Protecting a house against widfires

[Munroast]

Looking at what happened in Stourbridge - how do you protect your home if you do have an area of scrub trees and bushes just over the fence.. How does it get across the garden and light the house?

does stuff land on the roof get into the gutters then the roof goes, is it window frames / doors ?

 

[algas]

My neighbour and myself have strimmed / cut back the almost abandoned field behind us for the last 5 years, just finished this year when a tractor rolls up and tops what was left, he was more than happy as we had done the difficult bits, but better safe than sorry.

 

[martygturner]

Depends on the wind, proximity to fire and what the source of ignition was in the house. Thermal transfer through windows lets fire in even if the house is brick and buttoned up. Infra red radiation passes almost straight through, curtains, blinds, wallpaper, anything with resin in it all have quite low ignition points, heat up give off fumes, fumes ignite and game over.

Open eves become chimneys, fire on one side rushes hot air up the wall, hot air sticks close to vertical walls, up into the loft. Think of the stuff in your loft, its the trench effect. see : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trench_effect

And you can see it in action at stourbridge : https://news.sky.com/video/doorbell-footage-captures-rapid-spread-of-stourbridge-fire-13573237

 

[Brigadier]

I was in Stourbridge as it was happening.

First I noticed was that the light took on a strange hue, very similar to that of the eclipse the evening before.

Looking north, the hills towards Perton had a thick pall obscuring them.
Then the smell of burning, and a few flecks of ash fell.

 

[noseall]

And to think that before man made climate change, farmers used to burn the stubble.

 

[pete01]

And to think that before man made climate change, farmers used to burn the stubble.

Yes well before disposable barbecues

 

[Munroast]

Depends on the wind, proximity to fire and what the source of ignition was in the house. Thermal transfer through windows lets fire in even if the house is brick and buttoned up. Infra red radiation passes almost straight through, curtains, blinds, wallpaper, anything with resin in it all have quite low ignition points, heat up give off fumes, fumes ignite and game over.

Open eves become chimneys, fire on one side rushes hot air up the wall, hot air sticks close to vertical walls, up into the loft. Think of the stuff in your loft, its the trench effect. see : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trench_effect

And you can see it in action at stourbridge : https://news.sky.com/video/doorbell-footage-captures-rapid-spread-of-stourbridge-fire-13573237

interesting to watch that video - the lawn was on fire !! can't quite imagine that

not convinced about radiant heat causing spontaneous combustion through a closed window, lots of things on the patio not even singed, even the wooden posts untouched

I would love to know what part of the house caught fire first - would sprinklers on the roof have kept it back

 

[JP_]

I don't think you can guarantee protection.
A friend's house burnt down recently relatively modern (about 2000 i think) so your think fire retardant materials used. The place was incinerated by an electrical for starting in the lounge.

I'm thinking of getting a for box for most important documents and sentimental items.

 

[aveatry]

I don't think you can guarantee protection.
A friend's house burnt down recently relatively modern (about 2000 i think) so your think fire retardant materials used. The place was incinerated by an electrical for starting in the lounge.

I'm thinking of getting a for box for most important documents and sentimental items.

I have a fire safe. Its portable and holds just over A4 size paperwork.

 

[pete01]

Might build a moat tomorrow

 

[Brigadier]

Might build a moat tomorrow

What you gonna fill it with, seeing as the country is drier than a pharoah's sock?

Think on

 

[pete01]

What you gonna fill it with, seeing as the country is drier than a pharoah's sock?

Think on

True, I wont bother then.