• Activate your bushfire plan
• Remember, late evacuation is a deadly option – your home offers better protection from the dangers of radiant heat than the car.
• Ensure your equipment is at hand, including a battery powered radio to monitor the news for updates
• Protect yourself and your family from radiant heat by covering up
• Patrol your home and property for embers both before and after the fire front has passed – ember attack is the most likely cause for house loss in a bushfire.
• Drink plenty of water to protect from heat exhaustion

Getting up-to-date information during fires

If a bushfire threatens your community, there are many ways you can find out information about the fire situation.

Emergency Services may issue community announcements to forewarn sections of the community of a potential bushfire threat.  These announcements may be made through the ABC radio network, local commercial radio or television stations.  These messages may, at times, be accompanied by the emergency warning tones similar to those used for cyclones.

ABC Radio, as an emergency services broadcaster, has made a commitment, irrespective of other programming priorities, to inform at risk communities of impending bushfire emergencies.

In regional areas, community radio stations may also broadcast information about fires in the local area.

It is important for residents to have battery-operated radios available over summer so they can listen out for these messages should the mains power fail during a fire.

Find your local ABC radio station at: http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/