If you see smoke or fire ring 000

Fires can threaten suddenly and without warning and you may need to act decisively the moment you know that there is danger. Your written Bushfire Survival Plan will help you stay clear headed about what needs to be done.

Contact your local Street Coordinator to advise your situation and intentions and learn conditions in your area. If your street coordinator is unavailable your Community Engagement Team will be based at the Mt Wilson Station or Village Hall. You can call them or drop in if you are returning or leaving the villages. That way we can be certain that everyone is safe.

You can also stay informed via ABC radio and TV or NSW Rural Fire Service website under Fire Information. It is always advisable to have several options for receiving information, if only to reassure yourself that what you are hearing is correct.

Do not fantasize that someone will knock on your door and tell you what to do. Do not wait for a warning before acting. During the 2013 State Mine Fire the warning that fire was impacting on Mt Wilson and Mt Irvine arrived as residents were defending their properties.

Making the decision to 'stay and defend' or 'leave early' can be difficult and can therefore be paralysing because you do not want to get it wrong. Research tells us that writing a plan in advance and identifying in the plan any triggers for action (such as finding out tomorrow's Fire Danger Ratings) are the best assistance for acting in the face of an emergency. Even if you decide to 'Wait and See' there are still pdf important actions you must take (470 KB) to ensure your safety.

"A plan to wait until you see how bad things are is a plan to flee at the last moment and maybe die on the road or to die in an unprepared house"