The devastating 2019-2020 bushfire season, known as Black Summer, claimed 34 lives, burned an estimated 18.6 million hectares and destroyed 5,900 buildings[1]. It directly or indirectly impacted 80% of Australians, underscoring the importance of bushfire preparedness.
At Sotera, we provide fire safety engineering advice for buildings in bushfire-prone areas. We have recently worked on four cases involving Class 9b schools within bushfire zones, providing tailored, performance-based solutions to meet the Bushfire Provisions of the National Construction Code (NCC) and working with the specific needs of our clients and their buildings.
Our team performs detailed analysis for each project to deliver tailored, site-specific fire safety solutions. An example service we offer is the creation of Bushfire Management Plans designed to maintain a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) 12.5 rating, by ensuring buildings are equipped with effective early warning and evacuation systems. This helps prepare properties for timely detection and evacuation in the event of a bushfire. Additionally, we provide performance-based solutions, such as passive fire protection for external walls and openings in line with AS3959, along with fire alarm and firefighting systems. Our approach is designed to protect both the building and its occupants in the event of a bushfire.
Sotera continues its commitment of delivering fire engineering reports that rationalize compliance with Bushfire Provisions, ensuring your building’s compliance and safety in Australia’s ever-changing bushfire landscape.
Reference:
[1] du Parc, E. and Yasukawa, L., 2020. The 2019-2020 Australian bushfires: from temporary evacuation to longer-term displacement.