In Australia, bushfires are simply a way of life in regional and peri-urban areas. Recent major bushfires have seen fire regulations expanded dramatically with more and more areas now designated as bushfire-prone areas or upgraded in their rating. For landscape architects, correctly designing and specifying for bushfire is fundamental – it means choosing the right vegetation, plants and trees, and also the right timber products in structures, cladding, decking, boardwalks, external furniture, retaining walls and fencing and screens.
Boris Iskra, FWPA’s National Standards & Codes Manager is the forest and wood product industry’s representative in relation to bushfire standards and specifications. Boris will explain the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Assessment and application to design, the WoodSolutions BAL Calculator, and the key design considerations for timber structures and appearance and landscaping products in bushfire-prone areas. He will also briefly describe the full-scale fire tests that have been undertaken, and are currently underway, in support of the use of timber products in bushfire-prone areas.
Choosing the right plants and correct locations also helps to reduce bushfire risks within a garden. Some plants have intrinsic characteristics that reduce the likelihood of ignition, and all plants have different flammability ratings. Daniel Idczak, the Vegetation Management Team Leader at the Country Fire Authority will discuss the key plant selection criteria and the importance of regular and ongoing garden maintenance.