How To Bushfire Proof Your Commercial Building

In winter, bushfire season can seem like it’s a long way away but now is the time to make preparations for summer. A bit of prevention during winter can help safeguard your building when the temperatures rise and the risk of fires increases.

Bushfires can strike even in suburban areas. If you live in a bushfire prone area, or you just want to stay on the safe side, there are a few things you can do during winter that will help safeguard your property for summer:

• Clear out your building’s gutters: Now is the time to tackle all that debris from autumn that’s hanging around in your building’s gutters. Clear out any leaves, branches or other bits and pieces that may have fallen in and could potentially catch fire at a later stage.
• Seal up any gaps into your building: You can protect the interior of your building by sealing up any gaps where embers could get in. This can often happen through air vents and air conditioning units, or even just gaps around windows and doors. A wire mesh cover and the installation of metal fly screens over doors and windows can go a long way to stopping a fire outside getting inside.
• Clear debris and vegetation from around your building: If you have any vegetation or rubbish around your property, now is the time to clear it away. The general recommendation is to create a circle of at least 20 metres around your property so that burning vegetation doesn’t send sparks on to your property and set it alight.
• Make sure any flammable materials are stored away from the exterior of your building: If you have chemicals or gas cylinders, don’t store them up against the side of your building or facility. Make sure they are stored separately, a good distance away. Generally, there are legal requirements in place for the storage of potentially flammable materials – make sure you are aware of this and stick to them at all times.

While it might seem a long way away, bushfire season will come around closer than you think. A bit of preparation now can potentially save your building in the event of a serious bushfire. If you aren’t sure how to bushfire proof your property, an experienced property maintenance company will be able to advise you.

https://www.enhanceservices.com.au/how-to-bushfire-proof-your-commercial-building/