Australia: Victorians most at risk from bushfires believed emergency services could save them, CFA data shows

By Melissa Davey

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Documents obtained by Guardian Australia under freedom of information reveal 1,042 people in households classified as being at “extreme” bushfire risk were interviewed about their bushfire preparedness as part of research for the Country Fire Authority (CFA).

The survey, conducted by Strahan Consulting in 2018, found that while more than three-quarters (76.5%) of respondents agreed that the threat to their life and property from fires in the near future was “large” or “very large”, 38% believed it was “likely” fire trucks would assist them to defend their property, while 25% said fire trucks would “definitely” come. Almost two-thirds of respondents said they would “likely” or “definitely” get assistance from firefighting aircraft if their home was on fire.

Those who said they would stay and defend property in a fire were most likely to be men aged 65 and over without dependents. Women aged between 45 and 64 years were most likely to believe the risk of bushfire was high, while men aged 65 and above had the highest proportion of those who believed it was “unlikely” a fire would threaten their home.

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A greater focus on prevention, regulation of building in high risk areas, holistic care of the environment, and taking the lead from Indigenous experts would be essential steps in better preparing communities for fires and adjusting their expectations, she said.

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