In Australia there is no fire bunker standards developed yet. As a result of many survival stories in fire shelters during the last Victorian bushfire, many people are looking for fire bunkers if any bushfire comes during this fire season also. At the same time the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission is continuing its hearing on the last Black Saturday fires from the public at various places.

Recently, Melinda Richards one of the lawyers assisting the Royal Commission said in a submission that fire bunker standards should be developed by April 1, 2010 and be in force by not later than May 1.She expected that Victorian government through the Building commission (BC) should take initiative to develop fire bunker standards.

It is to be noted that Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), the country’s apex building regulatory board has taken the issue and is preparing a uniform standard on fire bunkers. However the standards can not be made public during this bushfire season and therefore Ms.Melinda the counsel requested an interim accreditation standard for Victoria until the ABCB’s national standards come out. She demanded that there should be regulations on the claims of fire bunker manufactures about the capacity to withstand intense heat and severe winds, oxygen availability and the bunker’s ability to keep smoke and poisonous gases out of it.

The New South Wales (NSW) government has urged the people to try the Bush Fire Household Risk Assessment Tool. This online tool is provided by government’s Rural Fire Service (RFS).The assessment tool will help the people to assess the level of bushfire risk and prepare them a survival plan.

How it works?

The tool is a comprehensive questionnaire and seeks to assess   answers for the current preparation that an individual or family has taken. The tool developers, the RFS strongly warns not to rely exclusively on the tool and advice the people to leave early when a catastrophic fire warning has been declared in any area. The task is to enter simple details about the property, slope, vegetation and other minor details. With the given details a possible risk level is prepared to assess the magnitude either from a direct flame or from a radiant heat or from any other cause. The tool further assesses the ability of the people to defend the fire in case they are planning to stay there. The risk tool can be used to make a written Bush Fire Survival Plan which is also required in case of anticipated bush fire.

Most of the Fire bunkers are installed as buried into slope or side. There are many advantages for it over the above ground fire bunkers. There may be some requirements like drainage and waterproofing. The fire bunker must be able to withstand the weight of the soil particularly wet soil. Some of the advantages of these bunkers are,

• The fire bunker is insulated by the earth.
• There is cool air inside.
• The exposure to radiant heat is minimum.
• The fire bunker is not fully visible from outside.
• The flames can pass over the bunker.
• Side doors provide easy entry.

However these types of bunkers have their own drawbacks particularly after installation. These may be,

• The excavation and leveling the ground requires labor and money.
• Drainage problems need to be addressed.
• Installation requires some engineering and technical knowledge.