Be 'firewise' this bushfire season

The City of Stirling has 1,780 hectares of open space for reserves, parks and natural conservation areas.

Even in urban environments, these bushlands can cause bushfire risk to homes and properties.

Preparing for bushfires is a shared responsibility, so the City of Stirling has launched a new 'firewise' education video (scroll down) that shows how City residents can prepare themselves and their properties for bushfires.

Preparing your property

Remove all dead vegetation and flammable materials from around your home, including:

• Cleaning gutters
• Sweeping up leaves
• Trimming overhanging branches
• Slashing overgrown vegetation.

If you own or occupy a piece of land greater than 2000m², you must ensure firebreaks are installed and maintained.

Requirements include:

• Minimum 4m height clearance
• Minimum 4m width clearance
• Must be clear of flammable material
• Trafficable clearing for emergency vehicles.

Preparing yourself and your family

Get ready for bushfire season by preparing an emergency kit, which can include:

• Battery-powered AM/FM radio
• Food
• Water
• Medication
• Important documents
• First aid kit.

Sit down with your household to prepare a bushfire survival plan, which should include:

• Where to go
• When you will leave
• How to keep up to date using Emergency WA for all alerts and warnings.

Check for total fire bans on the Emergency WA website or by downloading the Emergency WA app before doing any outdoor activities like outdoor cooking or using power tools.

City of Stirling Bushfire Mitigation Program

The City of Stirling reduces bushfire risk through a series of mitigation strategies and programs, including:

• Installating and maintaining of firebreaks to prevent the spread of fire
• Upgrading and maintaining tracks to improve emergency services access
• Conducting regular weed control and selectively removing dead vegetation to reduce fuel loads.

In the event of a bushfire, or on days of particularly high fire risk, the City may decide to close some of its reserves such as Trigg Bushland or Star Swamp Reserves.

This is a precautionary measure to ensure public safety.

For more helpful information on staying safe this bushfire season, visit www.stirling.wa.gov.au/firesafety