The reminder might seem unnecessary, following the devastating Victorian bushfires earlier this year and, closer to home, the fires in Morton National Park in January.

However, as Wingecarribee fire mitigation officer David Stimson pointed out in the wake of the Victorian bushfires, people become complacent about fire risk too quickly.

Mr Stimson noted that anxious queries of “can it happen here?” dwindled quickly in the wake of the fires, to be replaced by the thought that “it won’t happen to me”.

We’ve all know the drill. Clean out your gutters. Keep grass around the house short. Remove overhanging branches or trees that are too close to the house. Prepare an escape route. Don’t leave flammable items in or around the house.

But when the weather is fine and there are other things that need to be done, it’s easy to put these things off until tomorrow - until one day it’s too late.

Evidence given to the Royal Commission into the Victorian bushfires that even houses build to required standards are not guaranteed to survive a fire might prompt many residents to reconsider whether to stay and defend or leave early.

After any bushfire, there’s debate on what caused it, how it might have been prevented and whether it could have been handled better.

But there’s no dispute that residents should take some responsibility for protecting their homes and loved ones by planning ahead. Start now.