Bushfire threat : response in a small community.

"This research was a collaborative project with the Country Fire Authority and was supported by an Australian Disaster Research Grant."

"Views expressed in this paper are independent of the Country Fire Authority."

This report describes response to a threat from fire in the small township of Macedon, Victoria, in February 1998. This fire started on the outskirts of the town and encroached on some properties but was brought under control without damage to houses. Shortly after the fire, residents were interviewed about their response during the incident. The fifty-seven households contacted represent approximately 12% of households in the township. 60%of the sample population did not evacuate, 17% evacuated amd some members (typically one adult and young children) were evacuated from 23% of households. Resident movement contributed considerably to traffic increase. There are marked differences in situation awareness and approach to threat. Less than half of the households reported having planned prior to the incident either to stay through a fire front or to evacuate. They activated plans on hearing of the fire. They contrast with the majority whose decision to stay appears to be conditional: many would have been likely to leave if conditions had changed for the worse. Their time for starting evacuation is dependent on an uncertain mix of their perception of the degree of threat at any one moment and on information and advice from emergency personnel