Over the
next few days, the State Government is to release state-wide maps clearly
identifying which areas of Western Australia are prone to bushfires meaning
that any new property constructed in these zones must comply with strict
building regulations to lower the level of risk should the area be subject to a
bushfire.
The new
building legislation calls for tighter regulations on flooring, roofing and
glazing with building surveyors being called in to make a professional
assessment of any building plans before construction can begin. This has raised
concerns for many developers and individuals who wish to build in the bushfire
prone zones as engaging the services of a surveyor and putting in place any
recommended preventative measures to protect the property against bushfire
damage is most certainly going to be a costly exercise.
Those
planning to build a new home, particularly those close to pockets of bushland
in urban areas, must seek professional advice and have surveyors undertake bushfire
attack level assessments to look at factors such as the type of bush and
typography to determine the level of risk of a property. The level of risk
identified in the assessment would then trigger the new building standards
applied to each new home or residential extension in declared areas.
With
Western Australia experiencing devastating fires in Esperance that killed four
people and destroyed bumper crops which were ready for harvest, the state and
especially those in bushfire prone regions are on high alert as hot and dry
weather is set to continue.
Many property
owners and developers working on construction sites in bushfire prone zones are
investong in a small fire-fighting unit as the mains water pressure will drop
if fire occurs and everyone rushes to access water to control spot fires or
burning embers.
In the event of a bushfire, power
is also often lost and due to the increase in demand of water. It is strongly
advised that an alternative water source be made available in order to help
defend against fire. Items such as a 10,000 litre water tank, a powerful pump that does not require mains power and a quality fire hose can help
safeguard properties in the event of a bushfire and can help fire fighters in
their attempt to suppress the blaze.
A fire-fighting knapsack is
an ideal piece of fire-fighting equipment for putting out ember or spot fires.
Depending upon the size of the property or public space involved, you could
also consider a vehicle mounted fire-fighting unit.
Call 1800 011 000 to discuss the
best fire-fighting equipment to help protect property against the threat of
fire or click here to view the fire-fighting equipment range from Rapid
Spray.