Fire Smart

Priority Zone 1 – Create a non flammable zone around your house 1-2m wide.Rocks are good, bark is not. Create a defensible area or safe zone. Convert to lawn and or low flamable species. Remove lower branches of shrubs and trees, waste and combustible debris.

Priority Zone 2 – Remove trees and scrub to allow the trees that remain to be evenly spaced so they don’t touch.

Priority Zone 3 – Prune all large trees and remove all branches at least 2 metres from the ground. Thin sub-canopy trees, cut down dead or dying trees and remove overhanging branches that are close to power lines.

Ensure your driveway is accessible for a fire appliance – 
a minimum clearance of 4m wide, 
4m high and adequate turning space

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Insurance

Any fires you light, be it camp fires cooking fires, braziers, rubbish fires, controlled burns are your responsibility. You could be liable for costs associated with an escaped fire in a rural area. Make sure you have fire insurance – including appropriate cover for rural fires.

Insurance cover :

• Insurance of property for loss and replacement from fire
  For your home, household effects, other builders, vehicles, plant and machinery, forests and crops.
• Public Liability Insurance
  To cover the cost of damage and loss to a third party from anything (including fire) that escapes from your property and damages other parties property.