Bushfire season is coming. Are your facility and staff prepared?
Longer days and warmer weather are welcome signs of spring, but they also signal the start of another fire season. For self storage operators, the next few weeks are a good opportunity to look beyond the usual spring clean and make sure facilities, teams and emergency plans are ready for the months ahead.
There is good reason to start now. Australia’s Spring 2026 Seasonal Bushfire Outlook identifies heightened fire risk across parts of several states and territories. Across the Tasman, Fire and Emergency New Zealand has also begun preparing earlier than usual for the 2026/27 wildfire season, with warmer temperatures, reduced rainfall and stronger winds potentially increasing fire danger in parts of the country.
The good news is that many of the steps that help prepare a facility for fire season are already part of good facility management. A thorough walk around the property is a simple place to start.
Walk the facility with fire risk in mind
Take a fresh look at the areas you pass every day. Are gutters and roofs clear of leaves and debris? Has vegetation crept closer to buildings? Are there overhanging branches or combustible materials sitting where embers could collect?
Australian and New Zealand fire authorities both emphasise reducing fuel around buildings and maintaining properties throughout the fire season, rather than treating preparation as a once a year job. SSAA’s Preventative Repairs and Maintenance Checklist can also help operators build these checks into their regular maintenance routine.
It’s also worth checking fire safety equipment and evacuation signage and reminding customers that flammable and combustible materials must not be stored at the facility.
Make sure your team knows the plan
Preparation is about more than the physical facility. If a fire threatens your area, decisions may need to be made quickly, so make sure staff understand your emergency plan, their individual responsibilities and where to find reliable emergency information.
Consider how you will communicate with customers if access is restricted and make sure important contacts, insurance information and business records can be accessed away from the facility. Think beyond the immediate emergency too. Could you continue operating if staff cannot reach the site, roads are closed or power and water are unavailable?
Training matters. Run through your plan with the team before the season and use drills, walk-throughs or discussions to identify any gaps while there is still time to address them.
When conditions change
Monitor official warnings and Fire Danger Ratings throughout the season and be prepared to act early.
If a fire is approaching, follow the advice of emergency services rather than relying on a predetermined response. Road closures, the location and movement of the fire and conditions around the facility can all affect whether and how people can safely leave the area.
Above all, staff and customers should never be put at risk to protect a facility or stored goods. Only return to an affected facility once authorities have advised it is safe to do so.
If the worst happens, know what comes next
SSAA’s Disaster Management Checklist provides a practical framework for the immediate aftermath of an event, from checking on staff and contacting insurers to organising contractors, documenting damage and communicating with affected customers.
Members can also access a Communications Register Template, recovery email templates and guidance on crisis communications through the Disaster Recovery Resources in the Member Portal.
Fire seasons and conditions vary considerably by location, so keep an eye on advice from your local fire and emergency authority throughout the warmer months.
A little preparation now can make an enormous difference when decisions need to be made quickly.
