South Australians are being urged to ‘Be Bushfire Ready’ with the Fire Danger Season to start in the Upper and Lower South East tomorrow (November 1).

The season was brought forward three weeks in the Lower South East and two weeks for the Upper South East, and has also now been brought forward in three more districts – Adelaide Metropolitan, Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island – heading into a predicted hotter and drier summer.

Six of the state’s 15 fire ban districts will now start their Fire Danger Season early.
 
The CFS will today launch its Be Bushfire Ready campaign to educate and support communities, with a focus on having a Bushfire Survival Plan to stay safe.
 
Forecast higher temperatures, dry conditions, below average rainfall and landscapes curing faster than usual during spring are key factors behind the decision.  
 
This season’s heightened bushfire risk, as well as below-average fire activity in South Australia over the past few years, have prompted warnings against a rise in complacency after recent fire danger seasons.
                                                                                                         
Latest CFS research shows more than half of residents living in a bushfire risk area are aware they are underprepared for the bushfire season but have not taken active steps to address this – reinforcing the significant risk that complacency poses.  
 
CFS volunteers are central to the Be Bushfire Ready campaign, which features new videos and materials outlining steps South Australians need to take ahead of the bushfire season including preparing their properties, creating their Bushfire Survival Plans, packing their emergency kits and checking the fire danger ratings daily.
 
Messaging will target those living, working and travelling through bushfire risk areas, using digital, broadcast, print and social media to reach a wide audience.

Greater awareness of warnings through the CFS website and downloading the Alert SA app to stay informed will be another important part of the campaign. More information is available at cfs.sa.gov.au/bushfire-ready

Earlier this month the State and Federal Governments announced the stationing of a new Blackhawk helicopter at Parafield Airport, significantly boosting the CFS’ firefighting capabilities ahead of the Fire Danger Season.
 
It follows a record $26.7m investment by the South Australian Government last season to deliver the State’s largest ever aerial firefighting fleet, with five new aircraft added totalling more than 30 aircraft in place.