“The safest option is always to leave early.”—Angela Cook, Senior Engagement Advisor, CFA
Key Points
- Leaving early is the safest option—especially for older Australians, or people with health or mobility needs.
- Start having conversations with family, neighbours and providers about bushfire planning now—not during the emergency.
- Make sure your bushfire preparedness plan is specific, accounting for pets, medications, and transport and support needs.
As bushfire seasons grow longer and more intense, preparation is no longer optional. It’s essential—especially for older Australians and those with mobility, health or support needs.
“If you live in a high-risk area, the safest option is always to leave early,” says Angela Cook, Senior Engagement Advisor at CFA Victoria. “But to do that well, your plan needs to be built around your specific needs.”
Whether you’re planning for yourself or helping an older loved one, getting bushfire-ready now could make all the difference later.
Start preparing well in advance of fire season
As with other natural hazards, bushfire protection planning needs to happen long before you smell smoke.
“Bushfires are unpredictable, so your best defence is being ready before they start,” says Angela. “The people we talk to who have lived through bushfires always say the same thing: ‘Next time, I will be better prepared.’”
Angela explains that the most effective bushfire plans start with a clear understanding of your daily life. She adds that CFA uses eight categories to help people assess their situation, which they learnt from the Collaborating 4 Inclusion team at the University of Sydney:
- transport needs
- medication or health management
- personal care or support services
- assistive technology (for example, walkers, hearing aids and oxygen machines)
- pets or assistance animals
- communication access (for example, how will you get and receive information?)
- living situation (alone or with others)
- social or community connections
It’s all about figuring out what you need to leave safely, calmly and in your own time.
“Once you map these out, your plan becomes personal and specific,” says Angela.
Don’t rely on rescue
A key mistake Angela sees people make is assuming someone will come and get them during a fire.
“People often think they’ll get a warning or someone will come to help,” she says. “But the truth is, emergency services aren’t always able to reach you in time, and you can’t rely on being on a list or register of people to be rescued. So it’s critical to plan ahead for your own safety.”
She also points out that in many areas, neighbours are often the most accessible form of help. That means it’s important to get to know the people around you, and to make sure they know your plan too.
“If your plan depends on someone else helping you evacuate, they need to know that,” she says. “So have that conversation now.”
When to leave, where to go and what to take
The safest option—and Angela’s top bushfire evacuation tip—is always to leave before a fire starts. Leaving early means you’ll avoid crowded roads and unnecessary risk. It also gives you time to gather what you need and travel comfortably to a safer place.
“Use the Fire Danger Rating System as your guide,” says Angela. “Check it daily and if there are ratings of ‘Catastrophic’ or ‘Extreme,’ that’s your signal to leave. Don’t wait for a fire to start.”
In terms of bushfire preparedness, she also recommends that people:
- Go somewhere safe, air-conditioned and familiar—ideally a friend or family member’s home.
- Avoid relying on evacuation centres, which may only open once a fire is already underway.
- Prepare a “go bag” with three to four days’ worth of supplies, including essentials such as: medications and scripts, glasses or hearing aids, mobility devices (for example, walkers or canes), pet leads, food and carriers, comfort items, snacks, ID and phone chargers.
Create a safety checklist for a bushfire, if necessary, to avoid forgetting essentials. And if you plan to drive, make sure your car has fuel. “It sounds so obvious, but people forget that petrol stations also become overwhelmed during emergencies,” says Angela.
Don’t overlook insurance in your bushfire plan
Bushfire preparation isn’t just about what you take with you—it’s also about what you may need to rebuild. That’s where insurance comes in.
Making sure your home and contents insurance is up-to-date, including the coverage that you may need, should be part of your planning checklist because if something goes wrong, you want the reassurance that you’re covered. Make sure you are aware of the specific coverage details and conditions outlined in your insurance policy to ensure you understand what is covered and how claims can be made.
In some cases, a 72-hour exclusion period may apply for cyclone, flood, flood combined with run-off and/or rainwater, bushfires and grassfires. So, it’s worthwhile to check your Product Disclosure Statement, Policy Schedule, or Certificate of Insurance to see the full details of what is and isn’t covered.
Unfortunately, underinsurance is common—and risky, so make sure your home and belongings are insured at replacement cost. This is especially true if you’re retired and living off savings, as underinsurance can be devastating.
Australian Unity home and content insurance advisers recommend:
- Using online calculators to check your home’s rebuild value or contents replacement values.
- Listing and valuing any special items like collections or rare materials.
- Checking whether your policy offers emergency accommodation or mental health support.
- Keeping a digital copy of your policy stored securely (in cloud storage, for example, or emailed to yourself), as well as a printed version in your “go bag”.
Insurance serves as more than a financial backstop—it’s cover when you need it most. Knowing you’re covered can reduce stress, and that can be important during the recovery process.
After the fire: supporting recovery and wellbeing
Returning home after a fire can be surprisingly stressful, and many people experience heightened fatigue, anxiety or even trauma.
Angela recommends the Australian Red Cross returning home resources, which includes practical advice such as:
- Re-establishing routines to restore a sense of normality.
- Breaking tasks into small, achievable steps.
- Sharing your experience with others.
- Using available services and accepting help.
Angela notes that some older Australians may feel reluctant to ask for or accept support—especially if they’ve never accessed government services before. “But help is there for a reason,” she urges. “You deserve to use it.”
The same goes for community and emotional support, which is essential to our wellbeing. So reach out—even if it feels uncomfortable at first. “People who stay connected, share their story and access available support recover better,” says Angela.
If you’ve been affected by a bushfire, it can be a difficult time. Some insurance providers also offer emotional and mental health services to help people recover, so it’s worth checking your policy.
To help you get back on your feet, Australian Unity insurance policies offer you and your immediate family three free counselling sessions each through Assure Programs.
So if you need more support, don’t hesitate to seek it.
A safety plan is a wellbeing plan
If you’re living in a high-risk area, having a bushfire plan can reduce fear and build your confidence.
Angela recalls one older woman who originally planned to “shelter under a bridge” if fire approached. After receiving support to create a leave-early plan, she felt significantly more secure—and successfully used her plan when a real fire threatened her area just months later.
“She said she felt calm and confident,” says Angela. “And that’s the power of planning.”
