 Before and during the fire season, it's important to prepare your property, whether you plan to leave early or stay and defend. If you're staying or it's too late to leave safely, a well-prepared property may reduce the risk to your personal safety. If you're leaving, there's a better chance your house will be there when you return. Mowing your lawn and clearing your gutters is a good start to property preparation. But there are many other simple things that you can do to improve the chances of your home surviving. And remember, maintenance throughout the fire season is key. Some of these jobs you can do before the fire season even begins. Prune back any branches that are overhanging or near the house that could break off and cause damage, allowing embers inside. Prune off branches that are less than two metres off the ground. Keep shrubs under trees short. This creates space, making it harder for the fire to travel up into the trees, which would result in a more intense fire. A wood pile is a handy thing to have next to your house during winter, but during summer it's an ember trap, so move it away for the warmer months. There are a number of jobs to do repeatedly throughout the fire season. Try not to overwhelm yourselves by allowing tasks to accumulate for you to do at the last minute. Most of these tasks are about removing fine fuels that can catch fire if embers land on your property. Leaf buildup is perfect tinder for a fire, so periodically clearing leaves from your gutters is absolutely critical. Get rid of any dried grass, leaves or twigs from around your house and garden, as these can trap embers and create fuel for the fire. Regularly mow and water your lawn to help slow a fire down. On hot, dry and windy days when there's a high risk of fire, there are some last minute jobs to be done. Houses have been known to catch fire from an ember landing on a door mat, so bring those door mats inside. And whilst you're at it, remove any other items that could catch fire, like dog beds, rubbish or outdoor furniture on your decks or verandas. Wherever you see leaves accumulating around your home is generally where the wind will carry embers. Open up leaf litter in corners and doorways to prevent embers starting a fire. Many of us are lucky enough to live in this beautiful Victorian landscape. Doing so comes with certain risks and responsibilities. Preparing your property before and during fire season is a small price to pay for this lifestyle and can help improve the chances of your house surviving a fire. What are you going to do to prepare for fire this season?