We're not out of the burning woods just yet

Today we report on the location of two bushfire emergency "places of last resort" in the northern suburbs, yet despite it being the middle of summer we are still waiting to hear where Shellharbour residents should go if their bushfire plan fails.In the lead-up to summer, we were warned of the potential for a disastrous bushfire season. Surely, the identification of "neighbourhood safer areas" in Shellharbour is well overdue.Whether an area has been identified in your neighbourhood or not, you still need to keep your wits about you.The Rural Fire Service is anxious to stress that these safer areas are places of last resort, not refuges.There is no guarantee they will be completely safe, only safer.The geography of the Illawarra - which makes it such an attractive place to live - also makes it a dangerous place during a bushfire.The best defence residents have against bushfire danger is good old common sense. Have a fire plan, know if you have the resources to defend your house or whether to evacuate early, and think about where you'll go, both early and as a last resort. For many of us, the obvious choice will be the beach.We have been lucky so far this bushfire season, but with half of summer still to come, we're not out of the woods yet.