FOL Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) We lived near the coast all the time. But having an acre or 2 with horses is a dream for my wife (and I won't complain). Bullsbrook/Ellenbrook/Upper Swan seems like a regio that's close enough to the city, to the beach and that has the nature we are looking for. However I recall quite a few bushfires threatening bullsbrook in 2015. Can someone enlighten me on how dangerous it really is? Do you have to seek shelter every year and accept your house burns down every five years? Or do you have to seek shelter once every decade and if you are unfortunate you lose your house in a lifetime? I have no idea what to expect based solely on the news. This topic might seem a bit over the top, but it's sincere interest in this subject as fire is one of my biggest fears edit: Can't change the title... is = are Edited March 20, 2015 by FOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkis2000 Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) About as safe as anywhere if the 2015 fire season is anything to go by. Even reasonably built up areas both NOR and SOR have been affected this year. Mainly due, it seems, to firebugs. And there is no protecting from that wherever you live [emoji35] I currently live in Ellenbrook and am building on a 5 acre bush block in Lower Chittering which is just up the road from Bully. Yes we get fires in the area and if you live on acreage its a risk you have to come to terms with. There are fires most years but where and how bad really depend on the individual conditions. Fire, unfortunately, is a fact of life round here and being prepared is the best form of defence. Have a discussion with the family and decide a) if it's a risk you are all prepared to take b) if it is then you must take precautions and make sure to have a plan to evacuate and/or stay and defend c) educate yourselves. The more information you have the better, even if you never have to use it. Having said all that, in the fires we have had in the area this year there has been no loss of life and very little loss of property (outbuildings only) thanks in great part to the local volunteer services. Aside from all of this its a lovely part of the world to live in but I'm not going to shout it too loud cos then everyone will want to move there [emoji6] Edited March 20, 2015 by Nikkis2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkis2000 Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) Checkout http://www.areyouready.gov.au and also the local FB pages such as Chittering Bush Fire Ready and Bullsbrook Volunteer Fire Service for more information on what goes on in the area and bush fires in general. Edited March 20, 2015 by Nikkis2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOL Posted March 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thanks for your reply and the link. We'll check it out. We lived in Quinns Rocks for 18 months and to be honest fire was no risk "at all" in that area. Sure it can happen everywhere and the dry conditions of WA make that chance bigger (and if it happens more dangerous) than the UK (or Holland where I'm from). I still have a feeling somewhere that east of marmian ave or the mitchell are much safer (relatively). But it could be ignorance hence I am doing the research Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druid Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 This year was a particularly cool summer and hence fewer bushfires, even taking into account the firebugs, but it doesnt matter where you live, if you have a patch of bush nearby there is a risk, look at the fire a couple of weeks ago in Bayswater, we all thought Bayswater was built up, the fire was meters away from residential areas, for peace of mind we avoid living in bush areas, its not just the fires, its the snakes & spiders, my daughter works in a vet in Yanchep, the amount of cats & dogs coming through with snake bites is awful, you do get snakes in residential areas, but its less likely, we have been here for nearly 4 years now and only seen one snake in a residential area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkis2000 Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 On the contrary, 2015 has seen an increase in bushfires. You don't hear a lot about them because they're not necessarily big enough to make the news but we regularly see and hear of the local crews turning out. Perth Now published this article at the beginning of March which highlights some of the figures. Juvenile arson being one of the main causes http://m.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/wa-firebugs-light-15-bushfires-a-day-as-alarming-figures-reveal-true-extent-of-arson/story-fnhocxo3-1227241880562 I'm not trying to scare people but I do think there is a lack of education and you are right that people assume that because they live in a suburb that it can't happen to them. The fire at Caversham was another prime example. Residents of Whiteman Edge were surprised when the fire came within metres of the development. The clue is in the development name! They live on the edge of natural bushland which is well known for burning most years and yet are unprepared for such an event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOL Posted March 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 Thanks for the additional input. Great link nikki, interesting article, mainly the numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 You could get a bushfire assessment on the block to find out its BAL rating, i built in a bushfire prone area and need one, i used http://www.balrating.com.au to get my one, i found it was the cheapest in Perth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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