WORRIED firefighters have launched a campaign to convince Victorian homeowners to help save their own lives.

Fewer than one in four people has a formal bushfire plan and the Country Fire Authority's 60,000 volunteers say the lack of preparedness puts communities and families at risk.

A veteran firefighter and the president of Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria, Hans van Hamond, said people were playing Russian roulette with their safety.

"Experience shows that one of the great dangers to members of the public on a day of serious bushfire threat is simply not knowing what to do," he said.

This week, firefighters launched their first campaign to persuade Victorians to think again about fire plans.

"Some people might think they have a plan, and that's to protect their property at all costs, but they could do the job much better if they just spent a little time to fully consider what that means.

"If they want to stay and fight, do they have proper protective clothing set aside so they can fight an ember attack, for instance?" Mr van Hamond said.

"Our members have seen people wearing shorts, singlets and thongs, with a garden hose, trying to protect their homes and all they are really doing is putting more people in danger, particularly our volunteers, who may have to rescue them."

A firefighter for more than 40 years with the Creswick and Wendouree CFA brigades, Mr van Hamond said most people thought a bushfire was something that happened to someone else.

"It's a bit like the road ad campaign, people say 'it would never happen to us'," he said.

"Look at the millions we have spent on road campaigns and people are still killing themselves."

He said it was too late to decide a plan was needed once a code red day had been declared or smoke could be smelt.

"Do it early, do the prevention work early ... if you really want to save your home, and we understand that people do, the best way is to prepare for the worst," he said.