Fire
Bushfires often occur in the Blue Mountains. Most local plants
can recover provided that the average interval between fires
and the fire intensities match the needs of the plants which
have evolved over thousands of years. Most animals also have
developed ways of sheltering or avoiding fires although it is
true that a large number of individual animals perish or are
injured in very large bushfires.
Humans, however, can influence the effect of fire on bushland
by either burning too often or by cutting out fire from places
that are used to it. Both actions will change the make-up of
the plant communities in the bush, may make some plants locally
extinct and, as a result, may impact on the well-being of other
living things.
People living near bushland have a right to protect their properties
but often the very best ways of protecting properties are also
the best ways of saving the surrounding bush.
Preventative Actions
Everyone has seen television pictures showing the results of
fires in urban areas near bushland. And we have all wondered
at how some homes escape damage while those on either side are
destroyed. While there are different factors involved in the
survival of some houses (including good luck!), there are many
actions that can be taken to improve fire resistance. Some can
only be done prior to or during construction but other actions
will be helpful for existing buildings.
It is important to Be Prepared! If you live near bushland,
a fire threat is likely sooner or later.
Construction of New Buildings
Prior to designing a new home, it’s worth discussing fire-safe
design and construction techniques with the architect or builder.
Blue Mountains City Council can also advise on building in bushfire-prone
areas.
Flat sites are safer than sloping sites and the steeper the
slope the greater the danger.
Buildings at the foot of slopes are safer than those at the
top.
Simple house designs are preferable - minimize hard to reach
areas where debris (leaves, twigs) can accumulate.
Concrete slab-on-ground construction is preferable to piers
(where sparks can ignite material under the house).
Consider ground level rubble drains instead of gutters (which
collect debris).
To minimise fire risk, refer to Blue Mountains City Council
for policy and relevant Development Control Plans. Do not
be guided by the generalisations in this Web.
Existing Buildings
A range of options are available: some simple, some more difficult:
Keep gutters free of leaves.
Fix metal spark-proof screens to external vents and to fireplace
openings indoors.
Ensure that that no gaps exist in external eaves where burning
embers might enter.
Consider the installation of a roof sprinkler system, preferably
using a water source separate from the reticulated supply
(e.g. a diesel-powered pump drawing from a rainwater tank
or swimming pool).
Fully closed shutters can prevent window breakage from radiant
heat.
Fuel Removal/Reduction
One of the most effective means of reducing fire risk is maintaining
a zone around the house where accumulated fuel is eliminated
or, at least minimized:
Keep grass cut low and remove ground litter.
Eliminate plants growing next to walls or which overhang roofs.
Store flammable material away from the house.
On larger properties, maintain a fuel-free zone of 20-40 metres
around the house and an additional fuel reduced zone of 10-60
metres. The dimensions of these zones depend on site slope
and aspect; contact the Emergency Service Centre or the NSW
Rural Fire Service for advice.
Fire Restrictions
Danger Season
In NSW there is a prescribed Bush Fire Danger Season which
extends from October 1 to March 31 but which may be extended
if necessary. During this danger period:
- Barbecues and camp fires must be in a constructed fireplace
at least 4.5 metres from any log or stump.
- A 1.5 m diameter area must be cleaned of combustible material
around the fireplace.
- Burning off can only be done with a Council permit (Total
Fire Ban overrules a permit)
- Household rubbish can only be burned in a incinerator between
7pm and 7am in accordance with Council or EPA regulations.
Fire Bans
- Total Ban - No wood, charcoal or gas barbecues allowed.
Electric barbecues are allowed on private property under the
control of an adult. The ground must be cleared for 3 metres
around the barbecue and a reliable water supply must be available.
No cigarette smoking or other naked flame sources are permitted.
- Park Ban – This may be imposed within specific
National Parks at times other than when Total Fire Bans are
in force (Total Bans still apply in National Parks).
- Backyard Burning - This is prohibited in the Blue
Mountains Council area other than for legitimate hazard reduction
burning for which a permit had been obtained.
Reducing the Hazard
- Property owners are responsible for keeping fuel levels
on their properties below dangerous levels. Section 66 of
the Rural Fires Act allows Fire Control officers to inspect
properties and require that hazard reduction be carried out.
If necessary Council may carry out the necessary work and
seek to recover costs from the owner.
- Fire Control authorities are obliged to notify nearby property
owners if hazard reduction burning is to be carried out.
Hazard Reduction Burning
Hazard reduction is the use of low intensity fire, under controlled
conditions, to reduce the amount of ground-level fuel in forests,
woodlands or grasslands. It may also be used to protect vulnerable
native animal colonies and to stimulate the growth of certain
plant species. Hazard reduction is carried out during the non-Bushfire
Danger Period by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the
NSW Rural Fire Service, and other authorised Government bodies.
In rural areas landholders may also carry out hazard reduction
burning with the approval of Blue Mountains City Council.
The use of hazard reduction burning is often controversial
as it may produce a classic conflict between the needs of humans
and the protection of the environment. For example:
- Frequent, low intensity burns reduce the danger to life
and property during the bushfire danger period, but….
- Frequent, low intensity burns can result in a change in
the composition of the native vegetation. Plants relying solely
on seed reproduction may be eliminated, because the interval
between fires may be too short to allow the plants to mature,
flower and set viable seed.
Become a Firefighting Volunteer
Joining a volunteer rural fire brigade does not necessarily
mean a large commitment of time. Brigades have a range of jobs
available including support, administration and communications
as well as front-line firefighting. If you would like to find
out more about becoming a volunteer, contact the Blue Mountains
Rural Fire Service. You will then be put in touch with the Brigade
Captain for the unit closest to your home.
What
to do When Fire Approaches
There are many things that individuals can do to minimize damage
to property and to minimize the risk of personal injury. Probably
the most important issue for personal safety is protection from
radiant heat and smoke. Unless it is impossible to change clothes,
follow these guidelines:
Wear loose fitting overalls or long-sleeved shirt and pants
made from natural fabrics, NOT synthetics, which may melt
and cause injury. Underwear and socks should also be of natural
fibres.
Wear strong shoes or boots.
If available, wear safety goggles, gloves, a hat and smoke
mask (or a large, wet handkerchief over mouth and nose).
Fire Approaching Your Home
Keep informed via radio reports.
Hose down the house walls, roof and garden (use sprinkler
system if available).
Block downpipes and fill gutters with water.
Fill baths, sinks, buckets and other containers with water
(to be used to douse fires that might be caused by embers
entering the house).
Place wet towels and blankets against gaps in doors and windows.
Close curtains and shutters.
After the main fire passes put out spot fires (any small fires
in the garden or on structures).
If the house catches fire, stay low under smoke and evacuate
as soon as main fire front has passed.
Evacuate if ordered by police or fire fighters.
In a Motor Vehicle
Cars are suitable as shelter only when located in an areas
clear of fuel and out of direct contact by severe flames.
Find a clear area with at least 10 metres of space above;
rake litter from under and around the car.
Turn engine off and leave lights on.
Wind up windows and close vents.
Put on protective clothing.
If possible, put wet woolen blankets over seats and over the
occupants who should lie on the seats or floor.
Hang towels on insides of windows (which may shatter in the
heat).
Stay in the car until the fire has passed or until heat is
intolerable.
The petrol tank is unlikely to explode!
On Foot
Don’t go bushwalking on days of fire danger! If in doubt,
check with the National Parks and Wildlife office.
Cover up as much as possible.
Try to remain calm; don’t run in a panic as that will
waste energy.
Move downhill (fires travel most rapidly up slopes).
Look for safe area such as previously burnt vegetation, dams,
pools (not elevated tanks as the water temperature can reach
dangerous levels).
If flames are more than a metre high, don’t try to go
through them to a safe area.
If trapped, lie as flat as possible behind whatever shelter
is available in the most vegetation-free area that you can
find and cover yourself with a blanket or earth.
Check Fire Danger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service
before bushwalking in the Blue Mountains.
Fire
Retardant Planting
All plants will burn but some burn more easily and more intensely
than others. Fire retardant plants are those which slow the
progress of a fire and thus assist in fire control. There is
not a lot of published data on fire retardant plants but the
following guidelines will help in selecting (or rejecting) plants:
- Plants with a high content of volatile oil or resin in their
trunk, branches or leaves burn fiercely. This includes many
conifers, melaleucas, bottlebrushes, tea-trees, boronias,
mint bushes and eucalypts, however….
- Smooth-barked eucalypts are regarded as fire-retardant by
providing an effective screen for sparks and embers if the
foliage is high off the ground.
- Dense-crowned trees with fine leaves (e.g. Allocasuarina
and Casuarina) can also be effective windbreaks and
filters for sparks
- Plants whose leaves have a high moisture content, e.g. Rainforest
plants, fruit trees, are usually highly fire-retardant.
- Plants with a high salt content in their leaves, e.g. saltbushes,
are also very fire-retardant.
The information in the following table is based on a number
of sources. The information must, however, be used with caution
as much of it is anecdotal.