Bushfire Report

        FURTHER READING
        Ahern A., Aon Re Worldwide and
         Chladil M. (2004). How Far do
         Bushfires Penetrate Urban Areas?
         Tasmania Fire Service.
        Blanchi, R., Leonard, J. and Maughan,
          D. (2004). Towards New Information
          Tools for Understanding Bushfire
          Risk at the Urban Interface. CSIRO
          Manufacturing & Infrastructure
          Technology, Bushfire Research,
          Bushfire CRC Research Project.
        Chen, K. and McAneney, J. (2004).
          Quantifying Bushfire Penetration
          Into Urban Areas in Australia. Risk
          Frontiers–Natural Hazards Research
          Centre, Macquarie University, NSW,
          Australia, June.
        Leonard, J. (2003). Bushfires in
          the ACT. Australian Institute of
          Building Surveyors 38th Annual State
          Conference.
        McAneney, J and Chen, K. (2010)
         Bushfire Penetration Into Urban
         Areas in Australia: A Spatial
         Analysis, Bushfire CRC report for
         the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal
         Commission.                                              Researcher Justin Leonard examines a fence after burning test at the NSW Rural Fire Service Hot Fire
                                                                   Training Facility.
     when flames did not contact the fencing                    until ignition of the fencing occurred, after          The results, when used alone, should only be
     systems, however they provided little barrier              which point additional heat impact was                 used for research and development, quality
     during direct flame contact. Neither fencing               received by all elements behind the fencing.           assurance or similar industrial needs. More
     configuration supported lateral flame spread               Significant risk of house loss occurred during         extensive toxic release experiments could be
     to the extent that would expose the structure              all experimental exposures, either through             conducted to simulate fencing exposure to
     to direct flame contact. Under structural                  thermal exposure or mechanical impact as               bushfire for a quantitative risk assessment of:
     fire exposure conditions, the fencing                      the fencing collapsed onto the structure.              the toxic gases released during combustion
     quickly burnt away leaving no barrier to the               Under structural fire exposure conditions, the         of each fencing material; the impact of air
     impinging flames.                                          fencing quickly burnt away leaving no barrier          emissions of arsenic; the exposure of site
                                                                to the impinging flames and radiant heat.              occupants to arsenic from the ash from
     Treated pine
                                                                                                                       CCA-treated pine, and; the contamination of
     This had the worst performance, as its                     FUTURE DIRECTIONS
                                                                                                                       building sites from arsenic.
     integrity under leaf litter attack resulted in             The cone calorimeter experimental method
     ignition and extensive flame spread with the               used for toxic release does not assess the fire        Detailed analysis is needed of the fencing data
     potential for loss of the adjacent structure.              hazard of the materials – or products made             collected by the Bushfire CRC Task Force after
     Its performance as a heat barrier was good                 from them – under actual fire conditions.              Black Saturday.


    Fire Note is published jointly by the                      Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre                    Australasian Fire and Emergency Service
    Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre                       Level 5/340 Albert Street                               Authorities Council
    (Bushfire CRC) and the Australasian Fire                   East Melbourne VIC 3002                                 Level 5/340 Albert Street
    and Emergency Service Authorities Council                  Telephone: 03 9412 9600                                 East Melbourne VIC 3002
    (AFAC). This Fire Note is prepared from                    www.bushfirecrc.com                                     Telephone: 03 9418 2388
    available research at the time of publication                                                                      www.afac.com.au
    to encourage discussion and debate. The                    Bushfire CRC is a national research centre in the
    contents of the Fire Note do not necessarily               Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program, formed       AFAC is the peak representative body for fire,
    represent the views, policies, practices or                in partnership with fire and land management agencies   emergency services and land management agencies
    positions of any of the individual agencies                in 2003 to undertake end-user focused research.         in the Australasia region. It was established in 1993
    or organisations who are stakeholders of the               Bushfire CRC Limited ABN: 71 103 943 755                and has 26 full and 10 affiliate members.
    Bushfire CRC.

4     Background briefings on emerging issues for fire managers from AFAC and Bushfire CRC.