Bushfire preparation checklist | Business Queensland

This bushfire preparation checklist will help you prepare your business for a bushfire.

Knowing your business has strategies in place to help cope with a natural disaster like a bushfire should make it easier for your business to minimise losses, maintain business continuity and recover quickly.

Read through this bushfire preparation checklist and tick the items you've already done.

Complete the list of actions to ensure your business is as prepared for a severe bushfire as possible.

You can customise this checklist to include information specific to your business by adding items to the 'Other' section.

Infrastructure

Remove the rubbish, leaf litter and native shrubs located close to your building(s)
Form a wide firebreak around your buildings (e.g. cut grass, trimmed branches clear of buildings, cleared gutters) and obtain any necessary approvals
Fit wire screens to doors, windows and vents, and enclose all gaps, if applicable
Store flammable materials such as wood, gas, petrol and paint well clear of buildings
Keep ladders handy for roof access (inside and out)
Fit hoses to reach all parts of the building and gardens. (If mains pressure water is not connected, obtain a high-pressure pump.)

Staff preparedness

Develop a task list for your staff to carry out in the event of a bushfire and ensure that this is regularly reviewed
Consult with your staff and develop an evacuation plan to protect your business in the event of a bushfire

Insurance

Check whether there is adequate insurance to cover you in the event of a bushfire
Contact your insurance company to check if there are any specific preparations you need to make prior to the event

Business documentation and records

Locate and pack your critical documentation (e.g. insurance, financial, legal and identification documents) in a portable waterproof/fireproof container
Back up your critical data to a portable storage device and store it in a secure off-site location

Business continuity

Develop your business continuity plan
Clearly identify and analyse the possible risks to your business from a bushfire
Consult with local authorities (e.g. fire brigade) to obtain relevant and critical information to include in your plan
Develop regular maintenance and review strategies and update your plan as required
Store a copy of your business continuity plan off-site in a safe, disaster-proof location

Other

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Also consider...

Last reviewed: 17 Jul 2017
Last updated: 27 Jul 2023

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