Animal owners must consider pets and livestock in bushfire survival plans as danger season kicks off
GROWING up on the west coast and then spending a decade in the Adelaide Hills, sheep farmer Luke Fitzgerald knows the importance of planning for the safety of pets and livestock during the bushfire danger season.
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GROWING up on the West Coast and then spending a decade in the Adelaide Hills, sheep farmer Luke Fitzgerald has seen his fair share of bushfires.
“I’ve been there and fought a few fires and helped in the aftermath, cleaning up,” the Bugle Ranges man said.
“A fire is pretty daunting. You have to make smart decisions fairly quickly and you don’t often get a lot of notice.
“If you don’t plan in advance, it’s pretty hard to make good decisions when you’re under pressure.”
Mr Fitzgerald, who keeps about 1000 sheep and also breeds sport horses, is well aware of the importance of bushfire survival plans addressing animals’ safety.
As the fire danger season begins across seven districts on Thursday, the State Government is urging people to plan how they will manage pets and livestock during and after emergencies.
Mr Fitzgerald tries to move animals before a threat occurs — if not out of the area completely, to a safer paddock where they have the ability to move away from a fire.
A strong bushfire survival plan allowed family members and business partners to anticipate each other’s actions, he said, which helped them work better together under pressure.
Sturt CFS group officer Dale Thompson said people should consider their animals just as much as they plan for their own safety.
“(Domestic) animals are dependent on people and they can’t act for themselves,” he said.
Mr Thompson recalled an incident in Cherry Gardens, when fire fighters had to move horses from a burning paddock.
“It was quite difficult — we were dealing with animals we’d never had to deal with before,” he said.
Primary Industries and Regions SA has published the Managing Animals in Emergencies Framework, which animal owners, organisations and businesses can use to guide their plans.
It includes advice on key issues to consider in emergencies including animal owners’ responsibilities and the services and assistance that may be available.
Emergency Services Minister Corey Wingard said if people planned to leave a threatened property, they should have a relocation kit organised including pets’ food, water and medication.
“It’s also important to practice your plan and include your pets so they’re comfortable when it comes to leaving,” Mr Wingard said.
“For larger pets, such as livestock and horses, ensure your paddocks are prepared to limit the impact of fire on those animals.”
The fire danger season starts today in the Murraylands, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Mid North, Riverland, West Coast and Yorke Peninsula.
For more information, visit pir.sa.gov.au/emergency_management/animal_safety_in_emergencies.
For details about the fire danger season, visit the CFS website at cfs.sa.gov.au.