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Roadmap

Neighbourhood and community
How climate change will affect bushfire risk, and what actions you can take - an evidence based analysis.
Know your surroundings
Know your country, know your property, know the risks and know what to expect. How topography and fuel load affects your risk
Tools being developed to help you understand your risks.
House and property
How houses are destroyed
How houses are destroyed by bushfire. Identifying the problems
Understand how your house will be attacked by a bushfire and what you can do to reduce your risks. It’s not always like you see on TV. Got a house complying with Australian Standard 3959? – learn about the many issues the regulations ignore.
How to harden an existing house. Actions you can take to protect your home
Embers
90% of Australian houses in high risk areas are not resilient to a bushfire. Embers are an absolute certainty in a bushfire. They cause 90% of house loss. Understand the numerous vulnerabilities.
Every bushfire has embers. They love gaps. They destroy houses. If you know what to do and take action you can reduce the risk of your home being destroyed.
In Victoria your property’s overlay provides an indication of the level of bushfire risk, the building and planning controls, and how much vegetation you can clear without a permit. What property overlay are you in?
Vegetation
There are many misconceptions and myths about the role and action of vegetation. By understanding the facts you are better placed to reduce your risks.
We all have vegetation. Good veg or bad veg – why it matters. How much risk do trees really cause and what about bark mulch and fine fuels?
Info about the 10/50 and 10/30 Bushfire Protection Exemptions applicable in Victoria.
If tan bark is OUT what’s IN?
Large trees and branches can strike your house or block your path. What should you know and what can you do?
We all have vegetation. What actions are needed to reduce risk?
Attack mechanisms
How does fire attack your home and what can you do about it?
What actions can you take to reduce fire attack risks?
How a house is attacked
What is it like to experience a bushfire from the house's perspective?
We know how houses are attacked by a bushfire. If you take action to prevent ember entry then more houses and people will survive.
A house constructed to Australian Standard 3959 does not necessarily mean you have a great solution. What fire attack mechanisms are not taken into account
Roofs
Roofs hate high winds. Bushfires and high winds go together. How do metal and tiled roofs react?
Embers love tiled roofs. All roofs are a vulnerable risk. How do embers get inside the roof space and how can you stop them?
Skylights hate embers. Fibreglass roof sheeting is a disaster waiting to happen. How risky are polycarbonate and fibreglass roof sheeting, skylights and evaporative coolers?
Stairways may provide your only escape route. What are the risks of decks, outside furniture, under deck storage and stairways?
Old school external heavy-set canvas blinds may provide radiant heat protection to windows.
It doesn’t matter how bushfire resistant your home is, it will fail if you store flammable items under it. Of the four types of glass only one is any good when there is a bushfire. You can take action to reduce window failures
A bin in the wrong location can result in your house being lost. Homes are lost because of combustible fences and the location of wheelie bins and stored timber.
CCA treated pine presents a significant fire risk
Any gas bottle or cylinder is a potential flame thrower or bomb. Securing them correctly could save your home.
Boats, caravans and cars have been responsible for house ignition. What precautions can you take?
Water systems
Water tanks, pumps and sprinklers. Find out more about the numerous choices, strengths and weaknesses.
What do you know about water tank failures in a fire? How much fuel can be near a plastic tank? A ruptured plastic or fibreglass tank against a shed or a house is equivalent to driving a car into the side of the structure at about 50km/hr. How much water do you need in a bushfire?
90% of the pumping systems for houses failed during the peak of the event on Black Saturday. How can you protect your water supply when it is needed most?
What do you know about protecting a pump during a fire? It’s not as easy as people think.
What do you know about spray type, location, and what to spray?
What has been learned about pipes, hoses, knapsacks and mops?
The effect of radiant heat and embers.
If you don’t understand what’s involved in rebuilding you can never get your insurance right - particularly planning permit requirements, additional costs due to planning requirements, the cost of materials and construction and the years of waiting.
Insurance for property, home and contents. The availability and affordability of insurance and the robustness of your policy are huge issues.
What you can learn from the experience of others - interviews with property owners impacted on Black Saturday 2009.
Individual and family
Emotional preparation. The best practice measures you can take to prepare for a bushfire make a big difference.
Children
The advantages of involving kids and how to achieve it.
Kids and bushfires -a psychologist’s experience.
What kids think about planning for a bushfire.
Horses
Horses are part of the family and they need a plan. And its complex with many issues to consider.
You can learn a lot by watching interviews with horse owners impacted on Black Saturday 2009.
Fire in area
Triggers to take action. Get your triggers sorted. An evidence based approach.
Your sheltering options. Know how to actively shelter.
Your last resort options. It’s all gone pear shape. What is your go to action plan?