Dust, who was born and bred in the Hastings, has been a Rural Fire Fighter for 30 years and has attended some of Australia's worst and most devastating fires.

Fires are very fast moving and most of the time take people by surprise.

Fires can spot up to 30km ahead of a large bush fire, so what may seem like a non-threatening situation with plenty of time to leave, becomes a panic situation in minutes. Those who have not planned and prepared their property and have an emergency evacuation plan in place are the ones who will get caught out, with the real possibility of losing their property and perhaps even their lives.

NOW is the time to start clearing around your property, removing dead grasses, brush and trees growing next to your buildings.

Clean out your gutters and clean up other loose timber, cardboard and rubbish from under and around your house.

Most fires Dusty has attended show people have not taken the time to understand what things they can do to minimise the fuel for an approaching fire.

With no preparation work done, most home owners working in town away from their property will probably find that there is every chance they have no time to make a fire break or stop that fast approaching fire from reaching their house. When the fire is near it's already too late.

A bush fire's heat is around 800 degrees Celsius and more, the smoke is debilitating and your eyes and nose run like a tap and you quickly become disorientated.

Not only the elderly but anyone can have a heart attack trying to overdo themselves in the panic to stop a fire from burning up everything they own.

For many people their only plan is to call 000 and think the RFS will make it all OK, but the truth of the matter is that they cannot be everywhere and a large fire is unstoppable and unpredictable.

The wind can shift and fires can jump containment lines without any warning.

The more people that try to help themselves and prepare by removing as much fuel from their property and around their houses and having clear trails that the fire fighters can use in the event of a bush fire, the better the outcome for all involved.

Dusty has a few Rules to Remember:

1. Fire travels faster uphill as the heat preheats the fuel in front of it, so if you live on a hill, clear well down from the top to slow the approaching fire.

2. There is less chance of a crown fire in the tree tops when there is no ground fire; by mowing the grasses and brush low around buildings you will reduce the radiant heat that will blowtorch everything in its path.

3. Close all windows and doors and remove anything that can catch fire such as curtains.

Setting up pumps and hoses fuelled up and serviced ready to go and talking with your neighbours, family and friends and having a plan of where to go if things start to go bad.

Doing it early so as not to get trapped on a track or road will probably save a a life - maybe even yours.

Dusty can give FREE quotes and advice on how to prepare your property for the coming summer.

Fully Licensed and Insured.

After the devastating fires in the Blue Mountains and surrounds there are new laws which govern the clearing of trees on and around your property, BUT always check with your local council first.

What DUSTY'S FIRE MANAGEMENT does:

* Asset Protection Zones

* Wild Fire Reduction

*Undergrowth Forest *Mulching/Slashing

* Dams - New and Cleaning Old

* Rural Roads Repaired

* Tree Removal and Stumps

* Slashing

*FREE advice on fire protection.

Call DUSTY (Phill Cordell)

mobile 0477 021 964

home 02 6585 9115

email dustyfm@bigpond.com