Factors affecting bushfire behaviour

WA BAL Report are experts in conducting bushfire attack level assessments and bushfire attack level reports. A bushfire attack level assessment report is important in determining your risk from bushfires and how to properly protect yourself from that risk. Although bushfires are inherently unpredictable, they do exhibit certain behaviours. Today WA BAL Report sheds some light on bushfire behaviour in the hope that information will assist you in better safeguarding yourself from bushfire attack.

Bushfire behaviour is largely determined by 3 factors: fuel, weather and topography.

Fuel

Fires require fuel, which may be in the form of vegetation – grass, branches, twigs, leaves, shrubs, trees and so on burn easily and fuel the flames. The factors affecting the flammability of fuel are size, quantity, type, arrangement and fuel moisture content. You can reduce your risk by ensuring that you keep any possible fuel sources for the bushfire low by clearing away vegetation prior to the start of the bushfire season. The BAL Assessment Report takes into account the vegetation at your site to determine the flammability of the vegetation.

Weather

Bushfires vary greatly depending on the prevailing weather conditions. The weather has the ability to cause a fire to increase in intensity, increase rate of spread and change in direction. In particular, fires are very much subject to wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric stability, frontal movement and the effects of drought. A string of hot days dries out vegetation and makes it easier to burn. There is very little that can be done to influence weather conditions.

Topography

The topography of the land has a significant impact on a bushfire’s behaviour. A fire’s progress will be affected by the lay of the land. A fire will burn faster uphill because the flames more easily reach more unburnt fuel. Radiant heat pre-heats the fuel in front of the fire, making the fire more intense. For every 100 in slope, the fire will double in speed. Conversely, fires move more slowly as the slope decreases. For this reason, the slope of the land is taken into consideration by WA BAL Report in conducting the bushfire attack level assessment report.

For more information

WA BAL Report are experts at conducting Bushfire Attack Level Assessments, Bushfire Attack Level Reports and bushfire prevention strategies in general in Perth and Western Australia. For more information, contact our friendly staff on 08 6114 9356 or at admin@wabalreport.com.au.

Thank you for visiting www.wabalreport.com.au

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