Got 15 Minutes to Burn? campaign kicks off

Western Australians are being urged to find just 15 minutes to create a potentially life-saving bushfire plan as we head into another volatile southern bushfire season.

Now running for its second season, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services’ (DFES) Got 15 Minutes to Burn? bushfire safety campaign has kicked off earlier than usual to give community members more time to prepare for bushfire ahead of summer.

The campaign tackles the perceived barriers to making a bushfire plan – that it is too difficult and too time consuming – and is encouraging Western Australians to use the My Bushfire Plan website or mobile application to create a plan that outlines what they will do in the event of a bushfire.

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm AFSM said having a bushfire plan was vitally important.

“The 2023-24 bushfire season was longer and more intense than we have experienced in recent years and should serve as a wake-up call to the community,” Commissioner Klemm said.

“The first emergency-level blaze arrived much earlier than usual, in October 2023, and over the seven months that followed firefighters battled 5088 bushfires – 1000 more than the previous season.

“But the reality is firefighters can’t be at every home during an emergency, so it’s important that people sit down with their family now, complete a bushfire plan and agree on a course of action to keep them safe using the My Bushfire Plan app or website.

“Having an established plan can help you to avoid making last minute decisions that could prove deadly.”

The My Bushfire Plan website guides users through the process of making a plan, and also provides the ability to create multiple plans per account and share plans.

Multiple plans on a single account are ideal for people with holiday homes or secondary residences and for people travelling or staying in high bushfire risk-areas who want to plan what they will do if a bushfire starts.

The ability to share plans ensures family or household members know exactly what they need to do if a bushfire starts.

To create your plan, visit mybushfireplan.wa.gov.au or download the My Bushfire Plan app from the App Store or Google Play. If you need support, contact your local volunteer bushfire brigade, group or unit.

Once completed you can access your plans at any time on your device, even without internet connection.

If you or someone you know can’t access the website or app, have a conversation about what you would do if a bushfire started, write it down and make sure everyone knows where it is.

During a bushfire, stay up to date with the latest alerts and warnings at emergency.wa.gov.au, 13 DFES (13 3337), facebook.com/dfeswa or your local ABC Radio.