Today's bushfires are off-the-scale bad. The only safe option is to leave before they start | Calla Wahlquist

In the early 2000s, our safety plan was to stay and defend. But catastrophic fires since have drastically changed the thinkingSign up for the Rural Network email newsletterJoin the Rural Network group on Facebook to be part of the communityI've spent every night for the past few weeks trawling classified ads for horse floats. For our budget there are not many available that are big enough for my ridiculously large horses, but we're on a deadline: the fire season is approaching and we need a way to get the horses to safety. I couldn't live with myself if I left them behind - and I don't rate our chance of survival if we stay.It will be the first bad fire season since we bought the place. After three wet La Ni?a years, the Australasian Fire Authorities Council is predicting an "increased risk" across much of eastern and central Australia this year. We're not in the areas coloured red on the map, but the risk remains. As the Victorian and New South Wales fire chiefs told reporter Emily Middleton this month, it's best to be prepared early.Sign up to receive Guardian Australia's fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter Continue reading...