Does anyone else live in a fire danger area?

[G'day Mate]

Just curious. My first summer in the new house is just around the corner so I've got to prepare. Living in the hills opposite a national park is great but it has its trade-offs. The neighbours are pretty complacent about it too, which doesn't help me an awful lot.

[Rare White Ape]

I don't but I've been a rural firefighter for five years. Although, I haven't visited my brigade much these last 12 months, but that's another story.

What you can do:

-Get on Facebook and like the SA fire brigade, and the SA rural brigade pages. They'll be a great source of info if you need it, as well as provide updates on fire conditions across the state. Don't forget the browse their web pages too. http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/home.jsp

-Perhaps even join the brigade if one is handy and close to you.

-Nationally after the Black Saturday fires in Victoria, each state picked up the Prepare Act Survive plan for preparing you and your home during a fire. Get info on that, it'll teach you about what you need to do if a fire threatens your neighbourhood. Check this bad boy out: Bushfire Survival Plan.pdf (https://ruralfire.qld.gov.au/Fire_Safety_and_You/Bushfire_Survival_Plan/PAS-BushfireSurvival.pdf). This is the QLD RFS pamphlet on PAS.

-Usually the safest option is to get the heck out of Dodge if a big one hits, so have your insurances up to date (with fire coverage, of course!), the puppy ready and the photo albums or any backup hard drives close to where the car keys live so you can easily grab them and go. If it's a really bad area or season for it, it might be worth having a bag with appropriate clothing and supplies in the wardrobe.

What you can look out for:

-Fire weather factors, such as relative humidity, wind speed and direction, temperature, etc. The worst days are hot, dry days with plenty of wind.

-People evacuating.

-Fire trucks with sirens.

[Dicknose]

I back onto National Park, but it's a narrow bit. However we have had fires deliberately started in the area.
My unit is a set back so I'm a lower risk than other buildings in our complex. Plus they are mostly concrete bunkers.

A plan is good. Doesn't need to be the most complex. The main point is deciding in advance what would cause you to leave. Think that through now, not under stress. Maybe talk it over with family, just having others know the plan can help cement it in your brain so you don't try and change it later and try to be heroic.

[Random]

One sub-set of your plan should be "what if we're both at work when the evac order comes?" i.e. communications plan, meeting point, arrangements with a stay-at-home neighbo(u)r to get the dog, etc.

edit: I don't recall if this is the case for you, but if your "normal" evacuation route is subject to being cut off by fire/flood/drop bears, think about how that changes your plans, as well. My parents had to evacuate ahead of a wildfire this summer and left a day early so that they could take the direct route to our house, rather than having to take a 5-hour detour.

[G'day Mate]

Grass fire 5kms from my house at the moment :D Only a small one in a reserve though, and the wind is blowing it the other way.