If you have lived in Western Australia for any length of time, then you know that bushfire season is no joking matter.

Here’s the thing. We cannot control the weather. We cannot prevent fires from starting.

But we can prepare our properties, and that preparation could be the difference between a sad story of loss and a happy story of survival.

Let’s get down to what you really need to do, not just what you should do, to get your property ready for bushfire season in Perth and across WA.

Understanding Your Risk Level First

First, know how likely your home is to burn compared to others. Not all homes face the same threat.

Check if you’re in a Bushfire Prone Area at DFES’s official mapping site. Over 90% of WA is bushfire prone, plenty of Perth suburbs fall into these zones.

Here’s why this matters: research shows 85% of houses destroyed in bushfires were within 100 metres of bushland, with ember attack being a major cause.

If you’re in a bushfire-prone area, getting a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessment is essential. This assessment examines vegetation within 100 metres of your home and the land’s slope to determine your actual vulnerability.

You’ll receive a rating from BAL-Low to BAL-FZ (Flame Zone), which tells you what protection measures you need under State Planning Policy.

A certified assessor can find risks you might not even think about.

The Bushfire Preparation Checklist That Actually Works

Let’s get down to the checklist of what should be done before fire season in Western Australia:

Your Gutters and Roof

Clean them. Then clean them again. Leaf litter in gutters is kindling waiting for an ember attack.

If overhanging branches are dropping debris onto your roof year-round, those gutters will need clearing at least twice before summer – once in autumn and once just before the hot weather starts.

While up there, or while someone braver than you is up there, check for any loose tiles on your roof or gaps that need to be sealed where embers could get in.

You would be surprised at how a small gap near your ridge capping can let in enough sparks to start a fire inside the roof cavity.

Vegetation Management

This is where most people stop short. They think cutting the grass is good enough.

Keep your lawn mowed nice and short—under 10 centimetres. Create some defensible space around the home. Get dead stuff out. Trim shrubs back so they’re not sitting against your walls. And firewood piles against the house? Move those away too.

Low branches should be removed—not just within the recommended distance of 10 metres from your house, but anything low.

Proper attention should also be given to trees because, while everyone loves a good shady tree, it must not become a ladder for flames.

And yes, I know cutting back native vegetation can feel uncomfortable from an environmental perspective, but creating a firebreak could mean the difference between losing and saving your home. It’s about balance.

Water and Fire Suppression Equipment

Water is the key factor. If you don’t have water available when a fire threatens, all your fire protection equipment is useless. Make sure all your systems will have an adequate water supply to function as intended when needed most.

• Test Your Systems: Do you have hydrant hose reel systems? Test them before summer; run some water through them and check your pressure – also look at hoses for cracks.
• Store Extinguishers in Several Different Locations: Home, shed, garage, and any outdoor areas. Most people think extinguishers don’t need to be serviced regularly. An extinguisher that has been sitting unused for years may fail when you need it most.
• Select the Appropriate Type of Extinguisher: Either powder or foam extinguishers work in a bushfire situation. CO₂ units are meant for electrical fires and not bushfires.
• Remember Fire Blankets: They’re inexpensive, with a long shelf life, and quick for smothering small fires. One in the kitchen and one near your BBQ.

Professionally installed and serviced fire protection equipment will actually operate as intended in an emergency. Do not leave it to chance.

Your Emergency Kit

You do not want to be standing there thinking about what to pick when things go bad quickly. From November, have your emergency bag packed and ready to go.

What should you put inside? The common items are water, food that does not perish easily, medicines, copies of important documents, phone chargers and batteries, a battery-powered radio and torch, plus first aid supplies. Also consider:

• Cash (just in case ATMs are down).
• An extra set of clothing and strong shoes.
• Pet supplies if you’ve got animals.
• N95 masks for smoke protection.

Keep this kit somewhere you can grab it in 30 seconds if an evacuation order comes through.

What About Sprinkler Systems?

If you are in a high-risk area, then this could be the game changer for you: having properly installed fire sprinkler systems around your property perimeter.

And no, not the type that waters your roses. We’re talking about systems specifically designed for bushfire defence.

These systems can soak your home, the decks, and all around just as the fire gets there. But (and this is a big but) it needs to be installed by professionals and serviced regularly.

DIY sprinklers often fail at that critical moment because the water pressure is wrong or there are gaps in the spray coverage.

Fire pump sets are also a part of this equation. If you’re on tank water in a rural area, you need a pump that’s reliable and powerful enough to run your suppression systems when mains water isn’t available.

Don’t Forget the Human Element

All the gear in the world is useless if you and your family have no real idea of what to actually do when a bushfire warning comes through.

Do you have an evacuation plan? Not just some vague idea but a real written down plan that everyone in your household knows. Where will you go? What route will you take to get there? What’s the backup route if the first one’s blocked? Who’s responsible for grabbing the pets?

Practise the plan. Yes, it feels slightly ridiculous to do a fire drill on some random Saturday, but remember this: Muscle memory counts when you are under stress and smoke is pouring into your home.

If there are elderly people or someone with mobility issues living with you, think about them in your plans as well. This planning isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s literally the difference between everyone getting out safely or leaving someone behind.

Fire awareness training is worth doing. Understanding how an ember attack works or why radiant heat is dangerous even from hundreds of metres away significantly changes the way you would normally think to prepare.

The Insurance and Documentation Side

This isn’t exciting, but it matters. Take photos of your property and all your valuables now, while everything’s fine. Upload them to cloud storage. Make copies of your insurance documents and important paperwork.

Know what your insurance policy actually covers. Some policies have specific requirements around bushfire preparation that you need to meet for your claim to be valid. It’s depressing reading, but it’s necessary reading.

What About During Fire Season?

Preparation isn’t a one-and-done thing. Throughout summer, you need to stay switched on.

Monitor fire danger ratings daily. DFES issues Fire Danger Ratings using the Australian Fire Danger Rating System with four simplified levels. When it’s a severe fire danger day or higher, that’s not the day to use your angle grinder or let the kids have a backyard bonfire.

Keep your fuel tank above half-full during high-risk periods. If an evacuation order comes, you don’t want to be stuck queuing at the servo.

Sign up for emergency alerts. The Emergency WA app pushes notifications based on your current location. DFES also offers the My Bushfire Plan tool – it takes 15 minutes to create and you can access it offline.

ABC Local Radio will have the most up-to-date information during an actual event.

Professional Support Exists for a Reason

Look, there’s a limit to what you can DIY when it comes to bushfire preparation. Some stuff just needs professional assessment and installation.

Getting your property properly assessed for bushfire risk isn’t just about meeting building requirements – it’s about genuinely understanding your vulnerabilities.

Having professionals install and service your fire protection equipment means it’ll actually work when you need it.

And if you’re unsure about where to start with evacuation planning or what equipment your property really needs, talking to fire safety professionals who know Western Australian conditions makes sense. They deal with this stuff every day. You don’t.

The Bottom Line

Bushfire season in Perth and across WA isn’t getting any easier. Hotter, drier summers mean longer fire seasons and more dangerous conditions.

But feeling helpless doesn’t have to be part of the package. Taking concrete steps to prepare your property gives you back some control.

Start now. Don’t wait until you see smoke on the horizon or the temperature’s hitting 40 degrees. November might feel early, but December’s often too late.

Check your property’s risk level, clear vegetation, service your fire equipment, pack your emergency kit, and test your evacuation plan.

Will this guarantee your property survives? No. But it dramatically improves your odds, and more importantly, it improves the odds that you and your family will be safe.

Bushfire preparation is about saving lives. Your life, your family’s lives, your neighbours’ lives.

So, what are you waiting for?