The ACT Rural Fire Service is bracing itself for a shocking bushfire season, which may push the fire danger into the ''catastrophic'' category.
The category was created as part of a new national alert system brought in after Victoria's Black Saturday bushfires.
Guises Creek Brigade captain Dave Wassall said his team of 33 volunteers had been told the bushfire season was going to be ''very severe'' with not much rain to soften the soaring temperatures.
His brigade alone had already been called out to a handful of fires in the past two weeks.
''So it's starting to happen already and it's starting to dry out very quickly,'' he said. But if Canberrans were prepared, it was possible to avert danger.
The ACT Rural Fire Service held an open day yesterday, with six brigades, including the Guises Creek Brigade, opening their doors and firetrucks to the public.
The day, themed ''Prepare, Act, Survive'', was aimed at educating Canberrans about how to prepare for the bushfire season.
Mr Wassall said the new national alert system meant that people would be warned 24 hours before a fire was expected to sweep through.
A warning siren would come through before a message on local radio or television.
Updates would also be provided on the ACT Emergency Services Agency website esa.act.gov.au and people could call Canberra Connect on 132281. It was essential to plan, prepare and practise a bushfire survival plan well ahead of time and not leave it to the last minute, and Mr Wassall said it was a matter of asking important questions.
''If you've got elderly parents in the house, young children, disabled people, do you send them somewhere safe?'' he said.
''Have you got protective clothing, like long-sleeved shirts and long pants, boots, hats and face mask?
''Have you got water, a radio that [runs on batteries] because you may lose power, and personal gear like life insurance policies?''
But if Canberrans did decide to stay and defend their homes in a ''catastrophic'' fire danger situation, Mr Wassall warned they should not expect a fire truck to come.
''Fires will erupt pretty severely and the resources just aren't there to have a fire vehicle at every point, so we'll do the best we can, but in those situations you'll be warned [24 hours] beforehand, so you should make your mind up whether you're going to stay or evacuate.''
Whatever people decided, it was necessary to cut back any overhanging trees or shrubs, and clean leaves from the roof, gutters and downpipes.
''And especially at this time of the year when the leaves are falling and the winds are blowing around, look to areas where those leaves accumulate around the house, and they're the potential spots where a spot fire will start,'' he said. ''Very few houses actually burn as the fire front comes through it's always an ember attack that's the worst.''
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