How to protect your home against ember attack SAFEGUARDING HOMES AGAINST BUSHFIRE

EMBER ATTACK PROTECTION + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide +
+ 2013
How to protect
your home against
ember attack
SAFEGUARDING HOMES AGAINST BUSHFIRE
Extreme weather and dangerous fire conditions across southern Australia each
summer serve a painful reminder of our ongoing need to safeguard our homes against
bushfire. As more and more Australians build homes adjacent to bushland areas each
year, the number of people affected by the danger grows.
The reality check for thousands of Australians living along regional and urban fringes
are the statistics that show the high number of homes destroyed by ember attack. This
is where houses ignite and burn due to wind borne embers as opposed to direct flame
contact by the bushfire front. Ember attack is in fact the main cause of house fire during
a bushfire.
This issue was highlighted after the devastating Victorian bushfires in 2009, which
prompted new building regulations for homes built or renovated in bushfire-prone
areas (AS3959-2009). The regulations were amended again in 2011 after the Victorian
Bushfire Commission decided that homes built in bushfire prone areas needed to
further increase their ability to resist ember attack.
This paper will look at:
++ Why ember attack is a serious issue for home owners in bushfire-prone areas.
++ What you need to do to comply with the Australian Standard for building in bushfireprone areas.
++ How Blue Mountain Mesh meets all the Standards and offers the highest level of
protection against ember attack.
++ Australia is considered
the most bushfire prone
country in the world.
++ Ember attack (not direct
contact with the bushfire
front) is the main cause of
house fire during bushfire.
++ Houses in regional and
urban fringe towns and
cities; in and around
bushfire-prone areas are
susceptible to ember
attack.
++ Building standards have
changed in 2011 to help
increase homes’ ability to
resist ember attack.
++ Having gutters that are
clear of leaves and debris
is an important precaution
to safeguard your home
against the spread of fire.
++ Choosing an ember guard
that meets the Standards
and can also act as a gutter
guard offers the best
protection against ember
attack.
Photo : BERT KNOTTENBELD, May 2007
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EMBER ATTACK PROTECTION + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide +
BUSHFIRE IN AUSTRALIA:
A REAL AND CONSTANT
DANGER
+ 2013
Darwin
Australia is considered the most fire prone
country in the world. As such, bushfires are an
intrinsic part of Australia’s environment. Natural
ecosystems and landscapes are shaped by, and
rely on, patterns of fire. But as human settlements
encroach further into bushland and fire prone
areas, fire poses a threat to people in nearly all
parts of the country at different times of year as
seasonal weather patterns come into play.
When are the bushfire seasons?
++ Most of southern Australia: Summer and
Autumn
++ NSW and Southern Queensland: Spring and
early Summer
++ Northern Australia: Winter and Spring
The impact of extreme fire weather varies greatly
within these regions, depending on the proximity
to built-up areas, and in some cases the type of
fire that occurs.
Brisbane
Perth
Adelaide
Winter and Spring
Spring
Spring and Summer
Summer
Summer and Autumn
Sydney
Canberra
Melbourne
Hobart
Australia’s bushfire seasons (BOM)
Where are the worst fires?
The areas facing the most severe
bushfires are usually in the southeastern corner of Australia, south
of a line from Sydney to Adelaide,
where hot, dry, strong winds are
most common. This area has the
tallest forests and heavy fuel loads
which produce some of the most
intense and devastating fires.
Large parts of Victoria, the ACT,
South Australia (Adelaide Hills),
Tasmania, WA (Perth Hills) and
NSW (Blue Mountains, Southern
Highlands, Gosford/Hunter Valley
and Wollongong) are key bushfire
affected areas.
In terms of the total area burnt,
the largest fires are in the
Raging bushfire through the Lake Repulse / Meadowbank area, as seen from the village of Hamilton, Tasmania
Photo : TONI FISH, 4 Jan 2013
Northern Territory and northern
areas of Western Australia and
Australia’s recent history has been marked by many terrible
Queensland. However, the closer fires get to regional towns
bushfire events. In February 2009, Victoria was devastated by the
and urban centres anywhere, the potential for significant loss
worst bushfires in Australian history. 173 people lost their lives,
increases. Sadly, this often includes loss of homes, businesses
2,000 homes were lost in 78 communities. Entire towns were left
and, tragically loss of life.
unrecognisable as the fire burnt 411,000 hectares of land.
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EMBER ATTACK PROTECTION + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide +
+ 2013
UNDERSTANDING FIRE:
WHY HOUSES BURN
WHAT IS AN
EMBER ATTACK?
Research has shown that the main cause of house fire during
a bushfire is from ember attack. Over 85% of fires that destroy
homes are started this way, despite the long held view that
house fires start by direct flame contact by the bush fire front
(CFA 2010). One of Australia’s leaders in bushfire urban design
research, Justin Leonard from CSIRO’s Ecosystem Science team
explains:
Ember attack occurs when burning parts of trees (e.g. twigs,
branches, leaves) are carried by winds in a cluster. Embers can
range from tiny sub millimetre sparks to large inch sized chunks,
which lodge in gutters, get under doorways, enter roof spaces or
windows and start internal fires. The movements of embers from
a bushfire are the primary cause of spot fires, which contribute to
the continued spread of a bushfire. Ember attack can occur for up
to 30 minutes before the bushfire front passes a given house and
over distances greater than 100 metres from the fire front.
“The reasons why a house is burnt to the ground and looks
like it’s been impacted by a devastating fire isn’t really
because the fire was so intense... The fuel loads within
the house and the fuel load that the house structure itself
represents is responsible for all that intense heat.
“Usually a house is actually ignited by a fairly small insidious
ember... And then the internal fire within that structure
develops into quite a ferocious fire which causes all that
devastation and damage.” (CSIRO 2011)
This type of fire commonly starts from what is known as an
‘ember attack’.
500 meters
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100 meters
++ Embers are burning twigs, leaves and pieces of debris
++ Ember attack occurs when twigs and leaves are carried by the
wind and land on or around houses
++ Ember attack is the most common way houses catch fire
during bushfires
++ Embers can land on top of debris in your gutters and set fire to
your house
++ Ember attack can happen before, during and after the
bushfire.
(CFA 2013)
House
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EMBER ATTACK PROTECTION + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide +
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WHAT DOES EMBER
ATTACK LOOK LIKE?
A simulated ember attack by a University
of California fire scientist has been used to
test what sparks up first in a house under
threat from bushfire. In this case, embers
caused the wooden decking and dried
leaves in the gutters to catch fire before
anything else.
“Embers like those shown in the picture
are the main cause of houses catching
fire during wildfires. Often flying
through open windows or attic vents,
the embers set furniture and carpets
ablaze and burn the house from the
inside out.” Steve Quarles, University of
California
(New Scientist 2013)
The results can be devastating, with even
the most sturdy, stately homes unable to escape the dangers.
Fires can also start long after the fire front has passed, as was the
case with this historic Victorian property, which was completely
destroyed by fire sparked from an ember attack:
Fire destroys historic
Victorian homestead
A small spot fire sparked by ember
attack took about 15 minutes to burn
through the roof of an 100-year-old
homestead on Carngham Station near
Ballarat on 9 January 2013.
Carngham Station’s live-in gardener,
Ron Bolton, said the embers that
started raining on the property late into
the night quickly started an inferno as
fire swept through central Victoria.
“The CFA was actually on the grounds at
the time, but they couldn’t do anything
to save it (the homestead). It was just
too hot,” Mr Bolton said.
Mr Bolton said he was amazed at how
quickly the house went up after what
started as a small fire on the corner of
the house.
(The fire had) pretty much calmed down
and we thought it was pretty safe, then
we just happened to see a little fire start Live-in-gardener Ron Bolton said he was surprised at how quickly the fire engulfed the main house. Picture:
Nicole Garmston
in the corner of the house.
Before the guys could get enough water on there the whole roof of the property was alight. It’s a pretty substantial house too. The actual
house lit up about an hour or so after the worse of the fire had gone through.”
(Herald Sun 2013) bluemountainmesh.com.au
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EMBER ATTACK PROTECTION + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide +
PROTECTING HOMES
FROM EMBER ATTACK
+ 2013
“The greatest protection homes can
have from burning down in a bushfire
is to ensure they are intrinsically
ember proof, so they don’t have any
gaps where embers can get under
doorways or through vents or into roof
spaces and start internal fires.”
Many thousands of Australians enjoy living in rural
communities. Many more are choosing to build homes on
the fringes of towns and cities, close to bushland areas.
As a result of this, many areas in regional and urban fringe
towns and cities in Australia are susceptible to ember attack
and subsequent house fires because of their proximity to
bushland and fire-prone areas.
Researchers have estimated that, in addition to homes in rural
areas, there are some 340,000 homes around major capital
cities in Australia at risk due to their location near bushland
boundaries. As urban expansion continues, this number is set
to rise (Australian Journal of Emergency Management 2007).
Do you live in a bushfire-prone area?
Issues arise not only where homes are located, but also in how
they are built and maintained. Any gaps, cracks or areas where
embers and fuel can lodge significantly reduce a home’s
resistance to fire. This is true of many of the bushfires that
have raged in Australia over the years. This was all too true in
the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria in 2009.
A bushfire-prone area is an area of land that can support
a bush fire or is likely to be subject to a bush fire attack
(NSW Rural Fire Service 2013). Designated bushfireprone areas are declared by local governments and
certified by state fire services. Land maps have been
prepared to identify these areas within council zones.
After the Royal Commission to the Black Saturday
bushfires, several recommendations about house design
were offered down. Specifically, it was recommended that
houses be designed and built in such a way that embers
have less chance of settling on or inside a house – and
subsequently setting it on fire.
Check with your local council to find out whether your
property is in a designated bushfire-prone area.
BUILDING IN
BUSHFIRE-PRONE
AREAS: WHAT THE
CHANGES MEAN
FOR YOU
All new homes built in bushfireprone areas must comply with the
Australian Standard AS3959-2009
and AS3959-2009/Amdt2011
Construction of buildings in bushfire
prone areas. This Standard is
primarily concerned with improving
the ability of buildings in designated
bushfire-prone areas to better
withstand attack from bushfire,
giving a measure of protection to
the people inside as well as to the
building itself.
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BUSHFIRE
ATTACK
LEVEL (BAL)
Justin Leonard, CSIRO, 2011
Even if you live in a leafy suburb, you should consider
taking steps to mitigate the risk of ember attack to
protect your home from spread of fire.
RADIANT
HEAT EXPOSURE
(AS3959)
DESCRIPTION OF PREDICTED
BUSHFIRE ATTACK
AND LEVELS OF EXPOSURE
BAL – LOW
Insignificant
The risk is very low, radiant heat on the building is
insignificant to warrant specific construction requirements,
however, ember attack may still occur
BAL – 12.5
0 to 12.5 kW/m2
Primarily risk of ember attack; risk of radiant heat is
considered low
BAL – 19
12.5 to 19 kW/m2
Risk is considered moderate with increasing levels of
ember attack and burning debris ignited by wind borne
embers; increasing likelihood of exposure to radiant heat
BAL – 29
19 to 29 kW/m2
Risk is considered to be high. Increasing levels of ember
attack and burning debris ignited by wind borne embers;
increasing likelihood of exposure to radiant heat
BAL – 40
29 to 40 kW/m2
Risk is considered to be very high. Increasing levels of
ember attack and burning debris ignited by wind borne
embers; increasing likelihood of exposure to radiant heat
and some direct exposure to flames possible
BAL – FZ
40 kW/m2 plus
(Flame Contact)
Risk is considered to be extreme. Direct exposure to
flames from fire front is likely in addition to high levels of
radiant heat exposure and ember attack
AS3959-2009 uses Bushfire Attack Levels (BALs) to determine construction requirements for each site
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EMBER ATTACK PROTECTION + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide +
After the 2009 Victorian bushfires, AS3959 was updated to
the current version – AS3959-2009. The standard contains six
bushfire risk categories and prescribes minimum construction
requirements based on the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) of a site.
There are six BALs which describe different risk categories, from
BAL-LOW (insignificant risk) to BAL-FL (Flame Zone – highest risk).
The Standard exists to provide property owners with clear
direction on how to increase the protection of their homes as
part of good site preparation and risk management. Anyone
considering building, renovating or retrofitting their homes need
to be aware of the changes relating to ember guard compliance
and what level of protection their site needs according to their
specific BAL rating.
AS3959-2009 was amended in 2011 when the Victorian Bushfire
Commission decided that homes built in bushfire prone areas
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needed to increase their ability to resist an ember attack.
The amendment requires that any gaps around the house
greater than 3mm need to be sealed by a mesh or perforated
sheet with a maximum aperture of 2mm so that embers have
less chance of settling on or inside a house and subsequently
setting it on fire. The amendment also prescribes suitable
construction materials for ember guards based on the specific
Bushfire Attack Levels. For homes situated in designated
bushfire-prone areas, a 2mm mesh gutter guard (steel, bronze or
aluminium for BAL 12.5 - BAL 29 and steel or bronze for BAL-40
and BAL-FZ) is able to be installed as an ember-guard solution.
Other ember guard options include mineral wool and other noncombustible material that can fill the 3mm gap.
See page 7 for an extract of the Standard for more details.
EMBER GUARD VS. GUTTER GUARD: KEY DIFFERENCES EXPLAINED
With the new standards requiring all new homes and buildings
constructed in bushfire-prone areas to be guarded by using an
ember guard, many gutter guard manufacturers are claiming
their products can be used as both an ember guard and a gutter
guard.
An ember guard is a cover inserted in or over an opening or
cavity to prevent the entry of burning embers. An ember guard
is not specifically designed to act as a gutter guard, but some
gutter guards – e.g. Blue Mountain Mesh 2mm Superfine Mesh,
is not only a high quality steel gutter guard, but also meets the
requirements to act as an ember guard for your gutters stopping
access of embers to the roof cavity. Blue Mountain Mesh 2mm
Superfine Mesh can be used in other ember guard applications
around the home (e.g. sealing between roof components, at the
wall line or in roof valleys and ridges) as it conveniently comes
as a roll or sheet of mesh, which can be made into the other
applications as required.
While there are many benefits of using a gutter guard as
an ember guard; it’s important to understand that ember
guards and gutter guards are two different things and are not
interchangeable terms. Their reference is in regard to different
applications and should not be confused in determining
compliance with the Australian Standards and Building Code of
Australia.
++ A Gutter Guard is designed to minimize the access of debris
and leaf litter to the gutters of your home. In a bushfire-prone
area zone, it is not mandatory, but if you are installing one it
must :
• except for being non-combustible there is no other
requirement of a gutter guard product
++ An Ember Guard is designed to limit access of embers into
areas of risk, like the roof cavity. It must :
• be non-combustible
• have a maximum aperture (or gap) of 2mm.
• be made of corrosion-resistant steel, bronze or aluminium
in BAL 12.5 – BAL 29
• be made of corrosion-resistant steel or bronze in BAL 40 &
BAL FZ
What is an ember guard?
An ember guard is a cover inserted in or over an opening or
cavity to prevent the entry of burning embers.
While there are many benefits of
using a gutter guard as an ember
guard; it’s important to understand
that ember guards and gutter guards
are two different things and are not
interchangeable terms.
• be non-combustible
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EMBER ATTACK PROTECTION + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide +
HOW BLUE MOUNTAIN MESH COMPLIES
WITH THE NEW STANDARDS
Blue Mountain 2mm Superfine All Steel Mesh has been specifically designed to meet
the new Australian Standards requirements for the ember guard protection of sheet
roofs for all Bushfire Attack Levels (BAL-12.5 clause 5.6.3; BAL-19 clause 6.6.3; BAL-29
clause 7.6.3; BAL-40 clause 8.6.3; BAL-FZ clause 9.6.3-2011).
The 2mm aperture is the prescribed opening to restrict burning debris from entering
gaps and igniting buildings. The products have also undergone rigorous, independent
testing by the CSIRO to certify that the materials used meet the definition of noncombustible prescribed in the Building Code of Australia, achieving Spread-of-Flame
Index of ‘0’. (CSIRO 2009).
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Blue Mountain Superfine
Mesh is a mesh with a
maximum aperture of
2mm, made of corrosionresistant steel, specifically
designed to meet the new
Australian Standards for
ember guard protection for
all Bushfire Attack Levels.
RELEVANT EXTRACTS FROM AUSTRALIAN STANDARD
AS3959-2009/AMDT 2011 CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS IN
BUSHFIRE-PRONE AREAS
RELATING TO BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29 RESPECTIVELY
Clause 5.6.3, 6.6.3 and 7.6.3
Sheet roofs shall –
b) have any gaps greater than 3mm (such as under corrugations or ribs of sheet roofing and between roof components) sealed at the fasia
or wall line and at valleys, hips and ridges by –
I. a mesh or perforated sheet with a maximum aperture of 2mm, made of corrosion-resistant steel, bronze or aluminium; or
II. mineral wool; or
III. other non-combustible material; or
IV.a combination of any of items I, II or III above
Clause 5.6.1, 6.6.1 and 7.6.1
These clauses also state the following should apply to all types of roofs and roofing systems:
A) roof tiles, roof sheets and roof covering accessories shall be non-combustible
B) roof ventilation openings, such as gable and roof vents, shall be fitted with ember guards made of non-combustible material or a mesh
perforated sheet with a maximum aperture of 2mm, made of corrosion-resistant steel, bronze or aluminium
RELATING TO BAL-40, BAL-FZ
Clause 8.6.3 and 9.6.3
Sheet roofs shall –
b) have any gaps greater than 3mm (such as corrugations or ribs of sheet roofing and between roof components) sealed at the fascia or
wall line and at valleys, hips and ridges by –
I. a mesh or perforated sheet with a maximum aperture of 2mm, made of corrosion-resistant steel or bronze; or
II. mineral wool; or
III. other non-combustible material; or
IV.a combination of any of items I, II or III above
Clause 8.6.1 and 9.6.1
These clauses also state the following should apply to all types of roofs and roofing systems :
C) roof tiles, roof sheets and roof covering accessories shall be non-combustible
D) roof ventilation openings, such as gable and roof vents, shall be fitted with ember guards made of non-combustible material or a mesh
perforated sheet with a maximum aperture of 2mm, made of corrosion-resistant steel or bronze.
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EMBER ATTACK PROTECTION + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide +
THE RISK OF USING NON-COMPLYING
GUTTER GUARDS
The key feature of any leaf guard installed in bushfire prone areas is that it must
be NON-COMBUSTIBLE. Some plastic gutter guard companies claim their
product is fire resistant, that is, made with plastic that has been treated with
flame retardant additives that will extinguish a burning ember. However, plastic
is not fire proof like steel. It’s likely that there will be still be a hole in the gutter
guard where the ember has landed, making the gutter vulnerable to further
ember attack. Any holes in the gutter guard will also affect how well it can keep
leaves and other debris out of the gutter, reducing its effectiveness overall.
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Non-Complying
Gutter Guards
The key feature of any leaf guard installed
in bushfire prone areas is that it must be
NON-COMBUSTIBLE. Some plastic gutter
guard companies claim their product is fire
resistant; but plastic is not fire proof like
steel. If you are not sure, consult a trained
professional.
Plastic gutter guard goes up in flames
Perth resident Alan Mayor thought he’d done the right thing
by installing gutter guards at his North Beach home, until the
plastic gutter guard system he’d installed almost cost him his
home.
“Our house isn’t surrounded by bushland, but there is a nature
reserve down the road. On this particular day, a fire had started
in the reserve and a howling easterly wind was carrying embers
hundreds of metres away,” recalled Alan.
The embers caused spot fires along his street, including one in
Alan’s gutters. Here, they found plenty of fuel where the large
holes in the plastic gutter guard he was using had failed to stop
leaves from building up in the gutters.
“Luckily my wife woke me up. I ran outside and saw the gutters
on the main house were on fire. The plastic gutter guard had
actually ignited and the whole thing could’ve gone up had I not
caught it in time.”
Alan later discovered that his ‘protected’ gutters were full of
leaves, just sitting there waiting to burn. He has since replaced
the plastic guard with a steel gutter guard and has been very
pleased with its performance.
“Sure you can buy a roll of plastic gutter guard very cheaply
but it will not protect your home. If the same thing happened
to us again, the steel gutter guard would prevent the embers
from getting into the gutter, and there would be no leaves in
there anyway, as they just blow off the roof. It’s well worth the
investment,” he said.
BENEFITS OF USING A GUTTER
GUARD AS AN EMBER GUARD
There are other benefits to installing a compliant gutter guard as an
ember guard (e.g. such as Blue Mountain Mesh). As well as preventing
embers from entering the roof cavity and gutters, gutter guards keep
gutters clear of leaves and debris, they also reduce gutter cleaning
and maintenance and prevent native animals and pests entering the
roof space (see BMM Information Guide – Pest Control).
Furthermore, gutter guards also help prevent blocked gutters that can
also cause flooding and damage to the home in the opposite climate
events – severe rain and storms (see BMM Information Guide – Storm
Damage Protection). In cases where rain water collection systems
are installed, the gutter protection also improves rain water quality by
preventing leaves and debris from breaking down in the gutter.
Property owners can get all the benefits of gutter protection and
ember guard protection by ensuring that the gutter guard they
select meets the ember guard requirements. This means it must
be made from non-combustible material (steel, aluminium or
bronze for moderate to high risk BAL sites and steel or bronze for
the highest BAL zones) with an aperture of 2mm or less. Check
the material has been independently tested and the installer has a
certificate to prove it.
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EMBER ATTACK PROTECTION + A Blue Mountain Mesh Information Guide +
IN SUMMARY
The reality of living in the most fire prone country on earth means that Australians are
growing to understand the risks involved of living in bushfire-prone areas. New Australian
Standards have been designed to increase the ability of our homes to withstand attack
from bushfires, but it’s up to us to understand and comply with the requirements, to
make informed decisions and take action to make our homes safe. It’s important to
remember:
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WHY CHOOSE
BLUE MOUNTAIN
MESH?
++ Ember attack is in fact the main cause of house fire during a bushfire. Having no gaps
for embers to enter the home and gutters that are clear of leaves and debris are
important precautions to safeguard your home against the spread of fire.
++ The amended AS3959-2009/2011 requires that homes built in bushfire prone areas
need to seal any gaps around the house greater than 3mm so that embers have less
chance of settling on or inside a house and subsequently setting it on fire
++ While there are many benefits of using a gutter guard as an ember guard; it’s
important to understand that ember guards and gutter guards are two different
things.
++ If in doubt, choose a gutter guard like Blue Mountain 2mm Superfine All Steel Mesh
which meets all the requirements of an ember guard and offers the best protection
for your greatest assets: your home and the safety of your family.
HOW CAN THE RH INITIATIVE HELP?
The RH Initiative is an Australian company driven to help every person and every
community make the most of their environmental assets.
We design, manufacture and wholesale high quality and sustainable water, environmental
and trade products for Australian and international markets. We work with governments,
retailers, distributors and consumers all over the world to find smarter, more innovative
solutions to challenges created by our environment, and in doing so, create more
sustainable futures.
Our Blue Mountain Mesh advanced gutter protection system to offer homeowners
protection from a range of environmental hazards, including flooding during storms and
ember attack during bushfire.
ABOUT BLUE MOUNTAIN MESH
Born out of fire. The inspiration behind Blue Mountain Mesh’s all-steel gutter mesh
came from the most tragic circumstances: watching a man trying in vain to save his
family home from a savage bushfire, fuelled by an abundance of leaves and debris in the
home’s gutters.
Blue Mountain Mesh products prevent leaves and debris from entering gutters and
downpipes. The all steel, fire resistant gutter mesh minimises gutter maintenance and
improves the quality of rain water collected for tanks. The patented hot dipped zinc
coated and oven baked manufacturing process offers superior corrosion and heat
resistance, providing superior protection for homes over the longer term.
++ Blue Mountain All Steel Gutter
Mesh® is hot dipped galvanised,
zinc coated steel which provides a
corrosion resistant layer.
++ Our zinc coated corrosion resistant
steel mesh is strong and durable
and will stand the test of time
++ Our entire range is bushfire
compliant and conforms to
the Australian Standard for the
Construction of buildings in
bushfire-prone areas (AS39592009) and the updated Australian
Standard for the ember guard
protection of sheet roofs (AS39592009/Amdt 2011).
++ Our unique steel profile ensures
our steel mesh lies perfectly flat
and means the finished product
looks like a seamless addition to
your roof.
++ Our mesh fits all gutter profiles and
can be adapted for all roof types,
custom made and available in a
choice of over 30 colours.
++ We offer a 12 year warranty based
on minimum performance that we
expect from our product. Results
from independent tests offer a far
longer projected life span with 12
years being the most conservative
estimate.
We look forward to opportunities to help more Australians reduce risk and protect
themselves and their greatest assets. For more information on our all steel, custom-made
gutter protection products visit www.bluemountainmesh.com.au or call 1800 612 908.
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REFERENCES
Bureau of Meteorology (n.d)Australia’s bushfire seasons, accessed 1 August 2013,
<http://www.bom.gov.au/social/2013/04/australias-bushfire-seasons/>.
Burns, A 2013, ‘Historic Victorian homestead Carngham Station’ destroyed in grassfire inferno near Ballarat, 9 January, accessed
1 August 2013, <http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/historic-victorian-homestead-carngham-station-destroyed-ingrassfire-inferno-near-ballarat/story-fndo3ewo-1226550097862>.
Bushnell, S and Cottrell, A, 2007, ‘Increasing community resilience to bushfire — implications from a north Queensland community
case study’, Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol.22 no.2 May 2007, accessed 1 August 2013,
<http://www.em.gov.au/Documents/Vol%2022%20No%202.pdf>.
CFA, Vic Government and the Building Commission Victoria, (2010) A guide to retrofit your home for better protection from a
bushfire, accessed 1 August 2013,
<http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/fm_files/attachments/plan_and_prepare/bushfire_home_retrofit.pdf>.
Country Fire Authority (CFA) Victoria, How fire behaves, accessed 1 August 2013,
<http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/how-fire-behaves/>.
Leonard, J and Bowditch, P, 2003, ‘Findings of Studies of Houses Damaged by Bushfire in Australia’, presented at the 3rd International
Conference Wildland Fire 3-6 October 2003, Sydney, Australia, accessed 1 August 2013,
<http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/summit-2003/3-IWFC/Papers/3-IWFC-036-Leonard.pdf>.
McAneney, J (n.d.), Australian Bushfires – Quantifying and pricing the risk to residential properties, Risk Frontiers, Macquarie University,
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