JEFF ADAIR, local resident and CFA regional manager, community safety, looks at what could happen if wildfire invaded our district.

WARRANDYTE as a community is no stranger to fire. People who have lived in the area for some years accept, as best they can, the realisation that fire will occur again. It is more a matter of "when" rather than "if".

Fictional image of Warrandyte -- digitally enhanced by Stephen Reynolds

People choose to live in Warrandyte for a variety of reasons. Many recognise its unique blend of features, including its greenery and rolling hills. Some have moved away from the hustle and bustle of urban living and appreciate the sense of space and community. Others who have lived here for longer appreciate the special kindred spirit generated by its people.

Yet it is this same natural environment that attracts so many that has the potential to end in loss and tragedy, given the wrong conditions during a hot dry summer.

The stark reality is that when fire returns to Warrandyte the majority of residents will be unprepared. Through no fault of their own, many residents fail to recognize the potential of fire in the area. Many think that fire won't affect them, or that it cannot or will not happen here.

During more recent times and in other places, this view has been shown to be misleading. Even the seemingly safest locations have turned out to be dangerous. In terms of fire, Warrandyte is no different. It can happen here. Unless people take steps to recognise the risks and work to reduce these risks by accepting a greater level of responsibility for their own safety, the consequences have the same tragic potential.

As summer approaches you can almost sense the growing anticipation and concern caused by the threat of fire. For those who have experienced previous summers, the camaraderie, vigilance and heightened awareness contribute to making Warrandyte such a delightful place in which to live.

Each summer, many Warrandyte residents work together to assist friends and neighbours undertake early preparations as a part of their plan to minimise the risk from bushfire. They plan to protect their loved ones and their homes. Senses are sharpened and unusual activity is monitored and reported.

Unfortunately, not enough people recognise the early seasonal cues and leave planning and preparation to the last minute. They believe there will be enough time "later".

With many years experience in responding to fires and assisting others in the aftermath, CFA recognises the importance of community understanding and early preparation to mitigate the consequences of fire. As a result of this experience, research and program development, CFA offers community education programs, encouraging residents to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop greater levels of community independence and resilience. Community Fireguard is one of these programs.

Community Fireguard provides residents with the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about developing fire plans. It assists people to make that crucial decision: to stay and defend their home, or leave early before a fire starts. Only a small minority of Warrandyte residents are members of Community Fireguard.

FIRE in Warrandyte could take a number of forms. It could be a localised outbreak, where our CFA brigades act quickly and decisively. Damage is confined to a small area with no real threat to property or life. The community is reactive and alert, but quickly settles back to normal.

This could be a summer of small fires, which start and quickly spread but are bought under control by a coordinated attack by local CFA brigades. Upon the sound of sirens and the rush of fire trucks, residents will seek information. This could be difficult to obtain, most residents not knowing where the fire is or what it is doing. Phones will ring hot and many people will realise they should have done more to prepare and reduce their risk and vulnerability.

These fires are likely to burn bushland and will produce sufficient smoke and disruption to force residents into last-minute action. Some residents who have been undecided, will see or smell smoke and will, at the last minute, throw a few belongings into the car and head for the nearest exit road. Traffic is likely to be congested and police presence may restrict access into the affected area.

Those who have heard on the radio, or by telephone calls from family members, will rush home in an attempt to reassure others and implement the last stages of their fire plan. At the end of the day, the heightened level of awareness will be too late as the danger will have passed, the cool change will have arrived and it will just be a matter of time before the cycle repeats itself.

On a more serious day, fire may have started further afield and be burning on a larger scale, fanned by strong, gusting winds.

Resources will concentrate upon controlling the fire front, which is complicated by erratic fire behaviour and shifting winds. Potential for house loss will be high. Traffic will be congested, with many roads shrouded in smoke, making driving hazardous and dangerous. For those trying to gain entry to the area, the likelihood of roads being closed is very real. Driving behaviour will change and the likelihood of being involved in a car accident increases significantly.

For those in the immediate area of the fire, heat and smoke will exhaust and dehydrate those who are unprepared. There are no guarantees of water or electric power, or of a CFA tanker being outside your home.

For those who believe a fire truck will be outside their home, who are depending on the men and women of the CFA being at their front gate, with pumps primed and tanks full, may face the harsh reality of this not happening. This realisation that the cavalry won't be coming over the hill may lead to panic, resulting in last minute, panic-driven decisions that can have devastating results.

These hypothetical scenarios are one person's opinion of what could happen. It is always difficult to predict where and when fire will come to Warrandyte. Although it is only a matter of "when" and not "if", residents can take active steps to prepare and plan for what to do in the event of a fire emergency.

Families must have fire plans. Plans that are well understood and practised by all members, rather than just the original planner. Equipment and protective clothing must be collected and be readily available. Independent water supplies should be strategically placed around the property with some means of applying it, other than relying on muscle power to throw endless buckets of water.

Fuel reduction and the availability of water are without doubt the most critical components of any fire safety plan, as without these, individuals, family members and fire crews are potentially exposed to the intensity and heat of the fire. Those who rely on mains water pressure are gambling; gambling with an element that cannot be relied upon and could be in desperately short supply. Recently imposed restrictions tell us residents will not have the luxury of using water as freely as previous years. Gardens will be drier and more vulnerable to ignition. This will place even greater importance on the storage of independent supplies.

Fuels should be removed, reduced or managed to form building protection zones, and on larger properties fuel-modified buffer zones should be created to help minimise the effects of fire intensity and radiant heat.

For people who are new to the area and thus have no experience developing fire safety plans, or do not know where to start with these plans, help is readily available.

For further information on summer fire safety contact CFA Regional Headquarters on 03 9735 0511.