Fire - Home Protection
The Wellington Emergency Management Office (WEMO) has a range of publications to help you plan for an emergency. The information on this page appears in the brochure Saving Your Home from Scrub Fires.
- View brochure (310Kb PDF)
- Order brochure
Wellington at Risk
If your home borders on land covered in gorse, grass, pine trees or other vegetation, you should take steps to defend your home and property against wildfires on neighbouring land.
The Wellington region is dangerously dry - it suffered the worst drought on record over the summer of 2000-2001. It rained and was cold over the winter, but moisture levels in both vegetation and topsoil did not recover from the drought and were far lower than normal. That meant it would dry out again over the summer months.
So, regardless of winter weather, the chance of fire in areas bordering urban properties in summer can be extremely high.
The Wellington Region is particularly at risk from vegetation fires. Apart from the fact that it is surrounded by huge areas of gorse and regenerating bush, the region is also planted with thousands of hectares of pine trees.
On top of that, the region has two characteristics that fuel big vegetation fires - steep hillsides and strong winds.
On a typical Wellington summer's day, with a wind of 30kmh blowing, a scrub fire can burn at speeds that are alarming - and highly dangerous. Flames can leap roads and travel faster than a person can run, surrounding people trying to make their escape. The best advice is to evacuate well before the danger becomes imminent. Leave the fire fighting to the trained professionals.
Lean, Clean, Green
The best way to protect your home is to ‘starve’ a vegetation fire as it approaches. That means removing as much flammable material as possible in a defensible area of up to 20 metres around your house.
To create a defensible space, think:
- Lean - minimal amounts of flammable vegetation.
- Clean - no accumulation of dead vegetation or other flammable debris.
- Green - plants are healthy and green during the fire season.
The defensible space will not only reduce the possibility of flames reaching your house, but also provide a safe space for fire fighters.
Be Ready to Evacuate
What if you were asked to evacuate your home immediately? If you live in a high-risk area, the following tips will help you be ready to act quickly:
- identify at least two suitable exit routes from your neighbourhood
- identify a pre-arranged meeting place for family members
- keep valuable personal documents and mementos within easy reach
- close all doors and windows behind you, but leave them unlocked for fire fighters
- leave a light on in each room
- remove curtains and other combustible materials from around windows
- follow instructions of emergency personnel
- tune into the local radio station.
Fire Safety Checklist
- work with your neighbours to remove scrub and keep the neighbourhood clear
- mow your lawn
- widely spaced trees
- remove leaf litter and loose bark
- stack wood piles and other flammable material away from the house
- keep your driveway clear to give fire fighters access to your home
- remove dead branches hanging over your roof
- clean dead leaves and needles from your roof and gutters
- enclose the underside of any balconies and decks with fire-resistant materials.
Related Links
Department Details:
Emergency Management
