Timber steps and stairs ignition

Know The Risk

It's easy to think of deck or verandah steps as just a way to get outside.

But if you ever need to leave your home in a hurry during a bushfire those same steps could be your escape route. That makes them worth a closer look, not just for your property, but for your family's safety.

Embers pile up on flat timber treads and in the gaps around stringers (the angled, structural board or housing that runs along the sides of a staircase to support the weight of the steps)

Surface fire attacks the stringers where they meet the ground

Flat treads and the gaps around stringers give leaves and bark somewhere to settle and pile up, and once they are ignited by embers timber steps can burn through and collapse

If your main way out from a deck or verandah relies on deck or verandah steps, fire damage there could block the escape route you're counting on.

Do The Fix

Good:

Embers pile up on flat timber treads and in the gaps around stringers, especially where leaves and bark collect in corners and joints

• Keep steps and the area underneath clear of leaves, vegetation, bark, stored combustible materials and other debris, especially before Total Fire Ban days
• Check timber treads and stringers regularly for cracking or splitting, and keep them sealed with fire resistant paint
• Think about whether steps are part of your escape route
• Keep at least one escape path away from the house clear and fire-ready

Better:

• Use a spray system to wet steps but beware of the added slipping risk

Best:

• Replace with concrete steps or
• Replace with galvanised steel stringer structure and bushfire rated composite decking material or non-combustible material

For more on decks and stairs, visit the BRI Resource Hub.