When is it reasonably safe to stay where you are when bushfire front hits?

Difficult to give a definitive, but as a guide ONLY .Get more advice on your local situation and the nature of fuel in your area .Assumming a fire front and wind from the north or west .
1. In a car     when the grass around you is low and no native forest within 30 metres ( preferably more )The higher the timber, the greater the distance needs to be between you and the fuel .If stuck ,stay in the car and cover yourself with a woollen blanket . If you have to get out wear overalls .
2. In a house Much the same as above but houses will be much more susceptible to windows breaking and embers starting fires on the ground or in the roof .If there is no tall easily burnt fuel to the north or west of where you are, its probably reasonably safe but embers could mean you need to go outside to put fires out .
3.On a hill  if at all possible stay on the lee side of hills or landscape features ( east side of road cuttings is generally safer in high wind situations.
4. In a town   Native Trees in particular anywhere near houses can be very dangerous .Embers must be watched should they occur .

When to go and When to stay

NATIVE FOREST TREE  BOUNDARIES  ONLY

I accept that these guidelines may not be the best, or in any way complete ( mainly focused on road use decisions with cars near native tree forest in southern Australia ) but they seem to be better than always talking about "a plan" . Please advise on any needed adjustments.Posted  January 2013 .

This post was made because the car death a few days ago at Seaton illustrates the EXTREMELY HIGH RISK people are taking by living in and staying in a native forest situation.

(Most Australian Native forests are constantly shedding bark and leaves , contain lots of wax and oil and shed these things even more during dry windy periods )

USE ALL SOURCES of information TO MAKE FINAL DECISIONS












STOP  
The only reasonably safe place to be in a car is when the car is at least the distance away from Native forest species as that specified below ( Forest should be at least twice the distance away as it is high ) . In otherwords if the fire is in grassland staying in cars is  reasonable to be considered .Staying in cars is :not normally safe in cars in forest. That is, there is probably no safe space near native forest species forest.


GO
if you haven't got at least 30 metres ( by which I mean should be at least 40metres  - see CFA guidelines which includes an aspect consideration )of cleared ground between you and the fire you probably shouldn't be there. While wind speed and aspect makes a big difference to the degree of risk . No way you should stay if wind speed is even moderate or expected to be so on the day  .If the land slopes to the north or the west away from you the need to go is clearer still _think of open forest as standing kindling .

USE WIND SPEED , ASPECT OF LAND and FUEL AMOUNTS to help make decisions and see earlier posts .Study previous events and note safer places nominated .