SEMINAR: 'Where the rubber meets the road�: The centrality of what people decide to do during the period between awareness of threat and impact of the hazard

Most of the limited research reported in Australia about community bushfire safety has focused on peoples’ intentions to prepare for bushfires. Relatively little research has focused on what people decide and do when under threat of bushfire attack. I will present findings from research following the 2009 Victorian Black Saturday bushfires, and the 2011 Lake Clifton fire. The findings indicate that for many residents of communities impacted by a serious bushfire, prior plans and intentions may not be implemented under bushfire threat. I will propose that in order to be deemed a success, a community bushfire safety education program should result in a majority of residents of the at-risk community in question: (a) taking personal responsibility for vigilant monitoring of sources of information about emerging fire threats on days of significant fire danger; (b) having a detailed and rehearsed plan for what to do if they are on their property and they believe that a bushfire threatens; (c) having a back-up (or ‘plan B’) for the eventuality that their initial plan cannot be implemented, or fails; (d) knowing the risks associated with defending their property under severe, or worse, fire weather conditions, regardless of their plan; and (e) if the plan is to leave early, knowing the preparations necessary and what will constitute their personal trigger to depart.