Would there be so many wild-fire deaths if wooden houses were built far away from forests/bushes?

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Cecil

Studies dating back to 1944 into house loss from bush fires show that there is no correlation between house loss and construction materials. Most houses (something like 85%) are lost from ember attack and not radiant heat or direcct flame contact.

What is important is provision of an asset protection zone, maintenance of the building and knowledge of what to do during a bushfire on the part of the occupants.

Asset protection zones don't need to be particularly big to remove the threat of radiant heat or direct flame contact burning down a house. The size of an asset protection zone should be determined on the basis of the vegetation type and slope to the house.

Embers however can travel kilometres ahead of a fire. So it is important to seal gaps around the house to prevent entry of embers.

Occupants need to know to use their house as a refuge when the fire front passes through and not to panic and try to evacuate at the last minute. Many deaths occur as a result of people trying to flee and there are examples of this where people have died in their carsbut the home actually survived the fire (Eyre Peninsular South Australia a few years ago).

If people dont want to stay they need to leave well ahead of the fire. The chances of a house burning down though increases significantly if there is no one there to defend it from the ember attack before and after the fire front comes through.

ll_jenny_ll here

actually .... in the areas of Kinglake and Marysville I think you will find that many Brick homes were infact destroyed in the fires on Black Saturday.. take a look at photographs of the area.. and you will see that brick homes were destroyed.

Bardy

Wooden houses are safe in the bush if you take sensible precautions. Clear a firebreak around the property and have no overhanging branches over your home. Regular controlled burns will help clear the bush of fuel and slow any natural fires (and they will occur). Use common sense and be safe.

ABCDiamond Britzinoz.com

It's the smoke and the heat that tends to kill, and wood or brick houses may be irrelevant.

The only way to completely avoid such risk is to live away from the risk.

Melissa M

NO! The only way you would have a chance and a VERY good chance is to build your house out of stone and or brick. Fire usually can not burn through stone. If I were to choose to live in the bush (which I won't cause I like the city) I would build my house out of stone!

Future Eagles Mummy!!

Embers from Burning gum trees can travel for kilometers to start more fires and set fire to buildings etc. I fire as intense as the recent Victorian ones are unstoppable and unpredictable. They can change direction in an instant and move so fast you probably couldn't out run them in your car to escape. There is talk now of homes and or towns having fire shelters built for people to take refuge in.

But I think you are right to some degree. Sometimes people need to worry a little less about being "green" and knock over trees and create fire breaks a bit further away from their homes. i will be most interested to see the recommendations put forward when the Royal Commission (not sure if that is the correct terminology) into these fires in completed. There are many local government bodies that don't allow the clearing of trees in some cases. Stuff like that needs to be investigated.

I Live In Paradise

if they lived 50 klms maybe but how far do you want to live away from nature

people were surrounded by the bush fires and were unable to escape

PLANET ROGUE-POP: 1

It doesnt matter what material you house is built from, if you live in fire-danger zone then its a matter of applying appropriate safety measures to protect your house. Fire will destroy anything in its path, whether its a wooden or brick house.

rustupd

people chose to live in the bush or country towns because they like to
nobody forces them to.
some people rather live there than in city's it is quieter/friendlier better for kids

& to answer your question no

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