Summary
- Don't wait for an official warning to leave during summer.
- Talk through or write down a clear bushfire plan with your household.
- Check your plan often and change it if your situation changes.
- Think about how weekends, school holidays, work days, trips away, illnesses and injuries may change your plan.
- If you don't have a bushfire plan, you may struggle to decide what to do in an emergency.
CFA and the Victorian Government recommend leaving early on days when the fire risk is Extreme or Catastrophic. This means going to a safe place—before a fire starts. For the best chance of survival, leave the night before or by 10 am.
Not everyone can think clearly during an emergency. A bushfire is scary and very stressful, so making good decisions can be hard.
Having a clear plan will help you remember what to do when you're feeling stressed. Your plan should include what you need to prepare and what actions to take:
With a good plan, you can get your property ready, pack the right items in your emergency kit, and have backup plans in place.
Never wait for an official warning to leave during bushfire season. Fires can start quickly and can travel very fast. Plan to leave early, before a fire starts.
Six questions to ask when making your bushfire plan
As you make your bushfire plan with your household, you need to consider the following six questions.
1. When will you leave?
Leave early for the best chance of survival. Leaving early means leaving the night before or very early on a day when there is a higher risk of fire. Always leave before a fire starts in your area—never wait until you can see flames or smell smoke.
Talk through what your trigger to leave will be with your household. Use the Fire Danger Rating and the weather forecast for your area as a guide:
- Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating - Your life depends on leaving. Plan to leave the night before or early in the day.
- Extreme Fire Danger Rating - Dangerous fire conditions. Plan to leave early in the day.
- Hot, dry, windy conditions forecast - Dangerous fire conditions. Leave bushfire risk areas early in the day.
Make it a habit to check your Fire Danger Rating and the local weather forecast every day during summer.
Learn more about when to leave
2. Where will you go?
Plan to go somewhere with very low fire risk. This could be:
- A family or friend’s house in a low bushfire risk area
- A shopping centre in town
- The city (away from bushland and grassland).
Always have a backup plan in case your first choice fails
If leaving your area is no longer an option, there may be last resort options nearby that can provide some protection from radiant heat
3. How will you get there?
You will need to know what route to take and have another route planned in case your main road is blocked or dangerous. Your usual route may take much longer than usual, and if you leave too late, it could put your life at risk.
Use this checklist to stay safe:
- Make sure you have enough petrol, gas or electric charge to avoid stopping to fill up
- Practise packing your car quickly, including any pets. Most people find it takes longer than expected.
- If you don't own a car, think about other options, like using public transport or going with a neighbour.
- Give yourself extra time by leaving the day before a high fire risk day.
During a bushfire, phone service may be bad, public transport may be down, and your options may be very limited.
4. What will you take?
Pack what you, your household, and your pets will need for at least three days. It's better to pack too much than too little.
Don’t forget to pack any medicines you or people you care for need, and make sure to bring phone chargers too.
Take hard copies of identification and proof of address, such as bills or ID cards, to show who you are and where you live. You may need these to pass traffic control points where only locals are allowed to pass.
Find detailed checklists on what you should pack
Learn tips on what to pack for babies and toddlers
Learn what to pack for pets and assistance animals
5. Who will you tell?
Once you have made a bushfire plan with your household, it's a good idea to share the details of your plan with your family, friends and neighbours. This can help reduce their anxiety during a bushfire, as they will know you are prepared and where to find you.
Have you:
- Told your family and friends what your trigger for leaving will be?
- Told them where you plan to go to stay safe?
- Told them how you'll get there, and where you'll go if you can't?
- Asked them about their bushfire plan?
Talk about how you can stay in contact and support each other on higher fire risk days.
6. When will you return?
When the fire danger is lower, you should be able to return home. If there has not been a fire, you do not need to wait for emergency services to tell you it’s safe.
If there has been a fire or the Fire Danger Rating is still Extreme or Catastrophic, stay away to stay safe. Don’t return home until emergency services say it is safe to do so. Continue to check the weather conditions, Fire Danger Rating, and any emergency warnings for your area.
When returning home after a fire, watch out for hazards such as fire-affected trees, wandering animals or damaged roads and buildings.
Be aware that coming home after a fire can be mentally and physically challenging. It is important to have support and also to offer support to others.
Learn more about returning home after a bushfire
Preparing your home and garden for bushfire
Preparing your property should be part of your plan. A well-prepared home is more likely to survive a bushfire, even if you have already left the area.
Preparing your property ahead of the fire season will:
- improve the chance that your house is still there when you return
- improve your chance of survival if it becomes too late to leave safely, and you're forced to shelter in your home from a bushfire.
Learn about preparing for bushfire season
Don't wait and see
Never wait and see what will happen with a fire. Waiting too long could put your life at risk.
If you are an older person, have a disability, are unwell, cannot drive, have young children or need help to leave, having a well-thought-out bushfire plan is especially important.
Without a clear plan, you are less likely to remember what steps to take during a bushfire, and you may not have completed the necessary preparations on your property. A good plan will help you feel more confident and avoid panic in an emergency.
The VicEmergency app, website and Hotline all provide real-time emergency information and warnings.
Update your plan
As life changes, you might need to update your bushfire plan. To keep everyone safe, make sure you and your loved ones go over the plan regularly and agree on what to do.
For instance, if someone gets a new medical condition or new people move into your home, you'll need to talk about whether your plan needs to change.
Your leave early destination might also change as your situation changes. Have a conversation over dinner about your bushfire plan when everybody is together and focussed.
Set a time each year to check and update your plan before the weather gets hot.
Start your bushfire plan today
Talk with your household and agree on what you’ll do if there’s a bushfire nearby. Use the questions above to help start the conversation. You have a few options to create your bushfire plan.
Create a basic bushfire plan
Use the Victorian Government's online fire planner tool to create a basic fire plan with general information based on your answers about yourself and your situation.
Build your own personalised plan
If you live in a high risk area and want a more detailed plan, CFA has a range resources and education programs to help you understand your risk and develop a plan that's tailored to your personal circumstances.
Resources
Leaving early - Bushfire planning template
A template to help you plan for bushfire and identify actions to take before leaving early.
Bushfire survival plan template
A bushfire planning template designed for people who need extra support, although anyone can use it. Use it to create a plan and guide conversations with the people who support you.
Explore more bushfire plans
Page last updated: Saturday, 19 September 2026 12:32:34 PM