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If you have a fire Ring 000 stay calm and do not hang up till the operator says its ok to do so.
FIRE RISK IS CURRENTLY HIGH. That means the Fire Brigades are in a state of readiness
All fires are currently banned and and the only permits being issued are when the Brigade is involved and or in a emergency situation.
We suggest that all house holds and commercial properties should be prepared:
Prepare the buildings and sheds by removing the leaf litter build up in gutters and roofs, remove areas of long grass, remove any debris that may have blown in under veranda and buildings , keep grass mown short, don't rake up piles of leaves near buildings, remove it well away.
Please don't burn garden waste as the smallest spark may spark a dangerous fire.
Now we are in a serious drought always have the dwelling tanks at least half full and make sure pumps and hoses and in good condirion and working order.
Look to your gardens and their proximity to dwellings and sheds. - any flammable vegetation is best removed.
Ensure that you have all identity and other documents such as insurance papers, birth certificates, passports, cheque books, credit cards, cash, etc in a secure container that can be grapped and taken with you in case of emergency.
In addition, if you have valuable items like photos, heirlooms, jewelery, special keep sakes. they may need special storage or put into containers you can just throw in the car.
Pamphlets with more information are available at libraries and council offices.
If I you require further advice please Ring Rob Scully, Fire Warden, Wivenhoe Pocket Fire Brigade on 0429 984061 OR Duty Officer, Wivenhoe Pocket Rural Fire Brigade 0412 855395
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TIPS to Reduce Bush Fire Risk to your home - ACT NOW
- Reduce ‘fine fuels’ - Fine fuels are things such as long dry grass, fallen leaves and twigs. Anything smaller in diameter than your little finger is a fine fuel and it is these that you need to clean up around your property
- Clear away dead undergrowth, and fallen branches
- Move wood piles away from your home
Clean leaves out of gutters
- Plant trees and shrubs away from your home
- Plant a protective shield of trees around the house to slow the wind, cut down radiant heat and catch flying embers and sparks from a bushfire
- Place weather stripping around the inside of doors and windows
- Close underfloor spaces and seal all gaps where embers could enter
- Make firescreens to go over windows to prevent the glass from cracking in radiant heat
- Mains water supply may not be a reliable source during a fire as the water pressure may drop. Make sure that you have access to adequate water supplies, such as tanks, dams, swimming pools or water reserves. Install a sprinkler system around your home
- Power may go off - so don't rely on electrical pumps for supply of water
- Gather appropriate firefighting equipment such as ladders, hoses, buckets, mops, portable water pumps, a ladder, rake, a torch, and a knapsack spray to put out small "spot" fires
Before the fire front arrives
- Dress in personal protective clothing to protect from radiant heat
- Shut all windows and doors to prevent smoke and flames from entering the house
- Move furniture away from the windows to prevent sparks from entering the house through a broken window and catching alight in the furniture, which often burns easily
- Put a ladder under the manhole and torch nearby for checking ceiling space for any embers that may have landed
- Fill the bath and buckets with water to provide a water supply in the house for putting out any small fires that may start
- Soak towels and woollen blankets with water to cover your face to protect against smoke inhalation
- Place wet blankets or towels around window and door edges inside the house to stop smoke and embers from entering the house
- Hose down the side of the house facing the fire, and garden area close to the house, to cool the house down and stop it from burning
- Patrol your property for any embers and extinguish them
During the fire
- Go inside when it becomes too hot to stay outside. The skin on your ears and hands will alert you that conditions have become too hot to survive outside. Your home will protect you from radiant heat while the fire front passes through – typically taking around 10 to 20 minutes
- Take all firefighting equipment inside with you, including tap fittings and hoses
- Stay inside your house while the fire front passes and listen to the radio for fire reports
- After the fire front has passed
- Continue to wear your personal protective clothing
- After the main fire front passes, go outside again as soon as it is safe, to extinguish any small fires that may have started
- Water down the outside of the house, including the roof, and look out for small fires around your house
Continue to look out for small fires and burning embers many hours after the fire has passed. Check for burning embers:
- on verandahs and wooden decking
- on timber window ledges and door sills
- roof lines and roof gutters
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