Bushfires tend to occur when Eucalyptus trees, which have a high oil content in their leaves, have dried out, usually following periods of below average rainfall. The vast majority of the population will face above-normal bushfire risks this year and homeowners must prepare now, Australia’s fire chiefs have warned at the launch of the bushfire outlook.
Many of the nation’s most highly populated areas — including Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart — all face above-average risk of out-of-control bushfires in the coming months, according to the latest update from the Bushfire and National Hazards CRC. Most of Australia had above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall over winter and this had contributed to an elevated fire risk for the bulk of eastern and south Australian coasts.
According to the Australian project management experts, the perfect bushfire-proof house would be a concrete bunker with no windows. Designing houses to withstand bushfire is about balancing not only the bushfire resilience of the house, but also the aesthetic qualities of the house, the aesthetic appeal of the surroundings, and the cost, practicality and availability of materials.
The key to survival is to understand the unique way in which a wildfire will attack your home. Homeowners need to be aware that there is no single solution that will totally protect their house, the design process is particularly complex; there is no one perfect solution but rather a variety of options that can be selected for any individual building site.
There are things they can do to decrease the risk of fire. Modern bushfire-resistant homes use bushfire resistant materials, and glazing to minimise the risk of ember attack. Steel-framed houses are rising in popularity in recent times. In other parts of the property such as window frames, verandahs, decks and gardens, materials such as stone, concrete, earth or galvanised iron should be chosen to prevent the spread of fire, should it hit your property.
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