Property Advice Visit Service

Property Advice Visit Service is a free service offered to people whose homes are at the highest risk from bushfire in Victoria. A CFA member visits residents at home, offering practical ways to reduce the risk of losing their home in a bushfire, and guidance on how to make and implement a fire plan.

What you'll learn

Your level of bushfire risk.
How to reduce the risk of losing your home by preparing your property for bushfire.
Why you should leave early on days of higher fire risk.
Identifying your triggers to act.
Where to get up-to-date bushfire information and warnings.
The importance of having a realistic and adaptable fire plan.

Who is it for?

Property Advice Visit Service (PAVS) focuses on people living within 150 metres of the bush in areas of extreme and very high fire risk. Generally, CFA members contact residents by knocking on their door.

Why the PAVS exists

We know from history that houses are more likely to be lost in bushfires when they are within 150m of bushland, but people who live in very high and extreme bushfire risk areas often don't know how at risk they are.

This service is designed to encourage residents to take steps to protect their property and themselves in the lead up to Summer.

What happens during a visit

A male CFA member and female CFA member are standing with a female resident looking at a parthway made of rocks and bricks next to a house.

During a visit, CFA members talk through the resident’s local risk and offer practical tips to help them prepare. The advice is tailored to suit the needs of the property and the people who live there. The duration of a visit can vary, depending on the size of the property and the residents needs.

Your local fire risk

During the free visit, a trained CFA member will help residents understand the level of bushfire risk in their local area and how it may impact them.

Property assessment

A trained CFA member will do a walk through of the property and provide a brief assessment, highlighting risks, such as overgrown trees or bushes close to the house.

Property preparation advice

Residents are given advice on how best to prepare their property and design their garden to protect their home and other assets from fire.

Bushfire survival advice

Residents are given advice about how to improve their chance of surviving a bushfire by leaving early.

Bushfire planning advice

Residents are encouraged to make a fire plan based on their individual circumstances. They are also given planning templates, information and CFA guides to help with their planning.

Program/service cost

PAVS is a free, targeted program.

Who can access PAVS

PAVS is a targeted program. This means CFA contacts residents in high risk areas and offers an on-site assessment. Find out if it is delivered in your area by speaking to your regional or district office.

Enquire about Property Advice Visits in your area

Have a question about one of CFA’s community programs or services? Select the program you’re enquiring about and provide your details below. A member of our team will get back to you.

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Key resources

Resources

Your Guide to Property Preparation

An easy to read guide about how to get your house and garden ready before the fire season.

Download (PDF 2.14MB)

Fire Ready Kit

A comprehensive guide to help you plan and prepare for bushfire season. It provides helpful information about how bushfires behave and why Fire Danger ratings matter, practical steps to get your home and garden ready, and provides clear instructions about what to do when there's a fire.

Download (PDF 3.25MB)

Page last updated: Friday, 11 September 2026 2:50:35 PM

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Property Advice Visit Service

What you'll learn

Who is it for?

Why the PAVS exists