Building Bushfire Resilience

As a long-term resident of the Mitcham Hills and a volunteer firefighter with the Upper Sturt CFS, I know that living in our beautiful environment comes with the risk of bushfires. Being prepared is not just a suggestion; it's our shared responsibility. This page brings together key information to help you and your family prepare your home, make a plan, and stay safe during the fire danger season. Leaving early is always the safest option. Let's work together to build a resilient community.

Key Actions:

  • Knowing where to get reliable, up-to-the-minute information is critical. Do not rely on a single source.

    • CFS Website: www.cfs.sa.gov.au

    • Bushfire Information Hotline: 1800 362 361

    • Download the AlertSA App: Receive notifications for your chosen 'watch zones'.

    • Listen to Emergency Broadcasters: Tune into ABC Local Radio (891AM) or FIVEaa (1395AM). Keep a battery-powered radio in your emergency kit.

  • Check the Fire Danger Rating for the Mount Lofty Ranges district every day during the season. Understand what each rating means for your safety and what actions you must take.

    • CATASTROPHIC: For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas the night before or early in the day.

    • EXTREME: Fires will be dangerous and difficult to control. Prepare to leave early.

    • HIGH: Fires can be dangerous. Be ready to act.

    • MODERATE: Most fires can be controlled. Plan and prepare.

  • Making a choice during a fire is too late. A written, practiced plan is essential. Your plan should cover when you will leave, where you will go, what route you will take (and backup routes), and what you will do with your pets.

    • Discuss your plan with your entire family.

    • Practice your plan.

    • Write it down and keep it somewhere easy to find.

    • Click here to use the CFS online tool to create your plan.

  • Even if you plan to leave early, a well-prepared home has a better chance of surviving and is safer for your neighbours and firefighters.

    • Clear leaves and debris from gutters.

    • Trim overhanging trees and shrubs. Keep grass cut to under 10cm.

    • Remove flammable materials from around your home (e.g., woodpiles, mulch, doormats).

    • Ensure you have a hose that can reach all sides of your house.

    • Have an independent water supply (e.g., a tank or pool) if possible

  • Have your kits packed and ready to go before the fire season starts.

    • Relocation Kit: Important documents (passports, insurance), medications, phone chargers, photos, change of clothes.

    • Survival Kit: Battery-powered radio, torch, woollen blankets, protective clothing (see below), water, non-perishable food, first aid kit.

    • Pet Emergency Kit: Food, water, carrier, leash, medication, and identification.

  • On days rated Catastrophic, the safest place to be is away from bushfire risk areas. If you are unable to stay with family or friends in a safer location, there are several local options available.

    • Wallis Cinemas Mitcham: $10 movie tickets for Mitcham Hills residents.

    • SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre: $20 family passes available from my office.

    • Blackwood Uniting Church: Open as a welcoming, air-conditioned space.

    • Bushfire Safer Places: Familiarise yourself with designated Safer Places in Blackwood and the surrounding area. Note: Due to topography, there are no designated Safer Places in suburbs like Belair, Eden Hills, or Hawthorndene, making the 'leave early' message even more critical.

Download a copy of our Mitcham Hills Bushfire Resilience Pack

Flyer titled 'Mitcham Hills Bushfire Resilience Pack' with logos of Parliament of South Australia, created by Catherine Hutcheson MP and supported by Louise Miller-Frost MP. The flyer features an image of firefighters in yellow gear managing a bushfire at sunset. Contact information includes address, email, Facebook, and phone number.

Our Local CFS

As you know, we are lucky to live in the beautiful Mitcham Hills surrounded by nature. However, it also brings with it the challenges of bushfires. We are incredibly privileged to have the dedicated volunteers at the Sturt and Mount Lofty CFS groups to respond to incidents in our area.

Map showing the locations of train stations in a city, marked with red icons labeled Belair, Blackwood, Eden Hills, Coromandel Valley, Upper Sturt, and Cherry Gardens.

Bushfire Safer Places

Please be familiar with these areas within the Mitcham Hills and ensure they are included in your bushfire survival plan

Guidelines for bushfire safety, including suitable safer places and last resort refuges, with green icon for refuges and yellow section for safe places.
Satellite map showing labeled locations in Blackwood, New Jersey, including Blackwood, Blackwood Hill Oval, Manson Oval, Hewitt Sports Ground, Weymouth Oval, and Flagstaff Hill, with surrounding residential and natural areas.