Day 25 Bush fire survival guide

Australian bush fire

The summer in Australia is extremely hot since we are located close to the equator. The temperature normally can be over 41 degrees centigrade under the sun. So it is very common for Australia to sustain bush fire disaster. Until today, the recently breached Moystone bush fire in western Victoria has destroyed three homes and damaged 91 properties. And the ‘black Saturday’ victoria bush fire in 2009 will indelibly imprinted in our mind. As a consequence, it is important for us who live in Australia to have a bush fire survival guide in our knowledge.

The bush fire is the more frequently used name of wildfire in Australia, because our landscapes are wastelands with shrubs and overgrown grasses. The drastic sunshine bakes these plants until dehydration, hence a tiny spark will light up the blaze and burn through thousands hectares of land. The fire travels extremely fast. According to the CFA records, the fire can spread at 5 km/h at the start and doubles its speed for every 10 degree slope of the ground. To escape a proceeding bush fire on foot is impossible, people will be bewildered by the heat and smoke in the air and make poor decisions on their directions. Therefore, the options for us are limited if we are unfortunately caught up in a bush fire event. We should either: travel by car, defend at our house or find the nearest shelter.

In my opinion, in order to survive in a bush fire, we need to keep our cool both physically and psychologically. Our last choice is to escape by car, it will not be an easy route since the smoke and obstacles along the road such as ambers, fallen trees and road closure will restrict our travel direction. We need to stay focus on the road and listen to the radio channel for the update of fire movements. If we stuck at a deadened, there is no time to panic. We need to concentrate on seeking a solid structure and park behind it. Although the car will not provide much protection for us from the heat, we need to stay inside the car until the fire passed. Our other greatest enemy is the smoke, so we need to shut down the windows tightly along with the air vent. We also have to stay below the window level and keep the air conditioner on the recycle function. Make sure to have the head lights and hazard lights on in case other cars distorted in the smoke hit us. If we choose to defend at our home, the first thing, we need to do is remove all flamable/explosivable items away from the house. Turn off the gas supply and air conditioning equipment to protect us from the blast and smoke. In addition, addition, we need to store as much water as possible in every container, because to soak up both, ourselves and the building will provide the best defense for the fire. Furthermore, we should use wet towels under the door frame, so the smoke will not come through easily. Most importantly, stay calm and know the consequences for our actions, always have a precautionary plan B against unexpected situation, and never get confronted in a room with no other exists.

However, the best way to survive in a bush fire is to avoid it before the start. During the summer season, the CFA announces bush fire danger ratings for every area, try not to ignore it, and it can save our live