Get ready during Get Ready Week

Get Ready Queensland Week from 9 to 15 October is a timely reminder for Scenic Rim residents to prepare for a high-risk fire season.

With El Nino weather conditions bringing hot, dry conditions in coming months, Scenic Rim Local Disaster Management Group Chair Greg Christensen has urged residents to use Get Ready Queensland Week to prepare a 'What If Plan' that includes bushfire survival.

"It's important that people take responsibility for their own preparedness and ensure they have a 'What If Plan' in place to ensure their safety and the safety of family members," he said.

"After three years of extreme wet weather and flooding, it is vitally important that residents are prepared and understand the potential for bushfire in areas in which they live and work.

"These prolonged periods of rain have encouraged vegetation growth, setting the scene for a dangerous fire season, with grassfires the biggest risk due to their ability to spread rapidly.

"Already this season we have seen fires threatening properties at Birnam and Veresdale Scrub near Beaudesert."

Mayor Christensen urged Scenic Rim residents to make sure they have a bushfire survival plan in place and that everyone in their household knows what to do in an emergency, whether fire or flood.

Community members should familiarise themselves with the new Fire Danger Rating system, which was introduced across Australia last year, and learn about the actions they should take according to each threat level ranging from moderate to catastrophic.

"Now is the time to head to the QFES website www.qfes.qld.gov.au and put a plan together as taking a few minutes now could make all the difference in a fast-moving situation when it becomes difficult to make rational decisions," Mayor Christensen said.

He also encouraged members of the community to help prepare for what may be ahead by visiting the Disaster Preparedness section on Council's website www.scenicrim.qld.gov.au where they will find checklists and other tools to help them to get ready.

As well as preparing a bushfire survival plan, residents are advised to check their insurance coverage and prepare their properties to reduce the risk of bushfires by regularly mowing lawns, trimming overhanging branches and getting rid of flammable materials from around the yard.

"Even while there are no total fire bans in place, everyone needs to play their part in reducing the risks of bushfires and grassfires in our region," Mayor Christensen said.

Scenic Rim residents are encouraged to sign up to Council's Disaster Dashboard Dashboard (scenicrim.qld.gov.au) which provides a central point of information about QFES alerts, road conditions, weather warnings, power outages and Evacuation Centres or Places of Refuge in a disaster situation.

Council's Disaster Management Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ScenicRimAlerts also carries important messaging for the community.

"Council and other members of the Scenic Rim Local Disaster Management Group have good processes in place and have continued to improve these based on learning from prior events," Mayor Christensen said.

"I am confident that, with the support of our partner agencies, we are well placed to respond to any impacts in coming months, but we also need our community to be prepared."