Updated for SA’s Fire Danger Season
Mid North & Yorke Peninsula fire ban season runs from 1 November 2025 to 30 April 2026.
Bushfire risk is part of life in rural South Australia, but solid preparation makes all the difference. Below is an updated, easy-to-follow checklist of eight practical things you can do to protect your farm, home and family this fire season.
Always refer to the CFS website for the most accurate and current information.
1. Is Your Fire Equipment Ready To Go?
Before the temperatures climb, make sure your gear is in working order:
- Test your fire unit, pumps, start them and have them ready to go.
- Check fuel and oil levels, and ensure the water tank is full.
- Do a test run and ensure nothing is blocked and everything is working correctly.
- Register your ute as FFU if you need – click here for CFS FFU page.
- Update or replace essential gear, such as:
- Fire units
- Pumps
- Tanks
- Reels
- Hoses
- Nozzles
- Safety gear
Keep a backup safety kit in the ute, including goggles, leather gloves, P2 masks, woollen blankets, a torch, a battery radio, and protective clothing.
2. Do You Have A Bushfire Plan? (And Does Everyone Know It?)
Every rural household should have a clear, rehearsed Bushfire Survival Plan. In an emergency, decisions must be fast, not debated.
Make sure your family can answer:
-
- Where would we go?
- What would we take?
- Who do we need to notify?
- When do we leave? (Answer: early. Never wait until the last minute.)
- What’s the plan for pets and livestock?
Ensure you have a portable battery-powered radio and spare batteries to listen to bushfire warnings.
If you need to make a plan, check out the CFS website’s page here.
3. Be Organised – Especially During Harvest Or Anytime In The Paddock
On the Farm:
- Adhere to CFS and council guidelines.
- Check the CFS website for farm fire safety and prevention: https://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/plan-prepare/business-farms/farm-fire-safety-prevention/
- Always carry at least 250 L of water in the firefighter in the paddock.
- Carry a shovel or rake with your fire unit.
- Prepare an emergency kit for the ute, including PPE gear.
- Ensure machinery is maintained and free of flammable debris
- Avoid off-track driving through dry grass or stubble
- Check that UHF, AM radio and mobile phones are working
Around the Home:
- Check the CFS website here: https://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/plan-prepare/before-a-fire-be-prepared/preparing-your-home-property/
- Ensure adequate access for fire trucks
- Prepare an emergency kit with essential items and documents somewhere easy to grab
- Scan irreplaceable photos and documents onto a USB/external drive
- Keep a torch, radio and spare batteries on hand
- Set aside cotton or natural-fibre protective clothing for each family member
- Put woollen blankets in your car as an emergency option
- Mark your main routes, including backup routes and petrol stations on hard-copy maps.
- Include pet supplies and carriers in your emergency kit
4. Is Your House and Farm Yard Clear?
A clean, well-organised property reduces fire risk and makes it easy to defend.
- Keep lawns, trees and shrubs watered and green near the house
- Clear debris, block ember entry points, and maintain screens
- Maintain a 20-metre defendable space around your home
- Remove dead branches and prune tree limbs under 2 m
- Clean gutters and roofs regularly
- Slash stubble around sheds and buildings (within regulations)
- Move woodpiles and firewood stacks away from the house
- Consider bushfire sprinkler systems or downpipe plugs
- Keep a sturdy metal-fitted hose ready that reaches all sides of your home
5. Do You Have A Reliable Water Supply?
- Check reserve water supplies.
- Inspect hoses for leaks
- Clean tanks to avoid algae or slime buildup
- Maintain at least 5000 L of accessible water over the summer (tanks, dams or swimming pools all qualify)
6. Where Can You Stay Updated With Trusted Information?
- Follow the CFS code of conduct for reaping on hot, windy days
- Keep an eye on local conditions
- Track live incidents with the SA Fires app, the CFS website, or listening to the ABC radio station.
- Follow official social media channels, such as:
- Faceboook: @Countryfireservice
- Twitter/X: @CFSalerts.
7. Talk to Your Neighbours
Good communication can save time, confusion, and lives.
Discuss:
- How you can support each other
- Which roads are safest
- Local safe zones
- What you’ll do if fire breaks out while someone is away
8. Know What You Can And Can’t Do During Fire Danger Season
From barbecues to welders, angle grinders to pizza ovens… rules change during fire danger season and total fire ban days.
The CFS provides a clear list outlining what is allowed, what requires conditions, and what is prohibited.
Always check the CFS website before you start any activity that could create sparks or heat. Their list can be found here.
Always check the CFS website before you start any activity that could create sparks or heat. Their list can be found here.
A Note on Grain Harvesting:
This article focuces on households and general property preparation. For harvest-specific information, check out the CFS website or: grdc.com.au
For More Resources:
We’ve accessed this information from the CFS Website. Head on over for more great resources: cfs.sa.gov.au
Think you’re prepared?
Test yourself with the CFS’s household self-assessment tool.
