Bushfire Season in QLD
Fire season in QLD often begins in July and runs through until October, but can extend into February, depending on weather conditions.
Additional Bushfire Requirements for Certain Class 9 buildings
Class 9 buildings are buildings of public nature. Since 2022, National Construction Code (NCC) has specified enhanced bushfire protection requirements for Class 9b buildings, i.e. early childhood centre and primary or secondary school, where occupants may shelter in place during bushfire events. This provision aims to safeguard vulnerable occupants within the buildings.
Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS) provisions are applicable where Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) does no greater than 12.5, in accordance with Spec. 43. Some DtS provisions may be onerous and costly to satisfy – e.g., the HAVC system must be capable of maintaining an internal air temperature of not more than 25 °C in a bushfire event. When BAL exceeds 12.5, DtS solutions are not available, and a performance-based approach is required.
What Sotera Can Provide
At Sotera, we provide cost-effective performance solutions to aid clients comply with the performance requirement G5P2. Our experience spans a broad range of bushfire projects, with Bushfire Attack Levels (BAL) from 12.5 up to Flame Zone (FZ). We focus on achieving an equivalent level of compliance without relying on expensive fire safety systems, and our approaches have gained approval across both New South Wales and Queensland.