In
the United States, when
people talk about rural fire prevention they usually talk about clearing
brush and providing safety zones around structures. When a wildfire comes,
the discussion turns to exit strategies and escape routes. It's the
conventional wisdom.In Australia,
fire authorities discourage evacuation by able-bodied people. Instead, they
are encouraged to remain with their structure during the fire and protect it
themselves. The Australian experts indicate that the probability of an
occupied structure surviving a wildfire is more than six times that of an
unoccupied, unprepared structure. You may also have noticed that during a
wildfire, most injuries occur when people become trapped while
trying to flee.
I'd like to show how we plan
to stay and protect our home from a brush fire.
Important
Prerequisites!
A reliable water source must be
available. You must have a defensible space and you must be fit enough
to handle the rigors of defending that space.
Here is a rundown of what we have done on
our property to prepare for the next inevitable wild fire.
