A strategy is a collection of actions that if implemented together, can reduce the risk of damage during a weather event or crisis.
It provides your home with reserves that can reduce the chance of ignition in a bushfire.
Note that this increases the resilience of your house. compared with the minimum requirements of building legislation in the National Construction Code.
e.g. if your house is classified as BAL12.5. Use features and materials appropriate for BAL19, or use active systems. For example sprinklers.
Actions
Sprinkler systems inside your house can help control the spread of fire. They can also increase the duration of time your house can survive a bushfire. In some cases they may prevent the total loss of the building. However, water damage to floor coverings, internal linings, furniture, and belongings will occur.
Sprinkler systems installed on your roof that can keep the roof and walls wet. This can help prevent embers from igniting the external cladding. A sprinkler system may be used to wet down your home in advance of a fire.
You should consider using additional sprinkler heads in the roof cavity and under-floor spaces.
A sprinkler specialist should be used when designing this system. Check they are familiar with Australian Standard AS5414:2012 Bushfire water spray systems .
Most systems are placed on the roof, while some systems can be placed around the home to dampen surrounding landscaping and vegetation as well as the building.
A spray system has finer droplet sizes than a drenching system. Fine droplets can be carried by the wind associated with a bushfire, rendering it less effective. A drenching system has heavier droplets but can use more water, and has to be targeted specifically to the building element being protected.
You will need to carefully assess how a sprinkler system would be used, and how well it suits your circumstances.
Sprinkler systems often require activation not too long before the fire reaches your home. If you need to be in place to activate it, this may prevent you from leaving early. Some more modern systems may allow activation remotely by phone.
You will also need to consider power supplies, as mains power can often fail during a bushfire and so water pumps may not work. Sprinkler systems use large amounts of water and will need very regular testing and maintenance.
If you live near bushland your home may be exposed to high levels of radiant heat or flame contact in a bushfire. In bushfire-prone areas a bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment is required as part of some planning and building regulations.
The BAL can help determine the requirements for construction.
You should have your home assessed by a qualified bushfire practitioner. They should use AS 3959 to determine a BAL rating. Knowing your BAL can help you improve the resilience of your home.
You should consider building or renovating to a higher BAL than your home is assessed as being. This will make your home more resilient to the effects of a bushfire.