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

                                                                                                  Bushfire Protection Assessment
                                                                                                                        BlueCare
                                                                                                 Grass Tree Court, Sunrise Beach


3.0       Recommendations
3.1       Fire Breaks

A 12 - 15m wide fire break is to be maintained between proposed buildings and the adjoining predominant vegetation.
The fire break is to be maintained in accordance with the following:


      •   No tree or tree canopy is to occur within 3 m of the dwelling;
      •   The presence of a few shrubs or trees in the Inner Protection Area is acceptable provided that they:
          •          are well spread out and do not form a continuous canopy;
          •          are not species that retain dead material or deposit excessive quantities of ground fuel in a short period
                     or in a danger period; and
          •          are located far enough away from the building so that they will not ignite the building by direct flame
                     contact or radiant heat emission.
      •   Any landscaping or plantings should preferably be local endemic mesic species or other low flammability
          species;
      •   A minimal ground fuel is to be maintained to include less than 4 tonnes per hectare of fine fuel (fine fuel means
          ANY dead or living vegetation of <6 mm in diameter e.g. twigs less than a pencil in thickness. 4 t/ha is
          equivalent to a 1 cm thick layer of leaf litter);
      •   Any structures storing combustible materials such as firewood (e.g. sheds) must be sealed to prevent entry of
          burning debris where these structures are located against the building or within the 15m firebreak; and
      •   The firebreaks allow unimpeded access all around the dwellings to fire crews and equipment.


Firebreaks proposed (15m) exceed those required in the State Planning Policy (10m). Where the fire break is
accompanied by a stone or block ‘ha ha’ wall as illustrated below the fire break may be reduced to 10m. The effect of the
wall is to block radiant heat and stop the passage of flame as well as reducing the effective flame length. The taller the
‘ha ha’ wall the more effective it will be. The actual height of the ‘ha ha’ will be determined by engineering requirements.


                                                         ‘Ha Ha’ wall




                                  Source: Adopted from Ramsay & Rudolph. CSIRO Publishing 2003


3.2       Fire Trails

Fire trails are to be constructed which will allow fire appliances to access the western and southern side of the proposed
buildings adjoining the National Park and Council land. An additional fire trail is to be constructed which connects to the
trail off Grass Tree Court. A continuation of access to the existing fire trail network is to be afforded to continue the
effectiveness of the fire trails and prevent the creation of ‘dead ends’ which are dangerous for fire fighters working on
such trails. Important connections are to be maintained (i.e. access for 4WD fire vehicles) as indicated by the orange
arrows on the map below. The development proposal allows for these connections.

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                                                         © 23 June 2008
                                                         Reference: 1285