Re-Building in Extreme Fire Zones
Concepts and Recommendations

Bruce Mackenzie May 2009

I prepared this report in order to make a submission to the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.  As a landscape architect I might be expected to have some knowledge and opinion in regard to management of landscape conditions associated with bushfire threat.  This is correct to some extent buts it falls far short of providing a solution.  It is the case though, that my past experience includes exposure to fires, living close to the threat of fires and a hands-on knowledge of building and manufacturing procedures.  Being also a somewhat irrepressible designer with a practical turn, who has thought much about the circumstances of bushfires in our Australian environment, I could not avoid becoming involved in this most vexing question.  

Mostly though, the vision of the extreme terror that was generated for the communities involved, motivated me to try to lend some assistance to the process of determining new ways.  In addition I responded very negatively to the popular notion that these fires were unprecedented.  Such an assumption can lead to inadequate response and then repetition of the same tragedies that have been occurring throughout Australian settlement history from its beginnings, whether Indigenous or European. 

Further, I felt strongly that the risk to the innocent inhabitants, as distinct from those who own property and those who administer its use, was such that future managers must adopt a policy that requires a sense of certainty about safety rather than that of mere improvements to past practice.  This latter case represents the prior history of enquiries and subsequent actions.  It is not good enough.  I consider that the re-building can be made safe with adequate invention and determination, but without such commitment, re-building in extreme fire zones should not occur.

It would be valuable to have the benefit of other opinions in regard to both building and landscape issues. My endeavour is one of lending assistance in design terms and perhaps one of stirring up very responsible action to follow.  If you have ideas that are relevant please submit them to AILA.  My position own is obviously only tentative and well short of a definitive solution.

>> to view the submission - click here - then click each page to progress

>> or to download a pdf version (2.4MB)

>> return to AILA's LA-Papers

The views of authors of papers placed on this web site are not necessarily endorsed by the AILA or reflective of the views of the AILA.