Victoria is one of the most bushfire prone areas in the world and it’s not just the forest areas such as the Dandenong and Macedon Ranges that are at risk, it is fringe suburbs that are pushing into what was pastoral land and are now surrounded by grass, it’s the coastal areas with their fuel loads of scrub – in fact, it’s anywhere that’s close to bush or scrub or grasslands.

The CFA has some great information on how you can prepare your home and what plans you should put in place, so check it out here.

But in a nutshell, here’s a list of things you should do to prepare for the hot summer.

1. Clean up around your property removing flammable items including, leaf litter, twigs, bark and woodpiles.
2. Keep the grass short, remove any branches that overhang the house, and keep shrubs well below the height of any tree branches. (Check with the council what you can and can’t do without a permit).
3. Clean your gutters.
4. Have an emergency plan or bushfire survival plan that the family understands and don’t forget to include your pets in your plan.
5. Make sure your important documentation and valuables are easy to grab or consider having a box of valuables already packed.
6. Attend any information sessions your local brigade hold.
7. Keep an eye on fire ratings and stay well informed on high fire risk days.
8. Download the Vic Emergency app and set up alerts for your location.

9. Avoid travelling through high-risk areas on days of high fire risk.