The ACT Emergency Services Agency (ACTESA) is urging all Canberrans to pack a Survival Plan for their holiday destinations.
ACTESA Commissioner Georgeina Whelan said that with the holiday period just around the corner and travel restrictions easing, many people would travel interstate and visit bushfire prone areas outside the ACT.
“While you may not live in an at-risk area, it is important to understand risks within your holiday destination,” Commissioner Whelan said.
“Canberrans travelling into NSW or QLD should check relevant emergency service websites to see if their holiday destination is a high-risk bushfire area and stay up-to-date with daily fire danger or emergencies in the area,” she said.
“Travellers should review their Survival Plan for the area they will be staying in and you should know what you will do if threatened by an emergency, such as a bushfire.”
Commissioner Whelan said people should know how to leave their holiday area quickly; if they had important supplies such as water in their car; and where to receive emergency information about their holiday destination.
“If Black Summer has taught us anything it’s that an emergency can happen anywhere, and you always need to be prepared,” she said.
Acting Chief Officer of ACT Rural Fire Service, Rohan Scott encouraged the community to enjoy the holiday period safely by thinking about potential risks.
“While a lot of bushland was burnt during the Black Summer, there is still a risk of fires, particularly grass fires this season,” A/Chief Officer Scott said.
“When camping, driving, or planning to light a cooking fire, be extra careful as a small fire can quickly escalate into a major incident in hot and windy conditions,” he said.
Information about fire danger and bushfire prone areas in NSW can be accessed on the NSW Rural Fire Service website at this PS News link and information on fire danger and natural hazards in Queensland on the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services’ website at this link.
