Bushfire Protection Tips

6 Ways to help protect your home and family from bushfires:

Check your home insurance is up to date.

Check that your home building and contents insurance policies are current. And that you're insured for the right amount to cover the replacement cost of your home and contents at today's prices.

The information is general advice and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs, and may not suit your personal circumstances. So before making decisions about insurance products you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your circumstances, and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement.

Be prepared at the start of the bushfire season.

Prepare your home properly and you can reduce the risk of losing it. This quick checklist shows you how.

If you do evacuate, do it early.

Early evacuation of children and elderly family members should be considered. You should also leave if you don't think you'll cope with the stress or you're not confident that your home will withstand fire. Close all doors and windows; you may want to leave them unlocked in case firefighters need to get in. Move flammable furniture into the middle of the room if you have time. Make sure you have a safe destination and know how to get there. Tell someone you are evacuating.

Know what to do if a bushfire approaches.

If you've planned to stay and defend your home from bushfire, here is some useful advice that may help.

After the fire, check the house.

Don't open a closed door that feels hot to touch - there may be fire on the other side. Find another way out. Check the roof, ceiling spaces and underfloor areas. If the house is on fire and can't be put out, move onto burnt ground, watching out for burning trees, and wait for help. NRMA Insurance policyholders can get expert advice and assistance after a bushfire by calling the 24-hour NRMA Helpline* on 132 900.

* Please refer to the NRMA Helpline Terms and Conditions for eligibility.

Build to the Australian Standard for Construction in Bushfire-prone areas.

An important design consideration for homes in bushfire-prone areas is to avoid openings in the exterior and not to use fragile building materials that can allow embers to penetrate. Use fire-retardant-treated timber; there are some timbers like Blackbutt and Red Iron Bark that have natural fire-retarding qualities. Make sure your architect and builder is familiar with all aspects of this Australian Standard.

Bushfire Preparation Checklist

Be prepared at the start of the bushfire season.

• Rake up dry leaves, trim grass and cut back overgrown shrubs and tree branches. If you can't afford expensive equipment like chainsaws or scrub-cutters to clear overgrown areas, hire the gear you need.

• Clean out gutters and downpipes.

• Regularly recycle newspapers and cardboard. Don't store piles of recycling material close to the house.

• Remove flammable items, paint and liquids away from the house.

• LPG gas bottles should have the valve facing away from the house.

• Pool chemicals can ignite if placed near other flammable liquids so they are best stored well away from all other potentially dangerous chemicals.

• Make sure you have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket (available from hardware stores) and know how to use them.

• Keep a torch and portable radio with spare batteries.

• Understand the impact a power failure can have - cordless phones and automatic garage doors won't work. Plus your mobile phone may not work during the emergency.

• Keep garden hoses connected to outside taps and make sure they reach all parts of your home and garden.

• Keep a ladder handy on site that can reach the roof, together with basic tools like a rake, spade, axe and saw. Ensure that the ladder and tools are locked away in your garden shed or garage.

• Put spark guards in your chimney and clean your chimney every year.

• Don't park cars in long grass. Fires can start when grass comes into contact with a hot exhaust system.

• If you live in a bushfire-prone area, put fire-resistant mesh screens under verandahs or any areas where burning debris could enter.

• Clearly mark all water sources and keep access to them clear. In NSW you can call the Rural Fire Service to register your pool, dam or watertank with the Static Water Supply (SWS) marking system for use in fire fighting. You'll benefit from knowing the local brigade is aware of your property and from other fire safety measures that will be carried out to ensure access to your water.

• Don't panic. Have a plan. Always have a plan to protect your property, and ensure everyone in the family understands their roles should a bushfire approach. You can visit the http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/ for more information.

• Store an emergency kit. Make sure you have all your valuables stored in a safe place. Suggested items include: protective clothing, goggles, leather gloves, battery operated radio and torch, essential medications, a first aid kit, passports, credit cards, jewelry, birth and marriage certificates, insurance papers, precious photos and sentimental things that can not be replaced.

• Listen continuously to a portable radio for the latest information.

• Turn off the electricity and gas and remove gas cylinders from nearby the house.

• Close all windows and doors, and put wet towels in gaps around windows and beneath doors.

• Block downpipes and fill gutters with water. Also fill the bath, basins, sinks, buckets and bottles of drinking water.

• Hose down the roof, walls and gardens and turn on the sprinkler. When the fire is very nearby, take hoses and plastic fittings inside or they will melt.

• Remove curtains and blinds from windows. Put doormats inside.

• Park the car in a cleared area. Close the windows and leave keys in the ignition. Store woollen blankets inside.

• Long sleeved woollen or heavy cotton clothing. Make sure everything you wear is of natural fibre.

• Solid boots or shoes with wool or cotton socks.

• Gloves, especially if your hands aren't used to working with tools.

• A wide-brimmed hat or hardhat. Leave ears uncovered - they warn you of heat levels.

• A bandanna or large handkerchief tied loosely over your mouth and nose can protect you from smoke and hot air.

• If clothing catches fire - stop, drop to the ground and roll.

• Stay outside for as long as you can to put out spot fires near the house or in the guttering.

• Go inside when the smoke starts to thicken and stay away from windows until it passes - usually 5 to 15 minutes. Keep pets inside too as outside temperatures can be lethal.

• Keep checking all the rooms for embers and broken windows.