Drawing on the on-farm financial experience of John Mitchell, a grazier in New South Wales who saved his family farm, this article sets out strategies farmers can use to prevent wildfire damage and deal with its consequences

Recent major wildfires have burnt extensive areas of agricultural land in southeastern Australia. Based on our collective experience in farming, finance, and fire science, we believe there are some important things on a farm and in a farm business to limit fire risks and help with post-fire recovery.

One of the key factors driving fire behaviour in agricultural landscapes is wind speeds. One of the ways to reduce wind speeds in farmland is already well known to many farmers: that is, to establish shelterbelts or strips of trees. Shelterbelts between paddocks and along streams and creeks, with wider plantings and understorey plantings have the greatest dampening effect on the speed of winds in agricultural landscapes. Well-designed and properly established shelterbelt plantings can also improve lambing success, provide shade for livestock, enhance pasture........

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