Your Bushfire Survival Plan
Last updated 20/01/2021
What would you do if there is a bushfire near your property? Leave early.
Leaving plan
Who will leave early?
If you plan to leave early, then you must leave your home well before a bushfire threatens and travelling by road becomes hazardous.
When will you leave?
Don't assume you'll receive a warning as a fire approaches and don't assume a fire crew will be available to assist every home. It's up to you to monitor conditions.
Where will you go?
Fires can come from any direction and paths can quickly become blocked. Choose a safe place to evacuate to and identify more than one route in case your way is blocked by the fire.
Tell someone when you leave and when you arrive safely
It’s important to tell someone when you are leaving and where you are going. You should let them know when you arrive safely.
When you leave, you need a Bushfire Evacuation Kit
Include as many of the following items as possible...
Mobile phone & charger |
Blankets (natural fibres) |
Passports & birth certificates |
Wallets/purses |
Medications & scripts |
Family photos, valuables & documents |
Children’s toys |
Long sleeve shirt |
Jeans |
Boots |
Hat |
Safety goggles |
Bottled water (enough for all) |
Battery-operated radio |
Batteries |
Mobile phone & charger
Blankets (natural fibres)
Passports & birth certificates
Wallets/purses
Medications & scripts
Family photos, valuables & documents
Children’s toys
Long sleeve shirt
Jeans
Boots
Hat
Safety goggles
Bottled water (enough for all)
Battery-operated radio
Batteries
Before you leave
Indoors
- Close windows and doors and shut blinds
- Take down curtains and move furniture away from windows
- Seal gaps under doors and windows with wet towels
- Fill containers with water - baths, sinks, buckets, wheelie bins
Animals
- Move animals and livestock to a well-grazed or ploughed area away from the house and wind
- Bring pets inside, contain them to one room and provide them with plenty of water
Outdoors
- Ensure vehicles have sufficient fuel and move them to a safe location
- Remove garden furniture, door mats and other items
- Block downpipes (at the top) and fill gutters with water if possible
- Wet down the sides of buildings, decks and plants and shrubs in the likely path of the bushfire
- Wet down fine fuels close to buildings
- Turn on garden sprinklers for 30 minutes before the bushfire arrives
People
- Tune in to warnings and monitor local radio, websites or social media for updates
- Put on protective clothing
- Drink lots of water.
Your property should be well-prepared for the fire, even if you intend to leave early. A well-prepared property stands a greater chance of surviving.
Leaving plan (Contingency)
Are there people in your home who will be leaving? What's your backup plan if you are forced to leave due to equipment failure or if the Fire Danger Rating is Catastrophic?
Finish your plan now
Stay and defend plan
Who will stay and defend?
Are you mentally and physically ready? Being involved in a bushfire will be one of the most traumatic experiences of your life.
Under these circumstances, you should leave early:
- If the Fire Danger Rating is Extreme or Catastrophic
- Your property is not well maintained
- You or the people in your home are not mentally and physically fit and ready
If you stay, you need a Bushfire Emergency Kit
Include as many of the following items as possible...
Ladder |
Shovel |
Mop |
Bucket |
Hoses |
Fire extinghuisher |
Knapsack sprayer |
First aid kit |
Medications & scripts |
Towels |
Blankets (natural fibres) |
Long sleeve shirt |
|
Jeans |
Boots |
Hat |
Safety goggles |
Smoke mask |
Gloves |
Bottled water (enough for all) |
Battery-operated radio |
Batteries |
Ladder
Shovel
Mop
Bucket
Hoses
Fire extinghuisher
Knapsack sprayer
First aid kit
Medications & scripts
Towels
Blankets (natural fibres)
Long sleeve shirt
Jeans
Boots
Hat
Safety goggles
Smoke mask
Gloves
Bottled water (enough for all)
Battery-operated radio
Batteries
Complete your preparation for the approaching fire
Indoors
- Close windows and doors and shut blinds
- Take down curtains and move furniture away from windows
- Seal gaps under doors and windows with wet towels
- Fill containers with water - baths, sinks, buckets, wheelie bins
Animals
- Move animals and livestock to a well-grazed or ploughed area away from the house and wind
- Bring pets inside, contain them to one room and provide them with plenty of water
Outdoors
- Ensure vehicles have sufficient fuel and move them to a safe location
- Remove garden furniture, door mats and other items
- Block downpipes (at the top) and fill gutters with water if possible
- Wet down the sides of buildings, decks and plants and shrubs in the likely path of the bushfire
- Wet down fine fuels close to buildings
- Turn on garden sprinklers for 30 minutes before the bushfire arrives
People
- Tune in to warnings and monitor local radio, websites or social media for updates
- Put on protective clothing
- Drink lots of water
- Notify friends and family of your intent to stay.
Fighting a fire can quickly turn into a very dangerous and life threatening situation. Don't assume you'll receive a warning as a fire approaches and don't assume a fire crew will be available to assist every home. It's up to you to monitor conditions.
As the fire front arrives
- Disconnect hose and fittings and bring inside
- Go inside for shelter
- Drink lots of water
- Shelter in your house on the opposite side from the approaching fire, in a room with multiple escape points
- Patrol and check for embers inside, particularly in the roof space
- Check on family and pets
- Maintain a means of escape
- Continually monitor conditions
Identify the best spot to shelter in your house for when the fire front arrives.
After the fire front has passed, check for small spot fires and burning embers
- Inside the roof space
- Under floor boards
- Under the house space
- On verandahs and decks
- On window ledges and door sills
- In roof lines and gutters
- In garden beds and mulch
- In wood heaps
- Around outdoor furniture
Continue to check your house for several hours looking for small fires and burning embers as embers can travel many kilometres. DO NOT leave immediately after the front has passed as it can be extremely dangerous. Continue to monitor conditions and listen to the radio or check with local police for when it's safe to leave. Contact family and friends to let them know you are safe.
Stay and defend plan (Contingency)
Is anyone in your house going to stay and defend? What if you can't leave because a rapid onset of fire makes travel too dangerous?
Have a contingency plan, just in case.
Finish your plan now
Your emergency contacts
Insurance provider:
Electricity provider:
Gas provider:
Work/employer:
School/daycare:
Neighbours:
Other contacts:
Your emergency contacts (Optional)
Preparing a list of important contacts such as your neighbours, school, work, insurance and utility providers can help you in an emergency or when recovering from a bushfire.
Prepare your contacts
Now save your Bushfire Survival Plan and keep it in a safe place ready for action at short notice. Share with family and friends.
Know your risk
Bushfires can affect anyone, anywhere in Queensland. All residents should be prepared for bushfire.
Learn more
Prepare for bushfire
An unprepared property is not only at risk itself, but may also present an increased danger for neighbours.
Learn more
Tune into warnings
All Queenslanders should be familiar with official Bushfire Warnings. Seek information, make decisions and act.
Learn more