Community & Business
2 September, 2023
Are you ready for bushfire season?
WHETHER you are new to the Tablelands area or have lived here your whole life, we know that we normally have a dry season and a wet season, up here in the North.
This year the wet season has extended a little longer than normal with rain still falling in parts of the Far North in August.
With the normal fire season in Queensland, often running from July to October we know though that it can extend through to February, if the wet doesn’t arrive on time.
Unfortunately, with that extra rain, we now have more growth on the ground which is quickly drying off and therefore we need to be bushfire prepared.
Our Emergency Services are preparing by making sure our personnel are prepared to assist should there be a bushfire, but we need the community to assist as well.
How can you help?
▪ Start planning now by getting your emergency and evacuation kits ready.
▪ Prepare an emergency plan to keep you and your family safe.
▪ Make your property resilient, by reducing vegetation, clean your gutters and trim low-lying branches around your home.
▪ Display your house number at the road to assist emergency service personnel.
▪ Make sure there is adequate space for fire trucks to access your property (at least 4metres high and wide with a turn-around area if possible).
▪ Gather irreplaceable valuables and important documents together to assist with evacuations.
▪ Have an emergency bag of clothes packed and stock your first aid kit.
▪ Check your insurance policies are adequate for both your home and vehicle to minimise losses.
▪ Regularly check the Fire Danger rating in your area.
▪ Tune in to warnings and know whether you will leave or stay, should there be a fire.
▪ Make a contingency plan.
▪ Don’t forget your pets, have their food, bedding, and leads packed or nearby.
The Queensland Police Service, Bureau of Meteorology, the Queensland Fire Department and State Emergency Services can all be followed on Twitter and Facebook.
Have a radio and batteries as part of your emergency kit as that is also one of the best ways to get information during power outages.
Social media is a great way to get timely information during emergency situations.
The message from the police is to prepare now, know who to contact and stay out of harm’s way this season.
For more information visit the Get Ready Queensland page, www.getready.qld.gov.au
Managing Queensland’s bushfire risk is a shared responsibility – we are ready, are you?
