Prepare for a Bushfire

Emergency WA

The Emergency WA website has a map-based display with the best available emergency information from across the State.

Emergency WA provides current warning alerts for fires, floods, storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, hazardous material incidents and traffic crashes.

Visit Emergency WA.

View Fire Danger Ratings.

My Bushfire Plan

Do you and your family know what to do in the event of a bush fire? Do you have a bushfire safety plan prepared and an emergency kit packed?

The My Bushfire Plan app is a bushfire preparedness tool, providing you with one place to prepare, store, share and update your bushfire plan anytime, from any device.

Features included:

• Helps you determine the safest plan for you.
• Complete a step-by-step plan in your own time tailored to you, and save it for the future.
• Create an account so you can access the plan on the web or on other phones.
• Ability to share your plan with your family.
• Check seasonal reminders to help you and your family prepare for bushfire season.
• Receive notifications for important seasonal reminders to help you prepare.
• When your plan is ready you can access it offline, whenever you need it.

Developed by the DFES, you can download the app to your phone (through Google Play or App Store), or complete the plan via the My Bushfire Plan website.

Go to My Bushfire Plan.

Hazard reduction activities

Preparing your property

Preparing for fires is essential to living in our fire prone landscape. Having a plan is the primary step to ensuring the survivability of your property and the welfare of you and your family, including pets and livestock.

Ensure that all firebreaks (if this is a requirement for your property) are maintained and totally clear of all flammable material either living or dead and they must be maintained in this state for the compliance period. Cleared hardstand areas and areas maintained in a green state may be considered acceptable as a firebreak. 

• Create a circle of safety around your home and other buildings. A 20 m circle is recommended by DFES.
• Clear all rubbish, long dry grass, bark and material that may catch fire.
• Cut long grass to a height of 5 cm.
• Prune lower branches up to 2 m off the ground to stop a ground fire spreading into the canopy of the trees.
• Create and maintain a minimum 2 m gap between your house and tree branches. Do not pile wood against or near your house.
• Rake up leaves and other combustible materials from under trees.
• Keep roof gutters and valleys clear of leaves and bark.
• Hoses should be long enough to reach all parts of your house and use metal fittings as these are less likely to melt.
• Building Envelopes have been allocated to all lots within Special Residential and some Special Rural areas. Clearing living vegetation outside the confines of the Building Envelope requires approval from the Shire.

Fire breaks and hazard reduction - important notes

1. The area outside the Building Envelope has been set aside as a tree retention area, to provide a vegetated buffer between individual properties. The clearing of any trees or substantial shrubs, with the exception of providing a fire break or a driveway, is not permitted unless approval has been obtained from the Shire.
2. The Shire requires the provision of a 2 m wide firebreak around the perimeter of all Special Residential lots prior to the 30 November, annually. Landowners should meander the firebreak around existing standing timber.
3. The Shire will permit the clearing of understory (grasses, shrubs, ground covers) to reduce the quantity of combustible material at ground level. It is important that all live standing trees and shrubs capable of growing to at least 3 m in height are not cleared in order to maintain the visual appearance of these areas. 

Find out more about firebreaks.

Follow the Shire’s hazard reduction program

Follow the Shire of Harvey’s hazard reduction program to ensure your property is prepared.

September - November

• Wood and timber heaps to be kept at least 20 metres away from your dwelling.
• Grass to be kept short.
• Clean gutters and roof debris.
• Install your firebreaks.
• Apply chemical spray to your firebreaks and low fuel zones (final application).
• Review your family’s emergency plan remembering your pets and livestock.

November - May

• Water lawns on specified watering days.
• Water trees and shrubs near your buildings.
• Check your firefighting equipment and service it where required.
• Clean gutters and roof debris.
• Maintain your firebreaks.

May - August

• Prune trees within the Asset Protection Zone (APZ).
• Move branches up to 2 metres.
• Clear long grass, leaves, branches/twigs, and flammable vegetation from around your buildings.
• Petrol and other flammables should be stored away from your dwelling.
• Firefighting equipment to be checked and serviced when required.
• Share your emergency plan and evacuation plans with your family and neighbours.
• Apply chemical spray to your firebreaks and low fuel zones (two applications may be required).

Be fire safe all year round

• Ensure firebreaks are prepared.
• Ensure sure that your buildings are safe – fit metal fly screens and shutters, fill gaps in roof and wall spaces, fit fire screens to evaporative air conditioners and see if they can provide a water only supply.
• Consider installing external building sprinkler systems and backup power for emergencies.
• Ensure trafficable access to your emergency water supplies and install the correct fittings.
• Make sure you have ample water and another power source as you may lose power in a fire. You may need a petrol/diesel generator powered pump to draw water from an alternative source, such as dams, pools or water tanks.
• Check your home and contents insurance cover is adequate. 

Water supply in the event of a bush fire

The Water Corporation cannot guarantee that water pressure or supply will be maintained in the event of a bushfire.  People who plan to stay and defend their property need to have their own independent water supply and pumping capabilities and not rely on the public water supply.

Firewise Gardening WA

Western Australians living in bushfire-prone areas can now better protect their homes against the destruction of a bushfire with landscaping advice from a new Firewise Gardening guide. 

The guide was developed by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services in consultation with industry experts, including the CSIRO, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and local governments. 

The Firewise Gardening guide provides advice on practices and assists at-risk residents in bushfire preparation.

More information and contacts

For more information about bushfire preparedness, please contact us.

See also: ​Bushfire preparedness video: Importance of Preparedness - Lessons Learnt 2016 January Bushfires.

Related pages

• Permit to burn
• Burning Periods and Fire Danger Ratings
• Fire Bans
• Firebreaks
• Fire Control and Emergency Contacts
• Bushfire and Emergency Management and Mitigation