The Bushbunker: last resort wildfire protection

Your readers may be interested in where to get the Standard - Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas. See here...

http://infostore.saiglobal.com/store/Details.aspx?ProductID=1101539

simon_berglund

- May 19, 2009 @ 11:05 pm PDT

There are recent amendments (or a revision edition) to this Standard that have not yet been approved by the Australian Building Codes Board for inclusion in this edition of the BCA.

Refuges, Refuge areas and bunkers as 'high protection areas' will be researched and considered as a possible addition to this Standard.

It's not in the BCA yet so you will have to buy the new one some time in the future if you think that is money well spent.

ming

- May 22, 2009 @ 02:05 am PDT

A couple of things confuse me a bit. If the pro view is any bunker needs to be at least 2 meters deep, will radio waves, regardless of type, be able to penetrate that deep? I just did a few minutes reading and it seems that radio waves can be blocked by less earth than that, my point being, what good is a radio going to be if you're dowsn in the bunker? With temperatures in the Black Sunday fire hitting 1,200C, I assume one couldn't have an antenna on the surface, unless there's some metal suitable for one that can survive those sorts of temperatures. Also, is four hours enough time to be *sure* it's safe to come out?

Also, and not to bad-mouth any commercial bunker producer, wouldn't a shipping container do as well if buried? It would be a lot cheaper, if it would work.

As an alternative, I read somewhere sometime back that some expert, I forget in which country, suggested an emergency balloon evacution system, one that a person would use by slipping on a harness to which the balloon is attached, step outside, then pull a cord that would almost instantly inflate the balloon and carry the person high enough up to clear any flames and at least most of the smoke. He also said the harness should have an emergency radio beacon and flashing light, like on an airplane or radio mast. Of course, anyone who had a cell phone and thought to take it could (presumably) use that. As for coming down, he said there would be a long tube coming down to the harness with a stopcock on it, allowing the person to slowly release the gas from the balloon so the person could descend once well clear of the fire. Of course, you'd need the right sized balloon for your weight -- I weigh about 85 kg, and a balloon that could all me up to a safe altitude wouldn't be safe for either someone much smaller than me, a child, say, nor for someone obese, who might go up but not far enough to be safe. (I have little idea how practical this is, so I hope I don't get flamed -- pardon the use of the term in this context! -- TOO badly! ;-)

Kurt T. Francis

- June 7, 2009 @ 05:06 am PDT