With the anticipated hot and dry summer around the corner, South Australia’s Country Fire Service (CFS) is urging holidaymakers, campers, and travellers to ensure they are well-prepared for potential bushfire threats. The focus is on developing a thorough Bushfire Survival Plan and being diligent about checking Fire Danger Ratings before setting off to bushfire-prone zones.
Surprisingly, recent research has revealed that only half of the travellers or workers transiting through South Australia actively seek out the Fire Danger Rating for their destinations. Alarmingly, nearly two-thirds feel they don’t require a Bushfire Survival Plan, believing that the risks don’t apply to them since they aren’t residents.
CFS is steadfast in its advice: anyone, whether living in, working in, or simply passing through a bushfire risk zone, should be acutely aware of the Fire Ban District they’re in. Regularly checking the Fire Danger Rating can be crucial, enabling plans to be adapted or even cancelled if hazardous fire conditions are predicted.
CFS Deputy Chief Officer, Georgie Cornish, said most South Australians either work in, travel through, or holiday in bushfire risk areas so it is vital they take the time to understand the risk of the area they are travelling to and make a plan for what they will do if a bushfire starts nearby.
‘We know that bushfires will happen, so we are asking South Australians to plan to survive by ensuring they understand the risk of the area they are travelling in, letting family or friends know their plans and ensuring they have a strategy for accessing critical information to stay informed in an emergency’, says Cornish.
‘Now is the time for you and your family to review or create a Bushfire Survival Plan, which includes the care and transport of pets and livestock before, during and after a fire. Many people have a plan for their home but forget about risks while on holiday. A traveller’s plan should include things like how they will access information and what they are taking in their vehicle, such as woollen blankets, protective clothing, a first aid kit, food and plenty of water.’
The CFS has launched the ‘Be Bushfire Ready Campaign’ today to combat the rising complacency observed among South Australians and accentuates the importance of having an adaptable plan in place.
Minister for Police, Emergency Services, and Correctional Services, Joe Szakacs, praised the campaign: ‘The Be Bushfire Ready Campaign’ is instrumental in informing and readying our communities for worst-case scenarios.
‘Preparing for the unexpected is your best defence, and this campaign empowers South Australians to be independent and not rely on our emergency services’, Minister Szakacs said. ‘Fire does not discriminate and can destroy anything in its path, including homes, farms and our regional centres, so it is important South Australians take steps to prepare and stay informed by using the CFS website or Alert SA app this Fire Danger Season.’
Michael Morgan, Chief Officer of the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS), noted the frequent misconception about bushfires. ‘A common mistake is thinking that bushfires only occur in or impact rural areas, when in fact they can have devastating impacts on built up or metropolitan areas’, says Officer Morgan.
‘We work closely with the CFS across the state and stand with them today to remind communities in regional centres and peri-urban areas across South Australia to be prepared and make a plan so you know what to do should a bushfire start.’
For those still unprepared or seeking more information on property preparedness, CFS has resources via their website here.
More News
