on a steep slope or very close to dense bush land?

⇒ Do you believe all your family members will be mentally prepared for the stress and the uncertainty associated with a bushfire, if you decide to stay and defend?

⇒ Who will be at your home if a bushfire occurs? Does your family group include elderly relatives, young children or people with disabilities or illnesses? Can they be relocated if required?

⇒ Will you be able to make arrangements for your pets and livestock if a bushfire occurs? Remember, animals are not allowed into a public evacuation centre and you must never turn animals out onto the road to run free. This is dangerous for fire trucks and vehicles on the road, and you may be legally responsible if they cause an accident.

Everyone's situation is different, so you will need to evaluate your own circumstances carefully. Once you have made a decision, you may like to develop a bushfire action plan to ensure you are prepared. Always be sure to follow the Fire Danger Ratings in your area, so you know when and how to engage your action plan. In extreme conditions police officers or fire fighters may direct you to leave. The CODE RED (Catastrophe) warning recommends that the safest option is to leave the night before, or early in the morning.

Your local fire authority's website will have some sample action plans available for you to download. Below are some website links for your reference:

NSW Rural Fire Service

www.rfs.nsw.gov.au

WA Fire Emergency Services Authority

www.fesa.wa.gov.au

ACT Emergency Service Agency

www.esa.act.gov.au

VIC Country Fire Authority

www.cfa.vic.gov.au

SA Country Fire Services

www.cfs.org.au

NT Fire and Rescue Services

www.fire.nt.gov.au

QLD Rural Fire Service

www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au

TAS Fire Service

www.fire.tas.gov.au

Be proactive about bushfire safety, and help keep you and your family safe this summer. 

 

This information has been prepared based on information provided by Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA), 2006, Make the Decision: Should I stay or should I go?, http://www.fesa.wa.gov.au/internet/upload/shared/docs/Stay_or_Go_final_06.pdf  and is  to be used as a guideline only. WFI is a trading name of Wesfarmers General Insurance Limited ABN 24 000 036 279 AFSL 241461, the issuer of our policies. Any advice we provide is of a general nature only and does not take into consideration your objectives, financial situation and needs. Before acting on any advice you should consider its appropriateness. Contact WFI for a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to help decide if our policies are right for you.