Fire safety

f GROWERS need to be preparing early for the 2021–22 season.

Fires are more likely to happen when using machinery and vehicles.

be prepared for the season ahead

BY KAREN RAYBOULD OPERATIONS MANAGER, VEGETABLESWA

Living in a rural or farming area, you need to know your bushfire risk and how to put a bushfire survival plan into place.

Following the devastating 2019–20 bushfires in Australia, growers need to be preparing early for the 2021–22 season. It is the responsibility of growers to be aware of the bushfire risks faced on their property, to know what to do if a bushfire strikes and to ensure everyone on the farm knows the plan, including your neighbours. Practice the plan with family and employees.

Be prepared

Being prepared can save a lot to time reacting to a fire and could save lives and property. Being prepared can include: • Keeping informed of fire ratings and local emergencies • A fire management and survival plan • Knowing when to leave • Being part of a neighbourhood or regional firefighting system • On farm firefighting equipment operational and ready to go • Keeping in touch with warnings and incidents.

How can you help prevent fires?

Fires are more likely to happen when using machinery and vehicles, especially through cropped paddocks. Carry out regular machine maintenance. Dry straw, dust, chaff, oil and leaking distillate are perfect fuels to accelerate a fire. Keep headers clean and free of these elements to help prevent fires.

Comply with harvest and vehicle movement bans issued by your shire.

Maintain wide fuel-free firebreaks inside property boundaries against all public roads; property and paddock boundaries; laneways and tracks; sheds chemical storage and yards; water supply infrastructure; fuel storage powerlines.

Your responsibility

Make sure any equipment is not likely to start a fire during a ban. If it does, you could be fined, as well as facing the responsibility of putting your family, property and community in danger.

Be prepared with firefighting equipment operational and ready to go.

MORE INFORMATION

This article was produced from the Department of Emergency Services and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment websites.

For more information Visit the Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA, rural farm fire site

www.dfes.wa.gov.au/site/bushfire/ ruralfarmfire.html

Other useful sources of information: • Australian Government Bureau of

Meteorology • Bushfire.io app