As mentioned in the webinar, please click here to access the UPDATED Summer Seasonal Outlook for Bushfire.
As we approach the bushfire season, there is a need to become ever more vigilant and aware of potential bushfire risks. When building in bushfire prone areas, the design of buildings and the active management of surrounding bushfire risks, will have a major impact of the survivability of buildings. AS 3959–2018: Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas provides the required construction details for the designated site Bushfire Attack Level (BAL). Correctly assessing the BAL for the site and designing in accordance with AS 3959 enhances the probability of a building surviving the impacts of a bushfire. In this webinar FWPA’s timber fire experts, Boris Iskra and David Kearsley, will discuss the different timber options available in AS 3959, and the latest changes to the standard, as well as describing the fire tested timber solutions that can also be used in compliance with AS 3959. They will also discuss the range of WoodSolutions resources available, such as Technical Design Guide #04 Building with Timber in Bushfire-prone areas, and the WoodSolutions BAL Bushfire Calculator, that can assist designers, specifiers and related building professionals when designing in bushfire prone areas. Reducing bushfire risk to the home also importantly includes active management around the home. In this webinar the key practical measures will be discussed to assist in minimising the potential fuel load that could impact on a building. Such measures include the planting and management of surrounding vegetation, the placement of landscaping elements, the location and storage of combustible materials including wood piles and gas bottles, through to the use of active water suppression systems.
SPEAKERS
Boris Iskra has an extensive understanding of the Australian forest and wood products sector with over 30 years of direct involvement. He is the National Codes & Standards Manager for Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA) where his role is to coordinate the development and review of Australian timber standards, and associated building standards and codes. He is the FWPA representative on Standards Australia’s FP-020 Construction in bushfire prone areas committee which is responsible for the development of AS 3959. Boris holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Structural) degree and Post Graduate qualifications in Building Fire Safety and Risk Engineering.
David Kearsley is the Standards and Codes Technical Manager at FWPA. He has over 25 years’ experience in the building and engineering industries in a broad range of fields within the State Government and private sector. He holds qualifications in Mechanical Engineering, Building Surveying and Post Graduate qualifications in Fire and Risk Engineering. Prior to recently joining FWPA, David worked for the CFA for 10 years as Fire Safety Program Leader, managing the CFA’s Structural Fire Safety and Fire Engineering division. David then joined Fire Rescue Victoria 2020 as part of the merger of CFA and MFB in a similar role. David has represented the Victorian Fire Services and the Australasian Fire Authorities Council on various committees. David was also a member of the TS-001 committee which developed a new standard for the testing and commissioning of buildings.