Bushfires
Preparing for bushfires will help to minimise the damage and help you to recover from the impact after the event.
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How is our community affected by bushfires?
Living near the bush in this typically green region, it’s easy to overlook the fact that fires have occurred in this area, even in farmland. Therefore, the devastating fires of Black Summer 2019-2020 came as a shock. Our community is still in the process of recovering from the impact of these fires.
The following information is to help our community prepare for future disasters, what to do during the event and how to cope with the aftermath and cleanup.
PREPARE FOR BUSHFIRES
Protect yourself and your property
As per any disaster – Make a plan and get an Emergency Kit.
Create an effective fire break by:
- Mowing your grass regularly, keeping it green and well-watered
- Removing excess ground fuel such as vegetation or wood
- Removing excess ladder fuels (materials which, when burning, allow a fire to climb)
- Clearing leaves from gutters, downpipes and building roofs on your property
- Trimming low lying branches that surround your home to at least two metres off the ground.
- Removing unnecessary fuel and combustible material stored on or around your property (store it in a safe location).
- Avoid piling up material against your home, sheds and fences, or near livestock and areas of environmental or cultural significance. (Good for minimising snake habitat too!)
- Check surrounding grassland and bushland for bushfire risk, which increases in areas containing leaves, bark, twigs and cured brown grass. Around 1cm depth of fuel on the ground could carry a mild fire, while around 6cm of fuel presents significant risk.
- Hand and mechanical clearing is often the best method to minimise fuel loads and hazards.
- Reduce combustible material on your property by pruning, thinning or removing trees and shrubs.
What can you do as an animal owner to be prepared?
Here are some important suggestions to consider for your livestock care kit: feeding, watering, supplements, supplies (such as medications, rope/lariat, halters/leads, cleaning supplies, knives, etc.), and papers (including veterinary records and proof of ownership). It is crucial to regularly review your kit to ensure that all contents, particularly feed and medicines, are fresh and up-to-date.
- Make up an animal Evacuation Kit
- Make sure animals have some form of identification (microchip, ear/leg tag, leg band, etc.).
- Determine where you will go if you have to leave (Identify friends or relatives who could house livestock during the disaster.
- Determine how you will evacuate (Decide how livestock will be transported/housed and prearrange an evacuation site).
- In case you are not home: arrange with a neighbour or friends to tend to your livestock (This person should be familiar with your livestock, know your evacuation procedures, know where your evacuation kit is kept, and have your emergency contact information).
Animals during the fire - what to expect
Livestock often suffer injuries or fatalities when they panic and run into fences, barriers, and other dangers during a bushfire. The flight response can persist long after the threat of smoke, heat, and noise has passed.
Certain animals, such as alpacas, llamas, and horses, can become extremely difficult to manage when faced with an approaching bushfire. In these situations, it is crucial to have experienced handlers, proper equipment, and a swift evacuation plan in place. If you decide to leave a halter on your animal, be sure to attach identification for easy identification.
Where are the Safest Areas for Animals?
When it comes to finding safe areas for animals during a fire, there are a few options to consider. Large, well-grazed or ploughed paddocks with open internal gates, clear stockyards, fire breaks, and large dams with earth mounds on at least two sides are all examples of safe areas. It is important to ensure that no flammable vegetation grows on these mounds to prevent the spread of fire.
Useful Links for animals / livestock information
DURING A BUSHFIRE
Enact your Bushfire Survival Plan & locate your Emergency Kit
See the Resources list for Red Cross and RFS information pages about Survival Plans and Emergency Kits.
Tune into Alerts & Updates
- Download “Fires Near Me” App (Free from App Store on your smart phone)
- Local radio
- Alerts on this website
- Community communications on the Orara Valley Hub Facebook page
Community Safe Spaces
Glenreagh School of Arts – 62 Coramba Street, Glenreagh
Upper Orara Hall – Cnr Dairyville Rd and Upper Orara Rd, Upper Orara
Karangi RFS Shed – Mastons Road, Karangi
Korora Football Field – Herman Reick Avenue, Korora
Coramba Sports Field – Coramba Road, Coramba
Nana Glen Memorial Hall – 26 Grafton Street, Nana Glen
Ulong Ex Services Club – Pine Avenue, Ulong
Lowanna Community Hall – 33 Grafton Street, Lowanna
Upper Orara Recreational Reserve – Dairyville Road, Upper Orara
Protect Yourself from Smoke
The community survey identified smoke as the number one issue during the 2019/2020 bushfires. Smoke inhalation can impact upon your health or pre-existing medical conditions.
You can protect yourself from smoke inhalation by:
- keeping up-to-date with bushfire alerts and RFS and National Parks and Wildlife
- asking your doctor (if you have a chronic medical condition) about steps you can take to help you control your symptoms when air quality is poor
- being prepared with enough medication in the house to last you for several days
- seeking medical advice immediately if you are having trouble breathing or experience chest pain
- avoiding physical activity and staying indoors
- keeping indoor air as clean as possible by keeping windows and doors closed and using draught excluders or turning on your air conditioner if you have one onto ‘re-circulate’ mode
Care for your animals / livestock – enact your animal plan
To ensure the safety of wildlife, it is important to keep cats indoors and dogs under control whenever possible. This allows animals to flee through your yard if necessary.
If you require assistance in transporting horses to the evacuation location, please do not hesitate to ask for help.
Consider Wildlife
When considering wildlife during a fire evacuation, it is recommended to leave out bowls of water for animals and birds. Use shallow bowls with sticks or stones on one side to provide an escape route for smaller animals that may fall in.
RECOVERY FROM BUSHFIRES
Staying Safe When Returning Home
- Do not enter your home until fire officials say it is safe to do so.
- Discard any food that has been exposed to heat, smoke or soot.
- Never use water you think may be contaminated in order to: wash dishes, brush teeth, prepare food, wash hands, make ice or make baby formula.
- Use caution when entering burned areas as hazards may still exist, including hot spots which can flare up without warning.
- Work out what you need to do first, small steps at a time, check that power, phone, water, gas and sewerage/septic tanks are functioning. You may need to call essential services.
- Check on neighbours.
- Follow public health guidance on safe cleanup of fire ash and safe use of masks.
- Wet debris down to minimise breathing dust particles.
- Wear leather or thick rubber gloves and heavy soled shoes to protect hands and feet.
- Cleaning products, paint, batteries and damaged fuel containers need to be disposed of properly to avoid risk. Check with local authorities for hazardous disposal assistance.
- Be aware that the weather conditions and clean-up work may be tiring, so schedule plenty of breaks.
Inspecting Your Home
- Inspect the roof immediately and extinguish any sparks or embers. Bushfires may have left burning embers that could reignite.
- Take photographs of the damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance purposes.
- Do not switch anything back on, including heating systems, if there is any structural damage. Have the house checked by an authorised electrician or supplier.
- If outside, stay away from broken wires and fallen electrical cables and call your power company immediately.
- Visually check the stability of the trees. Any tree that has been weakened by fire may be a hazard. Call an arborist if you think a tree may be in danger of falling.
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Emotional Considerations
It is normal for people to have conflicting emotions as a result of returning home. Try to anticipate what conditions you may be confronted with and how you may react. Rehearsal of the scenario will allow you to feel more in control of the situation and less distressed. Some of these mixed feelings may include:
- Relief at coming home - being able to get on with the job of getting your home and life back in order.
- Uncertainty about what it will be like in the coming days and weeks.
- Distress about the losses you've experienced - possessions, your home, garden, maybe even people or pets.
- Pleased for what did survive.
- Upset about the changes that you are faced with.
- Enthusiasm and motivation to get on with it and fix it all up.
- Worry about how you're all going to get through it.
- Worried that the bushfire might happen again, especially if it the weather continues to be hot and windy.
- Hope for the future.
- Feeling overwhelmed - of the hard work ahead and the disruption to daily life.
- Replaying the frightening moments of the approaching disaster before you left.
Identify Your Thoughts and Feelings
Notice these feelings, and label them. Are you are feeling anxious? Angry? Sad?
Pinpoint where in your body these feelings are located. Some common places that people notice feelings of worry or distress include:
– tight chest
– gritted teeth
– tense jaw
– butterflies in the stomach
– heart palpitations
– sweaty palms
– shortness of breath
Recognise what these feelings are about by putting them into words, for example, “I’m feeling nervous about going back home because I felt scared when I was there last. Maybe I’ll experience all those feelings again.”
If you are feeling anxious or upset:
– Slow down your breathing.
– Challenge negative thoughts and replace them with more helpful ones.
– Only do what you can.
– Try not to take your anger out on others.
Making Sense of What Happened
People often find themselves going back over the experience, thinking about it, trying to put some sense and order to the events, and working out what happened and why. It is natural to try to understand what happened, but try not to stress about things that are outside your control.
Below are several suggestions to help your personal recovery as well as to hasten the recovery of your community:
- Getting back into a routine: familiar patterns of mealtimes (with familiar food), school/work of some sort, and bedtime routine are important for adults as well as children.
- Break tasks into small steps and work through them one at a time.
- Think about what you have achieved at the end of each day.
- Find a support network - to tell your own story as well as listen to the stories of others.
- Keep a record of your thoughts.
- Look to the future and start to make plans.
- Give yourself and others time to work through feelings. Be willing to give yourself and allow those around you some slack. You have to take the journey together. Most of all avoid isolation. Those people who seek out support, involve themselves in their communities and make full use of the various services offered recover faster and better. You are entitled to the assistance available.
Connect with Community
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Get involved in a community resilience group
Mapping and maintaining fire trails
Help map any trails on your property that could be used in the case of a bushfire.
Join in community efforts to maintain fire trails as open and accessible to RFS vehicles.
Do you have a SWS (Static Water Source)?
The Static Water Supply (SWS) Program is a free service that enables residents to help local firefighters by identifying existing water supplies (such as dams, tanks or swimming pools) on their property that could be used for firefighting purposes.
If you do have a body of water over 3000L and would like to help the RFS and community, you can email community.engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au, with your name, phone number, address, postcode, local government area.
Once registered, you can put a specially designed SWS sign so that RFS can identify where they can access water.
Join RFS (Rural Fire Service)
Become a volunteer with the knowledge to respond in a fire emergency.