These plans include such measures as removing flammable liquids, clearing a fire break, removing trees and shrubs that are likely to burn freely, establishing an adequate water supply and planting a screen of slow burning evergreens on the properties perimeter.

This sort of plan is usually suggested to those in the community considered to be able to handle the physical and mental rigors of fighting a wild fire. Of course this option is not possible for everyone and those who think that they might not be up to the task are encouraged to develop an evacuation plan which they should implement as soon as they are aware of an imminent threat. This is called the stay or go policy and on the surface it would appear to be a simple matter of common sense as a well defended home offers the safest place to avoid the life threatening danger of radiant heat which causes the majority of bushfire casualties and leaving before the fire front arrives obviously speaks for it’s self.

The stay or go policy has been in effect in Victoria for the last few decades and until recently had served us relatively well but last summer we experienced a wild fire of unprecedented ferocity which claimed many lives and destroyed many millions of dollars worth of property. While this fire was unique in coming at the end of ten years of drought, on a forty two degree Celsius day and fanned by winds of over one hundred kilometers an hour it is feared that global warming will create conditions similar to that fateful day on a much more regular basis. This has led to the review of our bush fire policies and many people are calling for new measures to be put in place.

One of the most frequently asked for measures is the establishment of both community and private fire shelters. Like the cyclone cellars that many Americans living on the Great Plains have in their homes, a lot of Australians who live in homes bordering the bush are now looking at building fire bunkers to protect their loved ones. There are both pros and cons to building fire shelters and any body thinking of doing so would be wise to do plenty of research before going ahead.

At the moment there is no established building standard for bush fire shelters in this country which means those that are commercially available can vary widely in price, quality and sophistication. Years ago a shelter might have been nothing more than a hole in the ground, lined with logs and then buried under some dirt but there were many instances where these make shift bunkers were sadly inadequate. In comparison the most expensive shelters today are manufactured using reinforced concrete with fire rated steel doors and fitted with independent power sources, air filtering systems and comprehensive first aid kits which are then buried after being tested to determine their weight carrying capacity in case a fire truck accidentally parks on top of it. These sorts of shelters do not come cheaply but for some people cannot put a price on their family’s safety.

Below this standard of shelter the consumers choices start to widen and as mentioned before, with no established building standard care must be taken as to the level of safety provided by each type. For example there are a number of proprietors currently offering shipping containers and water tanks featuring various modifications that might satisfy some buyers. The important things to remember if you are considering one of these sorts of shelters is the level of threat you might reasonably expect to face and can it comfortably provide shelter for every one who will need it. A shipping container for instance could provide enough protection from radiant heat if located out in a paddock but it is questionable whether it could protect people from the prolonged period of convection heat they might experience in a dense forest environment.

While the debate over the effectiveness of fire shelters continues there is no doubt that those of us living in high fire danger areas will keep a close watch and many of us will go ahead and install some form of shelter. My advice in that case is to aim for the highest quality shelter that you can afford and do plenty of research before hand. Good luck and keep safe.