After a mild start to November the NSW Rural Fire Service is urging Mountains residents to prepare now before conditions heat up again.
NSW RFS District Manager, Superintendent David Jones said, “Now is the ideal opportunity to complete a few simple tasks so that homes and properties are ready for fires before the return of hot and windy weather.
“Firefighters and emergency agencies will of course continue to do everything possible to keep communities safe, however preparation is a shared responsibility and residents must do their bit.”
Supt Jones said it started with having a conversation with your family about what you would do if a fire was nearby.
“Make or update your bush fire survival plan and share it with everyone in your household and maybe even neighbours.
“Just a little bit of time and effort now will give your property a fighting chance next time there is a fire in the area,” he added.
The top five things you can do to prepare your home and property for bush fires:
› Trim and remove overhanging branches
› Mow your grass and have a cleared area around your home
› Remove any materials that could potentially ignite and burn
› Clear and remove leaves and debris from your gutters and around your home
› Make sure you have a robust hose that can reach the whole way around your home
“Basic preparation now could prevent a lot of heartache and financial loss. These fires don’t discriminate, embers can travel significant distances crossing several properties and streets.
Supt Jones said the RFS had seen burning embers travel up to 30 kilometres in the worst conditions.
Supt Jones said with temperatures predicted to rise heading into summer now was the time to act.