What's included
- Leaf litter and bark raked from around the house
- Gutters and roof valleys cleaned
- Long grass mown and kept short
- Dead shrubs, undergrowth and fine fuels removed
- Branches overhanging the roof cut back (within reach)
- Woodpiles and flammable garden items moved away from walls
- All waste removed
What we focus on
Fire safety work starts closest to the house and works outwards. The zone right around your home matters most, because that's where embers land and where burning plants can ignite walls, decks and windows.
- 0 to 10 metres: clear leaf litter, keep grass short, remove dead plants, cut back shrubs under windows and against walls, and clear gutters.
- 10 metres and beyond: thin out dense undergrowth, separate shrubs from tree canopies, and keep grass mown.
This kind of fuel management is often called keeping an asset protection zone around the home.
When to do it
In the Blue Mountains the bush fire danger period usually starts on 1 October, and the NSW RFS can declare it earlier in a dry year. The best time for a full clean-up is late winter and early spring, before the danger period starts. A follow-up in mid-summer keeps fuel loads down.
Know the rules before clearing trees
Removing trees and native vegetation is controlled in NSW. The 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice lets some property owners clear trees within 10 metres of a home and underlying vegetation within 50 metres, but only if the property is in a 10/50 entitlement area. Check your address with the NSW RFS online tool before any trees come down. Our work focuses on fine fuels, shrubs and garden plants, and we'll point you to an arborist for tree removal.
Fuel reduction around your home helps, but it isn't a substitute for a bush fire survival plan. Make one with the NSW RFS and follow official warnings during fires.
Pair it with regular maintenance
Fuel builds back up quickly once summer starts. Regular mowing, gutter cleaning and garden maintenance keep your property ready all season, not just once.
Where we offer bushfire preparation
We provide bushfire preparation across the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury, including Glenbrook, Blaxland, Warrimoo, Springwood, Winmalee, Faulconbridge, Woodford, Hazelbrook, Lawson, Wentworth Falls, Leura, Katoomba, Medlow Bath, Blackheath, Mount Victoria, Kurrajong, Kurrajong Heights, Bilpin, North Richmond and Richmond.
Bushfire Preparation: common questions
What is fine fuel?
Fine fuel is anything thinner than a pencil that burns quickly: dry grass, leaves, bark, twigs and small shrubs. It's what carries a fire along the ground and what embers ignite most easily.
Can you remove trees for bushfire safety?
We don't fell large trees. Tree removal under the 10/50 rules or with council approval should be done by a qualified arborist. We clear the shrubs, undergrowth, leaf litter and branches within reach that make up most of the fuel close to a home.
When should I book a bushfire clean-up?
Late winter to early spring, before the bush fire danger period starts (usually 1 October in the Blue Mountains). Book early, because these weeks get busy.
Do you take the waste away?
Yes. All leaf litter, branches and green waste are removed rather than piled up on the property.