Research shows only one in five West Australians are prepared for bushfire season

New research shows that nearly half of West Australians are concerned about the impact of bushfires this season yet only 21 per cent have taken protective measures to prepare their homes. The research from NRMA Insurance shows that only a quarter of West Australian’s (26 per cent) know what they would do if a bushfire threatened their home. Research also shows that 44 per cent of West Australians surveyed said recent extreme weather overseas had made them more concerned about the impacts of fires on their homes. This comes as the Bureau of Meteorology officially declared an El Nino influence last Tuesday for the first time in eight years, a weather pattern that is predicted to cause catastrophic bushfires this year. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has already told the South West to brace for an unusually brutal bushfire season earlier than normal, with drier weather conditions expected as early as November. DFES Community Preparedness Adviser Haley Hibbit said that living in suburbia away from bush land does not make a home less at risk from fires. “Ninety per cent of WA is bushfire prone, so if you’re in Western Australia you are at risk, you don’t have to live in the bush to be at risk from bush-fires. “Embers can travel up to 25km during a bushfire, bringing the fire from the bush to your home,” she said. NRMA Insurance Meteorologist Dr Bruce Buckely said WA should be extra prepared. “Some of the extreme weather drivers experienced in the northern hemisphere, such as widespread and increased sea temperatures and El Nino, also apply to Australia, escalating the risk associated with higher temperatures this spring,” he said. “In addition to grass fire risk, Western Australia faces an escalating risk of early season bushfire due to prolonged dry conditions, so it’s critical residents who live near grasslands or bush lands stay alert. “Now is the time to minimise fire risks around the home, before the heat arrives.” Ms Hibbit said the best way families could preparations was to take 10 minutes to create an action plan. “Create a bushfire plan that outlines what you will do if a bush fire occurs, head to mybushfire.wa.gov.au or contact a local brigade for a copy of the bushfire preparation toolkit,” she said.