Firewise foundations

What you can do to reduce your risk from bushfires

Living in the Adelaide Hills comes with the risk of threatening bushfires. Although you cannot eliminate this risk, you can do a lot to reduce it.

First, make sure that basic steps are in place.

Second, think further and follow some advanced steps.

Third, check your home and invest in professional steps.

See the overview of key steps below, and explore and follow each step in more detail. If you’re interested in more background on how we have the power to reduce our risk (and why we should act like pilots and engineers), see our page on bushfire risk.

1. Basic steps

A good way to get started.

Completing these basic steps will take less than an hour, and cost almost nothing.

  • Download the app, set up a watch zone, and have push notifications enabled. You will then received alerts of fires around your area. Learn more

  • Get to know the fire danger ratings and what they mean, and learn about Total Fire Ban days as well as emergency warnings.  Learn more

  • There are designated places that provide relative safety during a bushfire. Know your safer places, as well as last resort refuges. Learn more.

  • How you act on such a day can make a huge difference for the safety of yourself and the people you love. Know what to do, and what to avoid.  Learn more.

2. Advanced steps

Think further.  Bushfires can evolve quickly — so prepare for all scenarios.

Learn about bushfire behaviour, create a good survival plan, and take precautions.

  • Understanding how bushfires behave is critical — learn about ember attacks, radiant heat, as well as the role of weather conditions and topography. Learn more.

  • “We’re just gonna leave” is not a good plan — what if it’s no longer safe to leave? Invest some time to create a good plan that meets six criteria:

    1. it is written down;

    2. it accounts for the whole family;

    3. it features clear triggers;

    4. it accounts for different scenarios;

    5. it has been practiced; and

    6. it includes essential information.

    Templates are available — explore the guidance and then have your plan ready and practiced throughout the fire danger season.  Learn more.

  • Throughout the fire danger season, maintain simple measures to reduce key vulnerabilities around your home and property. Learn more.

  • Throughout the fire danger season, have emergency kits that are ready to go. Know what you should have in these kits, and see the pack list. Learn more.

3. Professional steps

Reduce the risk of your home being affected by a bushfire.

Assess and reduce your risk, then review your risk every season. With our home inspections, we can assist you in the process.

  • Every home is different, and so is its specific risk pattern. Getting an overview of the main vulnerabilities of your home (such as ember attack points) serves as a foundation for actions to render your home safer. With our home inspections, FirewiseAssist is here to help you. Learn more.

  • Systematically address all identified vulnerabilities of your home and property.

    Our inspection reports not only list your specific risks, but crucially, provide you with detailed steps to render your home and property less sensitive to bushfire impact. What’s more, we also include resources and suppliers to bring your plan to life. Learn more.

  • It is important to maintain your preparedness and to review whether the steps you have taken remain effective. Remain alert, and make sure that your lines of defence are functional throughout every fire danger season. Learn more.

Resources for printing

Informational poster from Firewise Assist providing steps to reduce risk from bushfires. It includes sections on basic, advanced, and professional steps, with tips on preparing emergency kits, creating bushfire survival plans, understanding fire behavior, and assessing risk.

Firewise foundations Download this one-page summary here or click on the image.

A firewise foundation progress checklist document with steps for fire safety, including installing the AlertSA app, understanding ratings and warnings, and learning how to act on fire danger days. It features checkboxes for completing each step, QR code, and website link at the bottom.

My progress checklist Request your free copy of this checklist, then print it and tick off the items you have completed (this is NOT a bushfire survival plan).