Bushfires, the risk and how the planning process protects you
Most Australians understand bushfire risk and why it is important when building a new home or commercial development to assess the risk of bushfire on site. Sadly Australia has experienced some terrible events with regards to bushfire, and as a result new regulations have been introduced and practiced since 2009 to mitigate the risk of bushfire.
Depending on the location of your planned home or commercial building you will be required to have your construction plans assessed for bushfire and based on a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) you will be required to install or use certain materials during your build.
There are two common methods of bushfire assessment that will be required depending on your site location and your local council requirements, the first and most common assessment is a Bushfire Attack Level assessment, or BAL. Most new projects will need one of these.
The other method of assessment that is less common and is required in areas of higher bushfire risk is a Bushfire Management Statement (BMS for short). The differences are detailed below.
Bushfire Attack Level assessments, how do they work?
The most common form or requirement for bushfire risk assessment is called a Bushfire Attack Level or BAL. A BAL is a number that is affixed to your house or commercial plans with a report that certifies the assessment has been done so you can get a building permit.
What are the different levels of BAL? The very lowest level is called a BAL LOW and is fairly uncommon except for sites that are far away from any bushfire risk, usually in townships that are well developed. Next the levels are BAL 12.5, BAL 19, BAL 29, BAL 40 and finally BAL FZ, which stands for flame zone. These levels are all determined by any planned structures proximity to bushfire fuel loads, for example a heavily forested area 34 meters from your planned house location. Other factors include the landscape around fuel loads such as hilly areas and valleys that can affect the spread of bushfire during a bushfire attack.
If you find you have a higher BAL level, say for example a BAL 40, your home will then be required to install more fire resistant features such as non combustible wall cladding, thicker glass on windows, ember guards on eaves and much more. These features are designed to give your house more protection in the event of a bushfire.
Bushfire Management Statements, a more in depth assessment
If you are fortunate enough to have a lovely block of land with lots of hills and forest and views in the vicinity, you may have a have a Bushfire Management Statement prepared and submitted to your local council for approval, instead of a simple BAL assessment. These assessments are governed by local councils and are done in areas where it is considered to be moderate to major bushfire risks for anyone living there.
So how is this different to a normal BAL assessment? It actually includes a BAL assessment but has extra requirements, and unlike a standard BAL assessment a specialist working for local council, and often somebody working for the local fire fighting authority, will have to check and approve the assessment to make sure it is consistent with local guidelines.
It is a lengthier process than a BAL assessment to have a BMS done, but it ensures that homes built in these areas are built to a safe standard.
Once I have my home bushfire assessed, can it withstand a bushfire?
No, unfortunately any building, with the exclusion of a specialist structure such as a bushfire bunker, cannot ever withstand a full bushfire attack. A BAL or BMS assessment, as previously mentioned, does not make your building or home invulnerable to bushfire attack. However the safety features installed on your home at the recommendation of the BAL or BMS will help your building to stand a little longer in the event of a bushfire, so that you and other occupants can evacuate to a safe zone or other safer location.
It is extremely important to remember to always pay attention to bushfire warnings and advice from your local council and fire fighting authority during times of high bushfire risk, and to evacuate when recommended. While the building industry is better than ever for bushfire resistant materials and safety features, every precaution should be taken in the event of a bushfire to keep you and others safe.
A great idea is to plan for a bushfire with your family, a link to the CFA website explaining this can be found here.