210055 - 327 Kinmond Creek Road, COOTHARABA - Bushfire Risk Assessment

 Plate 1: Site vegetation.                          Plate 2: Existing access track to development
                                                    site.




3.3   Step 3 - Assessment of the Effective Slope
Studies have shown that fires burn more quickly and with greater intensity up slopes, generally
doubling every 10 degrees of slope. Also, the steeper the slope the more difficult it is to construct
ring roads, firebreaks and provide access for emergency crews. Trees situated downhill from
structures will have their crowns close to the structures. This presents bushfire hazards
particularly for exposed structures such as timber decks.

Effective slope is the slope beneath classified vegetation which most influences the bushfire
attack. The topography of the site is classified as gently undulating with an average effective
slope beneath classified vegetation of 3 degrees to the south of the development site. Average
slope was measured on site and verified using spatial contour data (1 m Lidar-derived data
published by DNRME) and the Maximum Landscape Slope raster dataset published as part of
the Bushfire hazard area – Bushfire Prone Area – Inputs dataset published by QFES.

Vegetation to the south is located downslope of the site.

3.4   Step 4 - Assessment of distance to the vegetation
Given that the proposed development is located within remnant vegetation, clearing shall be
required to provide appropriate separation between the development and adjacent vegetation.
Method 2 of AS3959:2018 has been used to calculate the minimum separation distances for
each BAL. The results of this calculation are provided in Step 5 below.

3.5   Step 5 - Determination of Bushfire Attack Level (BAL)
The Bushfire Attack Levels (BALs) for classified vegetation has been calculated using the
Flamesol Method 2 Minimum Distance calculator published by Fire Protection Association (FPA)
Australia (FPA Australia, 2017). The results from the Flamesol calculator are provided in
Appendix 2 and summarised in Table 1.

Figure 2 also illustrates the BALs for the subject site.




PR20257_BAL_327 Kinmond Creek Rd, Cootharaba                                                        8