Fire Plans

[*Nerwen* 0]

It's not something many of us thing about for ourself, what path to take if the house is on fire, even with all the warnings and messages from firefighters.

 

The fire season is around again here in Australia and lately I've been wondering what would be the best plan for the safety of my birds. Sometimes there isn't enough warning to get yourself and family out of danger let alone 10+ birds that are not super tame.

 

I have a small padlock on my cage as protection for people stealing and so I'm sure the door is latched correctly, but this would make it hard to get into the cage quickly.

 

What would you think of doing?

[budgie_addict 0]

I live in a rural area, I have a huge old canvas tent in the shed and thought of throwing that over the aviary and then a sprinkler on the aviary roof, which would wet the canvas, providing some protection for the birds.

I will be interested to read others thoughts.

[**KAZ** 0]

Wouldn't smoke be a problem for the birds before a fire got closer ? I like the canvas idea too

[Bea 0]

When the canberra bushfires were happening i believe that i brought all the aviary budgies inside in a smallish cage that could be put in the car easily. Fires like that you usually get warning though. House fire i'm not sure as the aviary budgies probably wouldn't be affected (being outside and all) but the indoor ones would. If i had time i would stuff Cookie into Blink and Oz's old cage and Blink and Oz into my tiny hospital cage. If not i would do what i could to get them outside in the cages they are in now, it makes me sick to imagine the terror they would feel being trapped in a burning house in a cage with no escape.

[**KAZ** 0]

Interesting article

 

http://www.provet.co.uk/petfacts/healthtips/smoke.htm

 

Quote Birds are particularly susceptible to the inhalation of smoke, and they may die when exposed to quite small amounts of fumes. That is why canaries were used by miners to detect the presence of pockets of gas underground - the birds would die when exposed to the slightest amount of gas and long before the miners themselves would notice it.

[*Nerwen* 0]

Yeah I was wondering about the smoke as well, thinking it would be the bigger danger.

 

yes Bea most times with big bush fires you get some warning which you can prepare for. I would do as you did and put them all in a small cage ( or two) for easy travelling.

 

But sometimes even the big fires can change suddenly. Since I was thinking about lately i thought a post here might get others thinking of this if they havn't before.

 

I have a huge old canvas tent in the shed and thought of throwing that over the aviary and then a sprinkler on the aviary roof, which would wet the canvas, providing some protection for the birds.

 

that sounds like a plan if you didn't have the time to move them all.

[Cindy 0]

bushfires.. If you had time, and spare cages you could take them inside away from the smoke. BUT if your house was in danger as well, you would need a vacuation plan, but what? sometimes in Australia you dont get enough warnings with the way our winds suddenly change direction. It is a big dilema

Cindy

[Nathan. 0]

What a bout one of those fir retardant blankets?

 

I was thinking about this a while ago, as i thought "what if i had an aviary and a fire was near it?". I then thought that you know how lumber people who cut down trees, and also fire fighters carry those fire blankets? They look like tinfoil almost? What if you just got some of those, and when a fire was approaching, tent MANY of them up on your aviary and peg them into the ground so no smoke or fire could get toe the aviary and/or birds? Justa though i guess. Then you oculd also use the idea of a sprinkler oontop of the aviary to keep the mesh cool (as the water on the blacket would keep it from gettign hot) aswell as keeping the fire at bay.....Just a thought...

 

Kirbs

[Lisachromis 0]

I suspect that if the smoke didn't get them, the heat would, even with water cooling down the area. Fires burn very hot, and a brushfire affects a large area so the heat would be very intense.