080623 BlueCare Bushfire Assessment Report_Iss B_screen version.pdf [As Published] · 132008.1128

                                                                                                 Bushfire Protection Assessment
                                                                                                                       BlueCare
                                                                                                Grass Tree Court, Sunrise Beach

2.5       Qualitative Assessment

There has been a history of wildfire in the Noosa Area. In this regard it is prudent to plan for bushfire mitigation
particularly where development abuts large areas of flammable vegetation such as National Parks.

Discussion with officers at Noosa Fire Station in June indicated that fires occur in the National Park with frequent
regularity (approx. Every 3 – 4 years) many of which are started by children at the nearby schools. The actual timing of
fires however depends upon the prevailing weather conditions and an ignition source – i.e. something to start the fire and
the weather conditions to sustain it.

The heathland vegetation is comprised of an elevated fuel load that has a high connectivity vertically and horizontally,
low - moderate bark fuel and a low – moderate surface fine fuel. The tall heath around the fringes of the development
has a very high to extreme elevated fuel load. In this regard fire spread across the elevated heath is likely to be rapid
under severe fire weather conditions. Conversely during periods of lower fire danger any fires in the heathland would
pose little threat to the development. Fire behaviour in Heathlands are very susceptible to variations in wind speed and
direction and in this regard fire behaviour can change suddenly.

Heathland vegetation can burn very intensely as the empirical model results indicate. Actual fire behaviour would vary
spatially and temporarily especially in response to local variations in fuel load, fuel structure, fuel moisture content and
wind. The spotting potential of healthland vegetation is less than some other types of vegetation, though spotting could
still be up to a couple of hundred metres in extreme conditions, though most intense for approx. 50m. Spotting would be
the most intense in close proximity to the actual fire front with burning ember density decreasing with further distance
from the front. In this regard there is potential that the development could be impacted by ember attack.

Past fire events in the area and discussion with Noosa Fire Station Officers indicate that firebreaks in the vicinity of 10 –
15m are appropriate to mitigate most heathland fires especially if a fire authority response is deployed to defend the
property under attack. Problems may occur under worst case scenarios where fire behaviour is more severe than the
norm and fire crews are already deployed elsewhere and cannot help protect the development. In this regard bushfire
mitigation must be designed to be able ‘stand alone’ if a fire fighting response is unavailable or delayed.

Under most circumstance a fire fighting response will be available and the likelihood of loss of buildings is considered
very remote in these circumstances. The creation of suitable fire breaks, increasing the resilience of the buildings and
assisting fire authority response (access and water) are all appropriate measures to assist in bushfire mitigation.

The Noosa National Park and adjoining Council land contain fire trails which would allow access to fire crews. The fire
fighting response to intense heath fires is likely to be based on an indirect attack where back-burning methods are used
rather than direct attack with water. Fire fighting response / techniques would be determined by the Incident Controller at
the time of the wildfire.

Escape routes are directly available to the east away from flammable vegetation. Any decision to evacuate the retirement
village would be determined by BlueCare Management in conjunction with Emergency Services. Evacuation would only
likely be required where it was felt that residents would be adversely impacted by smoke or stress.

The construction of the development will have the added benefit of significantly reducing the bushfire hazard to lots 763 –
770 on Columbia and Ben Lexcen Drive.




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                                                     © 23 June 2008
                                                     Reference: 1285