Golf buggy bushfire season checklist: charging, battery storage and parking safety in Australia

Start with your bushfire plan

If you live on acreage or in a bushfire-prone area, a golf buggy is a useful property tool, not an evacuation vehicle. Your bushfire survival plan decides when you leave and where you go. The Queensland Fire Department's Plan to Survive page, linked below, is the official place to start, and other states publish their own guidance. We are a buggy seller, not a fire authority.

Where you charge

Queensland Fire Department advice for lithium-ion batteries is to use the charger supplied with the device, check for the Regulatory Compliance Mark, and charge on hard, non-combustible surfaces. Do not charge in a pile of stored items, in a cluttered shed or beside anything flammable. For our buggies, see the chargers guide and the MGI battery and charger guide for the right charger for each battery.

How to store lithium batteries

The Queensland Fire Department advises keeping unused lithium-ion batteries in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, heat sources and moisture, and keeping long-term storage at around 40 per cent charge. During a hot dry season, store the battery in the coolest, most ventilated part of the shed rather than in a closed, sun-baked space.

Parking and shed layout

Keep the area around the buggy and shed clear of dry grass, leaf litter, fuel and gas bottles. Park the buggy where you can reach it quickly and move it, and keep the charger and battery away from stored fuel. The state landowner guides, linked via the official sources below, cover clearing and property preparation.

• •Keep fuel and gas cylinders away from the charging area.
• •Do not leave a battery charging when you are away from the property.
• •Check the charger, cable and plug for damage before each season.

If a battery is damaged or on fire

The Queensland Fire Department says damaged batteries should be kept outside, in a well-ventilated area at least 10 metres from flammable items, until they can be safely disposed of. If a battery gives off smoke or flames, leave the area, call Triple Zero (000) and do not touch it or breathe the vapour.

Pick equipment you can trust

Use the charger designed for your battery and buy from a seller who can name the battery and warranty terms. Our lithium and lead-acid battery guide explains the differences. If you are unsure whether your equipment is safe, ask us before the fire season starts.

Before the season starts

Do a walk-around in spring. Check the charger cable and plug for cuts, confirm the battery is not swollen or damaged, and clear leaf litter and dry grass from around the shed. Move fuel, gas bottles and paint away from the charging area. The Queensland Fire Department also publishes a bushfire safety guide and a sheet on landowner responsibilities in its resource library, and other states have equivalents through their rural fire services.

Using the buggy around the property

On a bushfire-prone property, a buggy can help with everyday jobs such as carrying tools, water and feed. On a day of high fire danger, follow your plan and local warnings rather than relying on the buggy. Avoid driving through long dry grass, because hot components and sparks from any vehicle can start a fire. Keep a charged phone and an extinguisher where you can reach them.

Electric versus petrol around fire risk

An electric buggy has no fuel tank, but it carries a high-capacity battery, so the storage and charging advice above applies. A petrol buggy carries fuel and needs fuel stored away from heat. Neither type is risk-free, and we do not claim one is safe from fire. Our guide to lithium and lead-acid batteries compares the chemistries, and our winter storage guide covers long-term storage.