The houses that are built in bush fire prone areas are designed in a different manner. The architects have taken it as a challenge to create better houses protecting them from damage caused by bushfire. The regulatory authorities have decided to improve the level of protection for bushfire prone areas home. They have decided to implement certain measures that will improve the fire performance of the building. The designs are complicated as there is no one solution that will prevent the bushfire. But you can avoid those activities and build the home with some fire-resistant materials to protect your family from bushfire. There are a variety of options that have to select according to the building site.
How to avoid the risk of bushfire?
It has been seen that the bushfire starts near the houses. Forest areas and the nearby locations are the most bushfire prone areas. So, it is important to build houses at a distance from the nearest bush land. The risk of burning the bushfire prone areas home can be reduced by lowering the in flammability of the houses. The fire gets wild according to the weather conditions. These effects can be reduced considerably with the use of a measure that is known as leverage. If the fire is planned, then there is a chance to reduce the intensity of the fire load. This will hence increase the chance to suppress the fire. This is where the fire management agencies basically concentrate.
#8 tips to prepare your home in bushfire prone areas
- The homeowner has to see to it that the gutters are clean from leaves and they should keep their roofs and the downpipes clutter free. They have to fit a good quality leaf guard.
- The grass has to be mowed regularly both in the front as well as the backyards. Apart from that, do not store wooden substance, dry tree roots and branches, and other gardening tools in your garden are patio areas.
- The windows, doors, vents and the weep holes have to be installed with steel wire mesh screens. The open area need to be enclosed under decks and floors. Mostly all the gaps have to fill in external roof as well as wall cladding.
- You have to make sure that when you install LPG cylinders around bushfire prone areas home, the relief valves must face outwards. This will protect the house from the flame that might directly hit the house.
- The backyard of the house has to be tidy and free from all kinds of flammable material. The homeowner must relocate all the flammable materials like boxes, paper, hanging baskets as well as garden furniture.
- It has to be ensured that the garden hoses need to be long enough so that it reaches the perimeter boundary of your house. All the excess ground fuels as well as the combustible material should be removed.
- If there is a swimming pool you have to ensure that there is a provision of static water supply which will be placed in the front fence. The use of portable pump from swimming pool is mandatory.
- It is very important to inform all the members of the family about the evacuation area. This will help them to free themselves if there is a fire. Apart from that, you should contact a reputed builder to build the bushfire resistant home.
Bush fire is a natural part of the environment that cannot be avoided. But definitely you can make arrangements to protect yourself and the bushfire prone areas home. Hence it is important to plan and prepare your home for bushfire so that your family can survive.