Instructions
- Read carefully: Work through each section to learn how to manage a burn pile safely and protect your home from fire.
- Observe and Analyze: Use the information provided to make smart decisions about fuel and weather.
- Complete the Tasks: Fill in the tables, circle the correct answers, and solve the safety puzzles.
- Take the Challenge: Try the "Chief Fire Warden" question at the end!
Part 1: Understanding the Fuel Load
On a large property, we need to reduce the fuel load. Fuel is anything that can catch fire.
Circle all the items below that would be considered "fuel" for a seasonal burn pile:
- Dry gum leaves
- Large rocks
- Fallen branches
- Metal garden tools
- Long, dry grass
- Plastic buckets
- Old twigs
- Damp soil
Part 2: The Safety Checklist
Before lighting a fire, you must ensure the area is safe. This is called a fire break. A fire break is a clear space around your pile with no fuel in it.
Complete the Safety Table below by identifying why each step is important.
| Safety Action | Why do we do this? |
|---|---|
| Example: Keep a hose nearby. | To put out the fire quickly if it spreads. |
| Clear a 3-meter circle of dirt around the pile. | |
| Check the wind speed before lighting. | |
| Have an adult supervise at all times. | |
| Only burn dry leaves, not green ones. | |
| Keep the pile small and manageable. |
Part 3: Weather Watch
Fire behaves differently depending on the weather. Look at the three scenarios below. Place a check $(\checkmark)$ next to the day that is safest for a burn-off and an (X) next to the dangerous days.
- [ ] Day A: Very hot (35°C), very windy, and the grass is crunchy and dry.
- [ ] Day B: Cool (18°C), no wind, and there was a little bit of rain two days ago.
- [ ] Day C: Warm (28°C), strong gusty winds, and the sun is very bright.
Part 4: The Fire Triangle
A fire needs three things to stay alive: Heat, Fuel, and Oxygen. If you take one away, the fire goes out!
How would you put out the fire in these situations? Write the missing ingredient (Heat, Fuel, or Oxygen).
- Scenario A: You spray the fire with a cold hose. You are removing the _____.
- Scenario B: You shovel dirt or sand over a small flame to smother it. You are removing the _____.
- Scenario C: You use a rake to pull unburnt sticks away from the flames. You are removing the _____.
Part 5: Detective Challenge
You are helping tidy a 1-acre property. You find a pile of dry leaves right next to a wooden fence and under a low-hanging tree branch.
What are two things you should do to make this burn safer?
Part 6: Extension - The Chief Fire Warden
In Australia, the DFES (Department of Fire and Emergency Services) sets rules for when we can burn. If it is a Total Fire Ban day, can you light your burn pile? Why or why not?
Write your answer here:
Answer Key
Part 1: Dry gum leaves, Fallen branches, Long dry grass, Old twigs.
Part 2 (Suggested Answers):
- Clear 3m circle: To stop the fire from creeping across the ground.
- Check wind: To ensure sparks don't fly onto the roof or into trees.
- Adult supervision: To handle emergencies and ensure rules are followed.
- Burn dry leaves: Green leaves create too much thick smoke and don't burn well.
- Keep pile small: So it stays under control and doesn't get too hot.
Part 3:
- [X] Day A (Too hot/windy)
- [\checkmark] Day B (Cool/calm - Best choice)
- [X] Day C (Too windy)
Part 4:
- Scenario A: Heat
- Scenario B: Oxygen
- Scenario C: Fuel
Part 5:
- Move the pile far away from the wooden fence.
- Move the pile to an open area away from overhanging branches.
Part 6: No. On a Total Fire Ban day, the risk of a bushfire is too high, and any outdoor fire is illegal because it could easily get out of control.