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8.4.
House and Outbuilding Layout
Up one level
Through careful planning, fire protection can be built into the farm design to protect property. At the outset decide the area to be protected. Within this area include the house and sheds and possibly the stockyards. Most fire protection and fuel reduction should take place to the north and west of this area.
Store highly flammable liquids (such as petrol) and other combustible substances at least 50 m to the east or south and separated from each other. Petrol and diesel storages should be surrounded by an earth mound or located underground.
Piles of burning firewood and timber near the house can be destructive enough to crack large concrete water tanks. Clear old timber or any other flammable material from under or against buildings and store it some distance away.
In planning the layout of the protected zone consider the following:
- Ensure that there is sufficient area between the buildings and the nearest road or
boundary to enable an adequate firebreak, shelterbelt and radiation shield to be
established - this will require up to 200 m of space.
- Locate machinery sheds, workshops and other outbuildings to the east or south of
the house. Open-sided buildings should open east or south.
- Within the protected zone ensure that no wind tunnels or
turbulent air streams are set up which could allow the rapid spread of
fire. This is most likely to occur when buildings are clustered with
unsheltered narrow gaps between them, or when breaks are made in
shelterbelts for gateways.
- The north and west boundaries of the zone to be protected
(usually the garden fence) should provide a radiation shield to prevent
low-level heat and sparks from penetrating. This can be the dense
shelterbelt or hedge described earlier, or a stone
wall or solid metal or paling fence.
- Locate dams, tennis courts, orchards, vegetable gardens or
other green crops beyond the zone on the north and west sides to form
part of the firebreak system.
- Access to and around the house and outbuildings should be
planned to enable movement to the south or east if required. Access to
water supplies should also be provided for fire-fighting vehicles. A
wide gravel driveway to the north or west of the house will assist in
protection of the house.
- Driveways should, where possible, allow a traffic circuit to
operate, and in any case must have an area where a fire fighting truck
can be turned around safely. A fire truck should be able to get very
close to your bulk supply of water.
- Adequate water supply and distribution is very important. As
mains power may be
interrupted in times of fire, ensure that a gravity-fed or other
suitable supply is
available. This should have a large outlet (63mm - 2l/2 inch) to
rapidly fill tankers. Household tanks should have two outlets - an
upper one for domestic use and a
lower one for the fire-fighting reserve. About 5,000 litres should be
available for
this purpose, although an accessible dam or pool could hold a portion
of the reserve.
- Water distribution should include reticulation to taps around
the outside of the house and sheds and possibly to a sprinkler system
covering the garden, and roofs and walls of buildings. The latter is
only of benefit if someone is minding the house, however, and in areas
of reticulated water supply might contribute to an overall loss of
water pressure.
- Power lines should be located away from large trees, haystacks and sheds. North- south running lines are safer than east-west ones as they are less subject to sway in north winds. The total length of line should be kept to a minimum.
