EVOLVING DRAFT - 28/5/2009 edition.
Fire Bunkers
A resource document covering:
• Whether or not to have a Fire Bunker;
• Design and Location considerations; &
• Other things to consider.
This a single Word document, not a series of Web pages because:
 the decisions you make are important and may be expensive
 you really need to read it all, even if you choose to ignore / discard some of it
You need to be in Print Layout view to see all graphics in this document. Go View, Print Layout
This an evolving document. If you are reading a paper or saved copy and the date on the top
right of this page is not current, get the latest copy from:
http://home.iprimus.com.au/ianpullar/firebunkers.htm
FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS WELCOMED.
Please send to:
ianpullar@gmail.com
PLEASE PASS THIS ARTICLE ON. If you know individuals or groups who may be interested in
this article, or could contribute to its improvement, please email this link to them.
http://home.iprimus.com.au/ianpullar/firebunkers.htm
IMPORTANT - The author does not claim to be an expert – simply a person who has done
research and thought about some ideas which are yet to be tested, and which may or may not work.
You need to get your own information and make your own decisions.
BEFORE YOU PRINT IT - please note there are lots of pages.
For an overview of the Black Saturday bushfires, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Saturday_bushfires
This project has no association with any commercial venture.
Cheers – Ian Pullar
ianpullar@gmail.com
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 1 of 59
DOCUMENT CONTROL / CHANGES
7/3/2009
17-27/3/2009
29/3/2009
30/3/2009
7/4/2009
8 & 9/4/2009
14/4/2009
2/5/2009
14/5/2009
22/5/2009
23/5/2009
28/5/2009
(Thanks for your contributions)
First release
Numerous updates throughout. Suggest you consider re-reading it now.
Addition of – things to do when you need to use your bunker – your “fire bunker plan”.
Addition of – Other products and useful equipment links and new supplier/service provider
New supplier of flat pack fire bunkers;
Addition of – 10/2005 Vic Office of Emergency Services Position Paper on [public] fire
refuges Good reading. Interestingly, some of the experiences of Black Saturday make
some of the info seem obsolete. Also interesting that some info is SO hard to find, which is
why I wrote this paper!
Signage info updated.
New link re soil as a barrier added.
Addition of – Alliance for Fire and Smoke Containment (PFPA) info / links and in doors
section of this paper. LOTS of info via this site.
Addition of – Wildfire Protection Services bunker, and an absolutely EXCELLENT article from
The Age on getting over bushfires. Click here for full article.
Addition of – further supplier Bushbunker - solid purpose built unit with accessories built in
Addition of – Why Black Saturday fires were so hot, 80% of damage is with south west
change & CFA Woollen Fire Blankets source
Addition of – Bunker Building Stories (Please send me more!) Thanks to Diederik
Addition of – Survival in a Fire Bunker – transcript from Royal Commission
Update to Oxygen / Air Supply Tanks & Compressors
Increasing strengthening for block bunkers and bunker roofs (various places in document).
INDEX - CLICK ON RELEVANT LINE TO GO STRAIGHT TO PAGE
PURPOSE OF WRITING THIS ............................................................................................................................ 4
WHY A FIRE BUNKER? ....................................................................................................................................... 4
RECENT LESSONS ............................................................................................................................................. 5
BUNKER SURVIVAL STORIES ........................................................................................................................... 5
YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BUILDING A FIRE BUNKER - WHAT TO DO NOW?.............................................. 6
READING MATERIALS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ............................................................................................ 7
DANGERS ............................................................................................................................................................ 8
WHY THE DISCLAIMER? .................................................................................................................................... 8
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS .............................................................................................................................. 9
DUAL USE vs MAIN PURPOSE and ................................................................................................................... 9
LOCKED vs UNLOCKED ..................................................................................................................................... 9
WHEN WILL IT BE USED? ................................................................................................................................ 10
HOW LONG AFTER THE FIRE WILL IT NEED TO BE USED FOR? ............................................................... 11
BUILD IT UNDER THE HOUSE? ....................................................................................................................... 11
SIZE .................................................................................................................................................................... 11
ENTRANCES / DOORS ..................................................................................................................................... 12
FIRE DOORS, DOOR JAMBS (IE SURROUNDS) and DOOR SEALS ............................................................. 13
THE IMPORTANCE OF DOOR MAINTENANCE .............................................................................................. 14
DOOR LATCHES ............................................................................................................................................... 14
AN ALTERNATIVE TO DOORS IN JAMBS/SURROUNDS ............................................................................... 14
MORE THAN ONE ENTRANCE ........................................................................................................................ 15
PROTECTION FROM ENTRANCE/S AGAINST FALLING TREES, BRANCHES ETC. ................................... 15
WINDOWS.......................................................................................................................................................... 15
VENTILATION .................................................................................................................................................... 15
FAN FORCED VENTILATION UNITS ................................................................................................................ 16
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PETS ........................................................................................................... 18
DESIGN FOR LATER EXPANSION? ................................................................................................................. 18
LOCATION – WHERE SHOULD YOUR BUNKER BE BUILT? ......................................................................... 19
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS.............................................................................................. 20
ABOVE GROUND, IN-GROUND, TOP DOOR OR SIDE DOOR/S? ................................................................. 21
HOW FIRE-PROOF DO I HAVE TO MAKE IT? ................................................................................................. 22
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 2 of 59
WHAT ABOUT A BURIED STEEL CONTAINER? ............................................................................................. 24
THE USE OF SOIL AS A BARRIER ................................................................................................................... 24
DRAINAGE ......................................................................................................................................................... 24
POTENTIAL FOR GROUND SLIPPAGE / COLLAPSE and EROSION ............................................................ 25
MOULD AND MICROBES .................................................................................................................................. 25
SPIDERS AND BUGS ........................................................................................................................................ 25
SOIL TYPES ....................................................................................................................................................... 26
POWER AND LIGHTING.................................................................................................................................... 26
FLOORING AND FLOOR COVERINGS ............................................................................................................ 27
DÉCOR ............................................................................................................................................................... 27
BUNKERS AND CHILDREN .............................................................................................................................. 27
BENCHES, SHELVES AND HOOKS ................................................................................................................. 28
COMMUNICATIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 28
SIGNAGE ........................................................................................................................................................... 29
MAKING YOUR FIRE BUNKER BLEND IN / LOOK GOOD. ............................................................................. 29
OXYGEN / AIR SUPPLY TANKS & COMPRESSORS ...................................................................................... 29
COUNCIL PERMITS – AND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF IGNORING THEM ..................................................... 31
ONE DIY FIRE BUNKER BUILDER’S EXPERIENCE WITH COUNCIL ............................................................ 32
LIABILITY AND INSURANCE ISSUES .............................................................................................................. 32
BUILDERS .......................................................................................................................................................... 32
WARRANTIES .................................................................................................................................................... 33
THE IMPORTANCE OF ADEQUATE INSURANCE ON YOUR HOUSE & OTHER ASSETS .......................... 33
COSTS and TIME ............................................................................................................................................... 33
MAINTENANCE .................................................................................................................................................. 33
THINGS YOU MAY WISH TO PUT IN YOUR BUNKER TO BE FULLY PREPARED....................................... 34
THINGS YOU SHOULD LEAVE OUT OF YOUR BUNKER .............................................................................. 36
THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT DO IN YOUR BUNKER ...................................................................................... 36
PREPARATION FOR BUNKER USE – YOUR FIRE BUNKER PLAN .............................................................. 36
WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU HEAD INTO YOUR BUNKER ............................................................................ 36
WHAT TO DO AS YOU HEAD INTO YOUR BUNKER ...................................................................................... 37
AFTER THE FIRE HAS PASSED ...................................................................................................................... 38
CLOTHING ......................................................................................................................................................... 38
IF YOU THINK THE RULES NEED TO BE CHANGED, OR MORE RESEARCH IS REQUIRED– DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT .................................................................................................................................... 39
BUNKER BUILDING STORIES .......................................................................................................................... 40
LINKS.................................................................................................................................................................. 40
New building codes ............................................................................................................................................. 41
NEWS ARTICLES .............................................................................................................................................. 42
BUSHFIRE TALK ................................................................................................................................................ 42
COMMERCIAL BUNKERS AVAILABLE FOR SALE ......................................................................................... 42
OTHER PRODUCTS & USEFUL EQUIPMENT LINKS ..................................................................................... 45
SAMPLE DESIGN, WITH 2 DOORS AND PROTECTED ENTRANCES .......................................................... 47
ROOFING - POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION METHOD. ...................................................................................... 48
ROOFING – CONSTRUCTION METHOD IF TWO WALLS .............................................................................. 49
DIAGRAM OF SAME STRUCTURE WITH LOCKABLE STORAGE AREA FOR WINE OR OTHER ITEMS. .. 50
EXAMPLE OF MODIFIED CONCRETE TANK. ................................................................................................. 51
BEST POSITION ON THE SITE (also see next page) .................................................................................... 52
BEST POSITION ON THE SITE (continued). .................................................................................................... 53
LOW VOLTAGE VENTILATION SYSTEM ......................................................................................................... 54
SIGNS ................................................................................................................................................................. 55
THE HIDDEN IMPACTS OF BUSHFIRES ......................................................................................................... 56
EQUIPMENT AND OTHER HELPFUL STUFF .................................................................................................. 56
THAT’S IT. .......................................................................................................................................................... 57
AGE ARTICLE .................................................................................................................................................... 59
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 3 of 59
FIRE BUNKERS
PURPOSE OF WRITING THIS
I started doing some research on fire bunkers for a relative who lives in the country and it soon
become apparent that there was a lack of information published on the subject which was collected
in one place. So, I started collecting all the information I could find – and hoped that others would
contribute their collective experience, knowledge and wisdom. That process has not yet been
completed and that’s why this is an evolving draft.
I am aware there are folk screaming out for fire bunkers, but it is really important that they get it
right. I am also aware that there is most likely to be work on this subject initiated by the authorities
in the coming months, and so this document must only be considered “food for thought”.
The Victorian Government has initiated a Royal Commission to look into the fires, and presumably
fire bunkers will be one of the things being looked at. However the full report of this Commission is
not expected until just before next bushfire season. The new building regulations for HOUSES are
now released, but do not cover fire bunkers. It is not known how long after the Royal Commission
report that any new building standards for FIRE BUNKERS might be available.
The purpose of this early material is therefore to give you that initial food for thought regarding:
 whether or not have a fire bunker;
 design and location considerations; and
 other stuff to consider.
The intention is that this article will be updated as suggested improvements are received. However
it is also intended that it retain its aim to be food for thought for your basic bunker, not something
which is complex and would fall into the category of a major project.
WHY A FIRE BUNKER?
So that IF you / your family / friends have been unable to evacuate safely and are caught in a
bushfire or firestorm it can:

protect you from
o radiant heat;
o
super-heated air;
o
loss of oxygen;
o
falling embers, branches, trees etc.

provide a place to assemble people and their requirements before the fire;

reduce your reliance on luck;

provide storage of a small volume of provisions/tools; and

provide a safe haven for immediately after the fire.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 4 of 59
IMPORTANT – a fire-bunker is not a replacement for sensible risk-management, including
appropriate evacuation well before the fire arrives.
RECENT LESSONS
The recent (2/09) fires in Victoria have highlighted a number of things.
Some folk were prepared for bushfires, but almost none were prepared for fire-storms, which are
generally much hotter and move faster.
In bushfires, there was a generally accepted concept that if you fought to save your house, and
then retreated to within your house if and when required by the heat, you could continue your fire
fighting efforts inside – and if you were not successful you could escape outside because by then
the main heat of the fire would have passed. This worked much of the time but as fatalities still
occurred, it obviously didn’t work all of the time.
Listening to the Royal Commission http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/ (live on the Web,
http://vbrc.net.au/live1/#) I heard Dr Kevin Tolhurst explain that normally the fuel load and kindling
had to be "pre-dried" first by the flames before the fire could ignite it. The energy required by the fire
doing this, quelled it down to the types of fires of the past. But on days of temperatures in the 40s
before Black Saturday, the fuel was pre-dried meaning there was no moisture to quell any of the
energy – so it was up to furnace temperatures and caused instant ignition and rapid spread of the
fire front and fast spotting from embers. The combination of the wind PLUS this pre-drying caused
unprecedented conditions.
You can read the transcript at: http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/getdoc/24df7697-6308-47a7-bb5633f8c3738cb1/09-21MAY09. Start at page 986, which is page 30 of the PDF file.
Surviving bushfires was a mixture of:
 preparation; and

having not too much bad luck.
However in the fire-storms of Black Saturday the heat was so intense that houses exploded into
flames before it was safe to go outside.
Many folk had almost no warning whatsoever of the fires, or allowed too little time to leave the area
and had nowhere to go.
Surviving the fire-storms of Black Saturday was a mixture of:
 (for some folk) preparation; and

(for many folk) an absolutely remarkable amount of good luck.
A very small number had protection from the heat, in purpose-built shelters or shelters which had
features similar to a purpose-built fire bunker. There are many lessons to be learned from this.
BUNKER SURVIVAL STORIES
The Bushfires Royal Commission transcripts contain a blow by blow description of a family’s
experience leading up to the bushfire and their retreat to their bunker. See:
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 5 of 59
http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/getdoc/4f4e8d4f-f7034db2-a846-d069ea24b73d/12-27MAY09. It begins on page
1491, which is page 104 0f the PDF file.
Brief report from The Age is contained at
http://www.theage.com.au/national/family-survived-blacksaturday-in-bunker-20090527-bnnh.html
This bunker, built beside a water tank, saved 3 lives. The story below is from The Age newspaper.
When Ms Berry was seven months' pregnant, she started to nag her husband to build a fire bunker behind the
water tank, worried the sprinklers would not do enough to protect their timber home on Bald Spur Road in a fire.
"I said 'stop nagging, I'll build the bloody thing,' " says her husband, Andrew Berry, the owner of M Cafe.
The bunker, dug into an earth embankment with 15-centimetre concrete walls and a $1000 fireproof door, saved
the life of the couple and their son Raphael, 14 months old.
"It was like a firestorm, it was like a raging inferno. It's a cliché, but that is what it was like," Ms Berry says.
When the flames engulfed their home, they wrapped themselves in wet towels and sprinted to the bunker.
Miraculously, Ms Berry's bare feet were not burned.
"We couldn't shut the door of the bunker, it was that buckled and warped," Mr Berry says. The embers were
coming through the gap, it was like the fire was coming to get us."
If there is a lesson to be learned, Mr Berry believes it is the importance of being prepared and taking responsibility
for the safety of your family.
"We had the biggest slap-in-the-face warning when the fire came through here three to four years ago," he says.
"We did something about it and walked out of the street alive."
http://www.theage.com.au/national/house-alight-boy-told-to-run-for-his-life-20090208-810w.html?page=2
YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BUILDING A FIRE BUNKER - WHAT TO DO NOW?
There are various scenarios for people wishing to build a fire bunker.

Some folk will start too soon, and possibly without council approval, and find they could have
done it better or easier, or they’ll have a non-complying bunker which is possibly unsafe
and/or may have to be removed.

Some will start at the right time and get just what they want.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 6 of 59

Some will leave it too late and not be able to get their bunker installed before next bushfire
season.

Some will wait until more testing type work has been done and may then build an excellent
bunker in accordance with the new specifications. This may or may not be completed before
next bushfire season.
I can’t tell you what to do, there are all your own decisions.
If you do choose to install a fire bunker, your choices will be:

to have one built to your specifications; or

to install a commercially made prefabricated model. There are links to some suppliers in this
document.
However – whilst risks can be reduced with preparation and a well designed and constructed
bunker, never underestimate the advantages of simply being away from the area well before
the fire arrives.
This consistent message is also in many of the websites of the commercial suppliers – that a bunker
is a place of last resort and not to be treated as an alternative to evacuating the area early and
safely.
A FIRE BUNKER DOES NOT PROVIDE A GUARANTEE OF SAFETY.
A safe family is far more important
than putting lives at risk
attempting to save a building or other asset.
READING MATERIALS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
At time of writing, there appeared to be very little information collected in ONE PLACE covering all
things that need to be taken onto account.
The following extracts from the CSIRO’s website show the current state of research (or lack of it in
relation to fire bunkers using modern materials) and also provides some good food for thought.
“What research has CSIRO done on fire bunkers?
CSIRO is not currently conducting research into bushfire bunkers or shelters. Previous
research by the Department of Defence indicated that underground bunkers may not be safe
in bushfires due to the accumulation of toxic gases coming from a bushfire itself. … The
use, design and efficacy of current era bunkers has not been investigated by CSIRO. (My
emphasis added.)
As with any form of bushfire refuge, bushfire bunkers must be assessed in an overall context
taking into consideration issues such as:

expected bushfire behaviour

design and construction criteria

preparation and maintenance
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 7 of 59

intended and probable use of the bunker

establishing a safe path to the bunker.
As well as the technical issues, there are a range of other considerations including:

decision making processes and education around when to retreat to the bunker

when to close off a bunker

how long to remain in the bunker

how to determine when it is safe to exit the bunker.”
Link to the relevant page is: http://www.csiro.au/resources/Victorian-Bushfires-QA.html
South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) have a position paper on Bushfire Shelters and
Bunkers. In short, they note an absence of Australian Standards an are not currently encouraging
these structures. See the last item (item 29) on web page
http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/about_us/publications/fact_sheets_bushfire_prevention.jsp
DANGERS
BUNKERS BRING SOME PROBLEMS OF THEIR OWN. The CSIRO has noted problems in the
past with smoke and toxic gasses, and also notes “other considerations”, including education in how
they should be used.
In short – there are dangers to the community at large if they are about, and there are other dangers
if they are not.
Having a room without light or ventilation could be dangerous on all days of the year for children or
others who might lock themselves in.
A fire bunker which has building faults, initially or down the track, could be a potential death-trap in a
fire, and simply evacuating early could prevent a tragedy.
The safest place to be when a fire is about is well away from it. Hence the many recommendations
about that you evacuate – and early. Immediately post the Black Saturday fires, many people
heeded such warnings. Having a fire bunker might make some folk ignore the fire danger all
together.
Against all that, folk do not always have that luxury of evacuating, because of late notification,
an error of judgement, escape routes cut off, lack of transport, or just bad luck. So the
appropriateness of fire bunkers may need to be considered for when you are unable to remove
yourself from the area.
WHY THE DISCLAIMER?
The disclaimer is because you need to get your own information and make your own
decisions. The author does not claim to be an expert – simply a person who is doing research, has
thought about some ideas which are yet to be tested, and which may or may not work.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 8 of 59
Essentially, to rely on such a structure is to put your life and the lives of others at risk. This includes
the lives of fire fighters who put themselves in danger to make you safe.
The disclaimer (repeated at the bottom of each page) is so you recognise that your choices and
actions are your responsibility, not the author/s’. (Ie don’t sue me.)
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
DUAL USE vs MAIN PURPOSE and
LOCKED vs UNLOCKED
Compromising the structure’s
main purpose will usually
compromise its ability to do its job.
To avoid loss of effectiveness for providing safe haven in a fire, the focus needs to remain on the
requirements for it achieving this main purpose.
It is possible to come up with numerous “dual uses” for your fire bunker, and at first thought this
might appear a way of justifying the cost and space. However:
 its secondary use will usually compromise its primary use as a fire bunker; and

the requirements of a fire bunker will usually compromise its secondary use.
For example, the requirements for a fire bunker to
 have special entry requirements;

be totally and quickly sealable;

be clear of junk to trip over and hazardous materials;

be appropriately located clear of other structures and trees;

be insulated from immense heat; and

always be unlocked / accessible
compromise its ability for many other uses.
Further, to build a bunker big enough to accommodate many dual uses is most likely to cost far
more than to build two separate structures – eg. (a) an effective bunker with the features mentioned
above and (b) a simpler purpose-built shed for your proposed secondary purpose (complete with
wide doors, ventilation, power, lighting, windows etc).
For the reasons above, this article focuses on a simple bunker.
If you do decide to go down the dual use path, consider carefully how you will achieve all your
objectives.
Regarding locks, the importance of accessibility cannot be over-stated. All those stories in the Bgrade disaster movies actually do happen. I was reading a report from someone who was
protecting his house from the inside, went out the back for a moment and locked himself out. He
then had to run the gauntlet of the flames to get in the front door.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 9 of 59
Consider that a misplaced or dropped key could cost you and your family your lives, and also
remember it may be a young family member who suddenly needs access in your absence.
If you intend it having a dual use as a wine cellar, which may work well, for reasons of safety ensure
that:
 your wine bottles are stored in such away that they will not fall, break and be a safety hazard;

if you need them to be locked up, simply have them locked in a cage in the structure, but
make sure there is still room for the main purpose;

do NOT lock the door/s of the bunker itself.

don’t allow your growing collection to compromise the safety of your haven.
In the design phase, consider how much room you require for your wine cellar, and how you might
lock it up with cage doors if you require this.
For storing other valuables (eg duplicate copies of identity documents, bank account and details of
your house and car insurances, internet provider account, mobile phone etc and possibly extra
copies of important photos) consider a securely attached locked box or safe, with all documents
double wrapped in plastic, or simply having copies securely stored at another family member’s
house.
KISS = Keep It Strictly Simple
WHEN WILL IT BE USED?
It is envisaged that your fire bunker will be used:
 as a place to take children and others who might require protection early (if you have not
evacuated well before the fire has arrived). Note that children must NOT be left alone in
these circumstances;

similarly for pets;

as a place to retreat to for safety when you wish to retreat from the fire;
Where fire may possibly be expected in the night, you may want to all bunker down in it overnight.
So you may choose to add some basic comforts such as benches, folding chairs and mats to sleep
on.
To ensure there is sufficient air, it is VITAL that the doors and vents are left open until they need to
be closed to protect you all from the fire.
It might also be required as a place to give you shelter well after the main fire has passed, as your
house and transport may not be usable after the fire, and others about may be too busy or not
available to transport you from the area. Accordingly, you may wish to consider the things you might
take into the bunker (there is a list of suggestions later).
This will also get you thinking on the extra space you will need to accommodate all of this.
If you lose your home to the fire, it is not envisaged that your bunker be your “first home”
immediately after the fire, as it is anticipated you would get yourself an alternative temporary
structure (eg a caravan or a temporary building) which is not restricted by the design elements
essential for a safe bunker.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 10 of 59
HOW LONG AFTER THE FIRE WILL IT NEED TO BE USED FOR?
There is a lot of material suggesting the main fire front will be gone in 10 to 15 minutes. However
there are many stories from survivors who said it was not safe to come out for 40 minutes to two
hours, and some who said the danger did not fully pass for several hours. However that does not
mean the door would have to stay closed for that long, PROVIDED the entrances are protected from
the radiant heat
It really depends on the day, the nature of the fire, the local geography and the combustible
materials around you.
With children, it may not be safe at all in the fire area, even well after the fire has passed, and they
should be kept in the (now opened) bunker until they can be safely evacuated.
There may be dangers from falling tree branches or other debris, or rain may make there area
extremely uncomfortable if not dangerous.
There have been many instances of pets being let loose early and having their paws burned by the
hot ground or hot coals.
BUILD IT UNDER THE HOUSE?
Generally, this is regarded as unsafe unless (a) it is really very well designed and constructed and
(b) you have a lot of luck on your side in the event of a fire.

The structure itself will require extra heat-proofing to protect it from the house above which
may collapse on it and may burn for some time.

Entry / exit to the fire bunker may be severely compromised if there is a structural
failure/collapse of the main dwelling and also from the heat of the burning building.

You will need to have it all approved as part of your house-building permit.
SIZE
You can buy basic units, but you may want something with a bit more space and functionality.
It needs to be big enough to:
 hold all the people who might need to use it;

have enough air-space so you don’t run out of oxygen;

keep the gear (if any) that you intend to keep in it;

keep all the “last minute” gear (if any) you may wish to take in; and

accommodate any dual use purpose (including potential expansion of same).
You may also want it to be big enough to:
 bunker down overnight if there is a high fire risk, particularly of children are involved, ditto
pets;

take in some basic “re-starting” stuff in there for when the fire has passed and you might not
have a house or car; and
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author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 11 of 59

have some basic fire fighting equipment in with you, as buildings which are not burned in the
main fire often burn later because of smouldering embers being blown about. With
equipment outside possibly being damaged or destroyed in the fire, you may need access to
hoses, hose fittings, buckets, mops and rakes to protect your buildings post-fire.
However be aware that all the stuff you might like to take in may take up valuable air space, so
make sure it is big and roomy enough to accommodate you needs and still allow plenty of free cubic
metres for you to move about freely. (At this stage I am not aware how much air space is required
per person for a (say) a 60 minute stay without additional ventilation.)
Constraints upon you making a large bunker may include:
 cost;

available space on site, and site layout;

aesthetics;
Minimum height will be dictated by the height of your fireproof doors PLUS their surrounds.
The standard door height is usually 2040mm (6 foot 8 inches).
Eleven 200mm blocks high will make it 2200mm (ie 2.2 metres or 7 foot, 2½ inches)
ENTRANCES / DOORS
To ensure;
 safety of occupants when door is opened

the door cannot be warped or damaged by heat

minimisation of smoke and flame entry
the doors must NOT be directly exposed to outside.
This means an offset door via a perpendicular “corridor” into your bunker.
The entry should also be well clear of potential sources of radiant heat and other hazards.

Doorways must be designed so a warping of the door or door surround (as may occur if a
nearby falling tree upsets the structure) will not cause the door to be jammed shut or be
unable to be closed.

Latches must be able to ensure sealing of the door, but must be simple so as to not break or
jam

Doors MUST be inward opening, so there is nothing to stop them being opened when
required.
The exception to this inward opening door arrangement is that if you have TWO doors, you might
choose to have one opening inward and the other outward. The reasoning being that if the doors
jamb because they have expanded in the winter and you have not maintained them, at least you can
push hard against the door opening outwards.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 12 of 59

Ensure both doors have VERY SOLID and VERY WELL ATTACHED HANDLES for pulling
them closed/open, IN ADDITION TO the standard latch handle. The last thing you would
want is for your handle to fall off, so you’ll possibly require fixing to go right through the door.
FIRE DOORS, DOOR JAMBS (IE SURROUNDS) and DOOR SEALS
Fire doors are readily available commercially. These provide a “fire rating” of 2 to 4 hours however
be aware that this may be affected by:

the intensity of the fire – the Black Saturday fires were hot enough to melt aluminium engine
blocks; and

the placement of the doors – whether or not placed directly exposed to the fire (hence the
suggestion that the entry “corridor” protect the door from direct exposure).
For info about fire ratings, see
http://www.pfpa.com.au/docs/Fire%20ratings/rakic_understanding_fire_ratings.pdf
Retailers of these doors can also provide door jambs/surrounds and seals that mount in them.
Expect to pay around $1500 for each door / surround / seal set. They can also provide suitable door
latches.
This is an illustration of a neoprene seal built into a door frame, from
http://www.pyropanel.com.au/build.htm.
Presumably these are similar to the seals on your new oven door. However
the Black Saturday fires were MUCH hotter in the open than an oven so it’s
really important that your doors and frames are protected from continuous
radiant heat by “corridors”.
Door jambs (ie metal door surrounds) will come in THREE sides (ie top, and two sides) or FOUR
sides (ie top, bottom, and left and right).
Because of the lip, the FOUR sided door frame is a slight trip hazard, but the extra sealing at the
bottom means it is less of a SMOKE HAZARD. Also, this might stop easy hosing out of your bunker,
but this might possibly be overcome by the manner in which you arrange your drainage
mechanisms.
Remember that door jambs will need to be ordered left-hand or right-hand, and will need to be
installed with the bricks. See http://www.pyropanel.com.au/pdf/BUILD02%20Building%20in%20masonry%20walls%20tech%20sheet, or if that link does not work, click on
the Download Build-02 Building in Masonry walls tech sheet (pdf) line on
http://www.pyropanel.com.au/build.htm.
Check to see whether you will need to do anything special in the laying of your slab if you are
using metal doorframes, particularly the four sided doorframes.
For some detailed info on fire doors and fire door hardware, see
http://www.pfpa.com.au/docs/doors/TG%20005%20%20Fire%20Doors%20and%20Fire%20Door%20Hardware_v1b.pdf
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 13 of 59
THE IMPORTANCE OF DOOR MAINTENANCE
One bunker owner discovered on entering on Black Saturday that he had not maintained his door,
and it had expanded over the winter because of the moisture and would not close within the frame.
He and his family survived, but a bit or maintenance would have reduced some of the trauma.
If your door expands take it off, plane down the sides as required. You may have to plane down the
side with the hinges, as the latch/handle does not lend itself to being moved. Seal the planed edge
with quality paint (water-based) and reinstall the door.
DOOR LATCHES
Door latches MUST be able to be opened from BOTH the inside and outside, so it is NOT possible
to lock anyone IN or OUT – including when the bunker is not intended to be in use.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES put a “padbolt” or other similar sliding bolt or latch on a fire door
that can only be opened on one side.
Be aware that your fire door may not have seals at its base. Whether or not it does, you will need to
make sure you have in your bunker towels, and water to wet them with, to seal the base of the door
if required.
Fire Door suppliers can supply latches/handles which have already been approved for such
purposes, but you are again reminded that these will remain more reliable if not exposed to radiant
heat.
NEVER put your unexposed skin on a handle that may have been heated from the other side.
Store a jemmy bar in your bunker for the unlikely event of the door/s jamming.
AN ALTERNATIVE TO DOORS IN JAMBS/SURROUNDS
Doors in your house normally fit neatly within a door frame. This makes a good enough seal in a
normal domestic setting. As shown in the illustrations a couple of sections above, fire door frames
can include neoprene seals to improve this sealing.
An alternative to having the door IN the frame is to have the door AGAINST the frame, like a fridge
door pushes up against the fridge.
Door AGAINST frame
Door IN frame
Walls &
Door surrounds
Walls &
Door surrounds
DOOR IN DOOR FRAME (Like a normal house door)
Advantages
Disadvantages
 Easy to get – buy set up from
 If structure moves, door can get caught in door
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 14 of 59


manufacturer
Can include commercially available seals
Latching devices commercially available

frame.
If door not maintained and swells or warps, could
get stuck in frame or might not close.
DOOR AGAINST DOOR FRAME (Like a fridge door)
Advantages
Disadvantages
 Can maintain seal even if door-frame
 Special seals and seal attaching may be required
moves or door expands slightly
 Special latching and hinging required
 Accuracy of latch and hinge alignment is critical to
ensure sealing
MORE THAN ONE ENTRANCE
Having only one entrance makes the structure “single point sensitive”, ie if one thing bad happens
there might be no way to get on or out.
Having two entrances also allows some airflow for ventilation when it is not in use (if doors are left
open), which will reduce accumulation of damp and mould.
PROTECTION FROM ENTRANCE/S AGAINST FALLING TREES, BRANCHES ETC.
This may be particularly important if you only have one entrance. You can arrange heavy steel
protection bars or similar to reduce this risk. However be aware that a falling tree may weigh many
tonnes, so dual entrances are recommended.
WINDOWS
Windows do not fit well with fire bunkers because:

unless built to very high standards, they do not have the same fire-proof ratings as bricks;
and

clear glass does not stop radiant heat.
VENTILATION
There are differing schools of thought regarding vents. One website states “Vents will simply allow
air to escape rapidly when the fire front is upon you, and then the shelter will “breathe in” drawing
smoke and heat into the shelter. Poorly placed synthetic filters can melt at this point and poison the
occupants with toxic fumes. US research suggests air self sufficiency through the period of danger is
a safer strategy.” (See suppliers links section for source.)
The other school of thought is that there is a year round danger of suffocation, ie without there even
being a fire about. To reduce that risk, openable vents are a must.
Vents:
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 15 of 59

need to be fireproof, and not compromise the structure of the integrity of the door or wall in
which they are mounted;

must not transmit heat into the bunker, as might occur if the vent was made with a single
layer of steel;

must normally be left in the open position;

need to be out of reach of young children;

must be able to be closed and sealed tight from INSIDE the bunker. This will require them to
have a screwing or latching mechanism which ensures the seal remains effective and that
they cannot be blown open by wind or air pressure; and

be facing into the safety of the inner corridor and NOT be facing the outside where they may
be exposed to radiant heat.
It is also recommended that vents be bird-proof and bug proof. You may wish to keep the vents
normally open and will not want birds entering and fouling your shelter, or to die in there, which
would be both a shame for the birds, and a potentially severe health risk for humans. Simple wire
bird netting on the outside can achieve this.
Similarly, you do not want bugs to crawl in, particularly if they intend to raise a family in there. You
really don’t want to be heading in and discover a bee or wasp nest in there. Aluminium flywire
should do the trick.
If your vent is a pipe, use the bird and bug netting at BOTH ends of it.
When do you close the vents?
You are probably best to close the vents (as these could be fiddly) before you need to retreat to
your bunker, but leave the doors open until it is obvious you need to close them. Vents must be
closed and sealed when the fire arrives.
When do you open the vents/door?
After the main fire front has passed (reports suggest this may be greater than 10 to 20 minutes), it
might be appropriate to have a look outside.
Depending on the design and placement, you might wish to open the vents as a “peep-hole” before
you attempt to open the door. However be aware that the vents may be HOT, and you would need
to protect your hands and keep your face clear of them in case of flame. External fire that has
consumed most of its oxygen will quickly find a new source via the peep hole – it could turn your
peep hole into a flame thrower, so stand to the side and check before placing you face to the peep
hole.
FAN FORCED VENTILATION UNITS
One way of keeping the place dry is to have van ventilation. This can be done with 240 volt power or
12 volt power. As this document focuses on the basic bunker, it will only address the 12 volt
options.
I first envisaged a combined unit comprising solar power to charge a gell-cell battery which would
both run the fan. provide decent lighting for a dual use purpose, emergency lighting and be a
charging unit for your mobile phone.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 16 of 59
It soon became apparent this would require regulator circuits to avoid overcharging, low voltage cutoff functionality and over-ride facility so you would not get stranded etc etc. All this meant cost,
complexity and, worst of all, the bringing down of the whole unit if just one component failed.
This then dictated the fan unit be isolated from anything else, which actually allowed the battery to
be taken out of the equation, leaving two simple components: - a solar panel and a 12 volt computer
fan.
The beauty of this arrangement is its simplicity. Each day, the fan re-starts and gives a continuous
stream of fresh air. These fans are designed to run continuously for years and are relatively cheap,
or free if you simply take them out of discarded computers.
Mount it on a rack or in a box and place it on a shelf which is immediately below your bunker vent
hole.
Unit in NORMAL position
covering vent hole
Unit in FIRE-READY position
Unit moved, Vent cover gets closed, or stuff hole
with wet rag and put a brick with a wet towel
around it hard against hole to seal it.
Also seal outside end of hole in wall.
To have the fan blow instead of suck, simply reverse fan in unit, OR, simply reverse the unit and put
the blowing face of the unit against the vent hole.
If you are into basic electronics (or know someone who is), you can easily measure the current draw
of one of these fans, and simply get a solar cell to power it. Have the solar cell powerful enough to
drive the fan even if it is in shade, so as to maximise your fan run time in the winter when the sun
is lower. The ratings on solar cells are for when they are in sun or bright overcast skies.
If you links to suggested solar cell/s, it can be put into this article and shared with interested readers.
I measured the current of this computer fan at 0.12 amps (ie 120 milliamps) on 13 volts, that’s about
1.5 watts. It is important your solar cell can turn the fan even if it is in shade, as it is likely to be for
much of the day if there are trees about.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 17 of 59
It even ran as low as 5 volts, drawing 0.04 amps (ie 40 milliamps), that’s 5 x 0.04 = 0.2 watts. At
that speed it pushed about a cubic foot every 10 seconds, that’s about 6 minutes per cubic metre.
At 11 volts / 0.1 amps / 1.1 watts the airflow was about tripled.
Have the higher vent sending the air OUT and the lower vent having the air come IN.
You can get an idea if how well it clears the air by having a smoker briefly light up a cigarette in your
bunker, then have him/her leave, then see how long it takes for the fan to clear the bunker of the
smell of cigarette smoke.
IMPORTANT – vent must NOT open directly to where it might be directly exposed to radiant heat.
This means it should only go to the roofed outside corridor OR down a metal pipe which can be
covered over by a paving stone and/or soil.
The other exit / entry point for air is the resealable drain hole or a second sealable vent.
See also diagrams at the end of this document.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PETS
Pets will need to be stopped from escaping; and be able to be separated from people. Pets may be
unpredictable and may bite or scratch viciously in such stressful circumstances. Also, you do not
want them under your feet causing trips and falls. Because of this, cages are preferred.
You will also need food and water for them along with food and water dishes, and a can-opener if
required.
Allow room for all this in your bunker design, and also possibly tethering points and (short) leads.
A rug that you can dampen to put over their cage if required will help protect them from smoke and
super-heated air.
See also previous note regarding the need to keep them locked up or tethered for a considerable
period after the fire has gone because of the significant danger of them burning their paws on hot
ground or hot coals. So make sure you really do have plenty of water and food, as it may be a while
before you can replenish stocks.
DESIGN FOR LATER EXPANSION?
Trying to build in opportunities for later expansion has problems – mainly of maintaining structural
integrity – and why would you not want to build it to best standards from the outset? For reasons
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 18 of 59
stated earlier, if you intend a dual use, a purpose built separate structure may be more cost-effective
for that second use, which may built now or at some later time.
LOCATION – WHERE SHOULD YOUR BUNKER BE BUILT?
Having considered all of the above, now you can figure out where to put it.
See also diagrams at the end of this document
Considerations include:

Not be near:
o
your house – which, if it catches fire may burn for a long period and make entry/exit to
your fire bunker dangerous;
o
trees – which when burning may give off huge amounts of radiant heat, and might
possibly fall onto the bunker or block the entrance;
garages – which often hold flammable materials;
o
o
your neighbour’s property boundary – because you have no control over what they
put there.

Not require you to go past hazardous areas to get to it.

Drainage and flooding considerations.

Pipe and cable locations.

Future use of the area – eg if later you intend to add a workshop, pool or some other
structure or feature on your property, don’t place your fire bunker in the way if it.

Having the fire bunker easily accessible.

Making use of any slope of your land – to enable partial or complete covering of it by soil,
and preferably where a fire will simply go over it. Remember also that fires go much faster
UP hills than down hills.

Aesthetics – you probably live where you live because of its beauty. With some effort, you
can maintain that.
The highest probability of bad fires is on days of northerly winds, so you would easily conclude it
was better to have your bunker to the south of your residence, so it would be less likely you’ll have
to go towards the flames to get to your bunker.
However Dr Kevin Tolhurst, giving evidence to the Royal Commission, said that 80% of the damage
is done when the south-west change comes through. This is partly because by then the fire front is
wide.
So possibly slope it the most important factor to consider – because a fire will go more quickly UP a
slope than down it. But of course you need to be able to go UP that slope quickly.
This might be one of those issues where luck plays a part – so you should take into account all other
factors first. Install it close enough to get to in a few seconds, but not so close that it could be
heavily affected by a burning house.
See also diagrams at the end of this document
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 19 of 59
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS
Early fire bunkers, or “dugouts”, were made of logs, with a roof of more logs or tin, and covered with
soil. The soil gave the required insulation and fire-proofing. The entry tunnel was usually curved to
give protection from radiant heat, and the “door” was well inside and consisted of blankets or
hessian bags strung up and, in the event of fire, being wetted down.
With the foresters’ heavy cutting and earthmoving equipment, they were quick and cheap to build.
However their inability to be sealed meant there was a risk of smoke and of oxygen deprivation.
Modern methods of construction include:

Brick or Besser / Boral Block (Fire proof bricks and blocks are readily available).

Some double bricking to ensure the protection of the inner layer and maximisation of the
aesthetics of the outer layer.

Pre-cast concrete tanks – modified – but be aware of our need to protect the doorway and
door from direct heat. (See Links section for commercial suppliers.)

Adapting pre-cast pipes or box culverts.

Pre-cast concrete panels. (see http://www.pci.org/view_file.cfm?file=MK-33-03.PDF)
It is imperative that your chosen material

is not affected by direct heat, or is protected from direct heat; and

remains sealed in extreme conditions.
Reports from Black Saturday noted that even cast concrete was not immune from the effects of heat
if it was not protected from the flames and the extreme radiant heat.
Roofing may be concrete. This may be built by:
 a slab of concrete poured straight onto Clip Lock roof panel, but requiring some support
during the pouring until fully set.

making up wooden formwork and then the concrete poured onto reinforcement.
NOTE – roof concrete will require reinforcement, which is really easy to purchase and to include in
the concrete pour, to protect it from collapse caused by vehicles, falling trees, degradation or simply
the weight of the soil on top of it.
Some bunker suppliers advise their bunkers’ roofs are strong enough to hold a fire truck.
Bearing in mind that past or new trees may affect the foundations, the structure MUST be built on a
strong reinforced slab that won’t distort and potentially upset the sealing of the walls and roof.
The importance of the structure being sound cannot be overemphasised. The last thing you would
want is for it to become an oven, to allow smoke to get in or the oxygen to be depleted, or for the
thing to collapse at your time of need. Do not underestimate the pressure that can be excreted by
the surrounding soil, particularly when it gets wet. Block buildings will require very sound
engineering techniques and reinforcing to maintain their strength.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 20 of 59
ABOVE GROUND, IN-GROUND, TOP DOOR OR SIDE DOOR/S?
ABOVE GROUND:
Advantages
 may be easier to build on flat
ground
 no land-slip or drainage issues
 easy access from side door
 no excavation required
 easy drainage
Disadvantages
 exposed, no natural protection from radiant heat or
flames
 no cooling from earth – will heat up in hot weather
 aesthetics – might always look like a bunker … or a
public toilet
 not optimal for dual use as wine cellar
Special design requirements
 double bricking to provide additional insulation
 may require extra work for roof to be insulated (eg scoria rock and /or soil on top, layer of
hollow blocks on side etc.
 work on aesthetics (special blocks, creepers, features/sculptures/plant holders on wall)
INTO SIDE OF SLOPE:
Advantages
Disadvantages
 soil provides insulation and keeps
 requires excavation
structure cool
 possible drainage issues
 minimal exposure to radiant heat
 some engineering possibly required
 flames can go over it
 hidden from view
 still has easy entry
Special design requirements
 drainage
 possibly waterproofing
 embankments, wall and slab to be appropriately engineered to withstand weight of soil,
particularly when it’s wet
 method required to ensure bunker does not “float up” if soil is waterlogged.
IN GROUND:
Advantages
 no walls exposed
 stays cool
 aesthetics – does not clutter up your
block
 not expensive if simply a small tank
dropped into hole
Disadvantages
 requires excavation
 potential for flooding into bunker – difficult to
pump out
 ventilation challenges
 if it is a small tank, it may be claustrophobic
 if in heavily treed area, ongoing fire may heat
roof
 danger of children falling in.
Special design requirements
 may require tank to be installed in very slight angle, so any water will pool at one edge,
making removal easier
 must be appropriately engineered to withstand weight of soil, particularly when it’s wet
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 21 of 59


if in heavily treed area, may require some soil and/or scoria on roof
method required to ensure bunker does not “float up” if soil is waterlogged.
Special maintenance requirements
 regular checking for water and removal of any
 regular venting
TOP DOOR (FOR IN-GROUND)
Advantages
 simple arrangement
 no extra walls required
Disadvantages
 not a simple method of access
 does not lend itself for convenient dual usage
of bunker
 venting problems
 small children may fall in
 may bring on claustrophobia
 outward swinging door may be stopped form
opening by something falling on it
Special design requirements
 steel “roll-cage” type frame around doorway to protect if from any falling tree or debris and
keep vehicles off it. (See also Signs section of this paper and diagrams at the end.)
 Alternatively, concrete or block “risers” to protect the entry
 special attention to location and drainage to ensure no water-flow or soil erosion into door
 facilities for pumping out any accumulating water
 ventilation arrangements
SIDE DOOR: (FOR IN GROUND)
Advantages
 easier access than top
 easier to pump water out of unit
 more opportunities to build in vents
Special design requirements
 drainage
 facilities for pumping out any water
Disadvantages
 if you need to down into entry pit, potential for
flooding in pit, or even the bunker
 potential for water damage to doors

Consideration of SIZE of door for ease of
access and if dual use contemplated.
HOW FIRE-PROOF DO I HAVE TO MAKE IT?
That’s not an easy question to answer. The more combustible material about, the hotter the area
will become and the longer the main fire, and the remaining fire, will hang around. Other factors will
be the direction that the fire approaches, how sheltered your bunker is from the fire and how much
radiant heat it will be exposed to.
There are a range of things you can do, with each one making the structure more likely to achieve
its objectives of keeping you and your family safe, and possibly even comfortable.

An exposed metal bunker will heat up extremely quickly (so that’s clearly out).
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 22 of 59

An exposed bunker made of a single thickness wall with hollow blocks will heat slower.

Surround your bunker with soil and it will slow down the heating process, and also protect
the blocks from potential structural breakage from the heat, and send the flame over you (but
you will need to engineer the structure to cope with the pressures of the soil around,
particularly when wet).

Put in some scoria rock on the roof and against the walls before adding the soil and it will
work even better.

If you can’t have soil around it, a second hollow block wall around the inner hollow block wall
(with a bit of space in between) will further insulate it and also protect the inner wall from
potential structural damage from the heat.

If the walls are made of fire rated blocks (these are readily available) then their ability to
stand up to the heat is enhanced.
The new building codes were released Wednesday 11/3/2009. See:
http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/www/html/7-home-page.asp
Quoting from the media release for Friday 6 March 2008:
(http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/resources/documents/buildingstandards_media_release_(2).doc
“The standard was due to be adopted by all States and Territories in May 2010. It will be
effective in Victoria from Wednesday, 11 March.
The new Australian Standard will apply across the whole State, and areas will be defined
under six Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) categories from low to extreme risk.
Every new home built in Victoria will undergo a BAL assessment as part of the application for
a building permit. This will determine the method of construction to be used to better protect
properties from the threat of bushfires. …….
“This year’s devastating bushfires have rewritten the rules, registering temperatures in
excess of 1200 degrees Celsius and wind speeds of more than 120km/h,” Mr Brumby said.
“Prolonged drought and climate change require action on building standards, particularly in
bushfire-prone areas. We must take into account extreme fire activity in building new
homes.”
Based on 2008 building permit activity for new homes, 80 per cent will have the lowest rating
– BAL-LOW – which will not require any additional measures.”
There is a description of how a BAL applies at:
http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/resources/documents/Guide_to_building_in_Victoria_after_b
ushfires_(6_March).pdf
In theory then, in a low BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) area, just as new homes built will not be
required to be as fire-proof, your fire bunker need not be as fire-proof. Against that, houses burn
down all over the place, not just in high BAL areas.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 23 of 59
You may choose to do some calculations on the difference in cost of a BASIC fire bunker vs one
with the HIGHEST PROBABILITY of survival, and consider whether you are prepared to risk your
life, and those of your children, on the money you might save.
I suspect that after you allow for the cost of the base and roof, there is not going to be a huge
difference in single vs double bricking, scoria etc,
Further, the cost of the second entrance (fire door, frame, seals and latch-set) will be made up with
the extra peace of mind and extra habitability a cross breeze will provide, with the added advantage
that your bunker will be dryer and not smelly. This is important for both you and your wine (!!)
Notwithstanding the above, you may decide that your going minimalist will do. You may be right,
you may not. I hope you never need to find out, and if you do then I hope you are right.
WHAT ABOUT A BURIED STEEL CONTAINER?
With the appropriate preparation success can be achieved. A steel container
would require plenty of insulation, for example fully bricked over or fully
covered with soil, with no part of it potentially exposed to outside world.
Protection against corrosion in the long term can also be a problem and
must be addressed. Reinforcement may be required.
They have the same requirements for vents, sealing and drainage, and
inward opening doors (if preferred/possible) which are protected from the
flames by roofed corridor/s.
For story and pictures about this bunker, see http://campaignprojects.wordpress.com/
You will know little of the paint that has been used on them and it is not clear what sort of fumes
they might give off if they were heated. However that should not be a problem if they are well
protected from the heat. Some containers recently converted to housing in the mines were found to
have been fumigated with formaldehyde, which caused health problems for their occupants.
THE USE OF SOIL AS A BARRIER
Using soil against the walls and roof is recognised as an excellent method of providing insulation
from the heat. This protects the building materials and stops them from losing their integrity and
effectiveness, and seals any cracks that might allow flames or smoke entering. The use of scoria
rock against the walls and on the roof can increase the insulation.
(CSIRO paper on Lethal soil temperatures during burning of masticated forest residues:
Site to get paper: http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/26889)
A sloped site may assist you to have the bunker integrated into the surroundings.
DRAINAGE
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 24 of 59
It is important that the site is well drained, for example with the use of slotted pipe around the base,
leading the water away. If there is soil on the roof and against the walls, a waterproof barrier to stop
ground-water and rainwater entering into the bunker may be required.
A well placed drain-hole in the floor will allow any water inside to drain away, and also allows the
structure to be hosed out. However it can also compromise the ability of the structure to keep
smoke out. An un-sealable drain hole in the floor has the same problems as unsealable vents.
A sealable drain-hole is possible, but avoid to avoid complexity that you would not want in an
emergency, you MAY prefer to keep it closed, only opening it when you perform your regular
maintenance, unless there is an ongoing problem of flooding or you are ALSO using it as a vent.
Having it closed will also stop bugs crawling in when your bunker is not in use, but still also spray
down some surface spray periodically.
If it is installed in the floor, you will need to install the outlet pipe, similar to the outlet in shower base,
before laying the slab, have the shape/slopes of the slab direct all water to the drain hole and finally
install the hardware for the resealable lid over the hole. If the outlet is simply installed in the bottom
of a wall, similar concepts apply, however ensure your design does not allow the opening to be
exposed to radiant heat.
The simplest plug may be a wet rag over the drain hole and a paving stone over the rag.
The outlet hole must be clear of walkways and swinging doors and gates so the plug does not get in
the way of them or be tripped over, but still be easily accessible.
POTENTIAL FOR GROUND SLIPPAGE / COLLAPSE and EROSION
Altering the natural course of water can have an impact on the stability of the surrounding soil, with
calamitous consequences if the slope is steep. Water which might previously have run under the
slope might become be “dammed” underground and eventually the unstable dirt may give way,
upsetting your bunker’s foundations, or those of other structures, or causing severe bank collapse or
undermining the roots of large trees.
Water can also run between the soil and the sides of your bunker, constantly eroding the soil.
It is for these reasons that councils require engineering drawings for retaining walls and the like, with
allowances for local water flows and drainage and sudden storms.
MOULD AND MICROBES
These are less likely to occur if the structure is kept dry, which is easier if it has been well designed
and well built and there are two entrances, with doors that can be left ajar when the fire-bunker is
not in use, or (preferably) having sufficient venting. Clever design of the entrances can allow the
directing of the prevailing breeze through into one of the entrances, with a drying cross-breeze going
through the bunker.
SPIDERS AND BUGS
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author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 25 of 59
These can be deterred with surface spray, insect spray and periodic use of an appropriate product
such as a Mortein Flea Bomb. Having aluminium flywire on the vent/s and drain (both ends) will
also help keep them out.
SOIL TYPES
Different soil types may require variations on construction methods. Get advice on what you need to
do to accommodate these.
Soil types include earth or clay, sand, rotten rock, rock, flooding land, shifting sand dune and
contaminated soil
POWER AND LIGHTING
Having 240 volt power connected it not recommended for your basic fire bunker. Remember that in
a fire, there probably won’t be any 240 volt power available.
In non-fire times, having live cables around, particularly in an structure that may become damp, may
be a recipe for electrocution. Any 240 volt electrical work MUST be done appropriately by a
qualified electrician and must meet the demands of underground use. Robust and water-resistant
outdoor type switches will need to be used.
One resident who protected himself in a bunker reported the flames shooting like a blowtorch into
his haven through the conduit for the cables, melting their insulation. Cables will need to be safely
“snaked” into the structure to minimise this possibility.
Lighting alternatives include:

simple reliance on torches, possibly with the addition of;

installing 12 volt power, possibly with a small external solar cell with a regulator to allow
trickle charging and avoid deterioration of the battery through overcharging. However for the
reasons above, ensure cabling is appropriately placed so flames cannot shoot in, and totally
separate the running of the positive and negative wires to ensure any melting of external
cables cannot cause a short circuit. Light can come from simple 12 volt LOW WATTAGE
lights, garden lights or fluorescent lights. Ensure there is a fuse in the circuit and keep a
store of spare fuses, or put a circuit breaker in instead.
Note that you must NOT have unsealed lead acid batteries in your bunker because as these charge
they create hydrogen, which is a very explosive gas. Sealed jell-cells do not have this problem but
your regulator will need to be calibrated for them.
If you are into gadgets and using a 12 volt battery, consider having a “cigarette style” lighter socket
attached, and keep a car-charger for your mobile phone (around $20) in your bunker. However be
aware that an unattended phone charger can flatten a battery.
A really simple and cheap alternative is have a line of garden solar lights leading to the
bunker. These show you where the bunker is at night, or when the sky has been blacked.
They can be easily pulled from the ground and taken into the bunker and can give you
basic safety light for hours. When you know the fires are about, put a couple in there –
and bring in some more later if you have the opportunity.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 26 of 59
Most important are the working torches. Also consider a wind-up torch that doesn’t require any
batteries. They have LED globes and often include a radio. Because they are not robust, I
recommend you have both a wind-up torch AND a battery torch, not simply one of them.
The 12 volt system is probably overkill for a structure that you hope to never have to use in your
lifetime, but if you are also using it for a wine cellar and you are not going to require the lights for
long periods at a time, the 12 volt arrangement with appropriate lights should be fine, and possibly
cheaper than arranging 240 volt cabling etc.
If you are building a super whiz-bang wine cellar, or some other dual use structure then by all means
put in 240 volt power, but get it right and keep it safe,
FLOORING AND FLOOR COVERINGS
Floor covering can complicate things. Carpets and rugs can get damp or combustible, and vinyl
slippery and can be combustible and the damp under it can cause smells, mould and other nasties.
If you must cover the concrete floor, make sure the covering is easily removable, and if it is not
going well then get rid of it.
Make sure your concrete slab does not have a smooth finish as wet smooth concrete can be very
slippery.
DÉCOR
For the sake of the children and for folk who may be susceptible to anxiety that can come with an
approaching fire, a small amount of effort to make the room friendly may make it less fearful.
Simply painting the ceiling white may increase its ability to reflect light, and thus increase the
brightness of the room in torchlight.
Do NOT line it with plasterboard or timber as these may camouflage any subsequent defect, such as
a crack, that you need to be aware of and repair.
Use only water based paints.
BUNKERS AND CHILDREN
There are two schools of thought on bunkers and children
1. If you have kids, you may choose to paint appropriate murals on the walls (but use light
colours) of hills, trees or whatever takes your fancy. Having the kids be part of this process
makes them feel it is theirs and it will be recognised as a place of sanctuary, not a place of
fear.
ALTERNATIVE VIEW
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author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 27 of 59
2. Because of the potential FOR CHILDREN TO BE LOCKED IN AND SUFFOCATE, children
should be taught that it is a place of refuge, not a cubby-house, and you should not try to
make it an attractive and tempting place to play.
Note however that you CANNOT guarantee your children, visitors’ children or uninvited children or
trespassers will not enter, hence the need for:

open vents – above where a small child can reach;

doors that cannot be locked from either the inside or the outside;

simple door latches; and

not leaving dangerous items in the bunker.
With poor design, there may be a greater probability of tragedy in non fire times than
there is in a fire. This is one of the quandaries presented to the authorities, and
anyone considering the installation of a fire bunker.
BENCHES, SHELVES AND HOOKS
Shelves will allow you to put important things that you want to keep off the floor. Make sure you put
them where they will not bump heads, particularly if folk make a hasty entrance.
Hooks will allow you to hang up torches and clothing and keep rags and essential tools from
cluttering up the floor.
You may wish to install benches for seating and so children don’t have to sleep on the floor. At the
end of this article there is a list of things you may wish to bring into the bunker, and these can be
kept in plastic boxes and put under the benches, if the benches are designed appropriately.
For reasons of child safety, make sure the placement of your benches and vents do not allow a
small child to stand on a bench and close over a vent.
COMMUNICATIONS
A radio can give you information about what is happening locally, with ABC local radio being the
emergency broadcaster. However be aware that they may not have all the latest information on
your immediate area.
Ensure your radio WORKS and have spare batteries on hand. Also consider the wind-up torch/radio
referred to earlier, that doesn’t require any batteries.
It is recommended that you see if your radio works within the bunker. It might not, but that is not
essential. If you have a portable scanner or similar, you may wish to bring that in too.
Your mobile phone may or may not work in the bunker. Try it out. Also be aware your mobile phone
might not work during or immediately after a fire as the fire might disable the local communications
infrastructure.
At least one bunker supplier is also selling safety beacons.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 28 of 59
SIGNAGE
You might wish to have signs pointing to your bunker entrance, for the benefit of visitors etc. These
can be fireproof so they also show the whereabouts of the bunker after the fire.
Have reflectors attached to it so it can be easily seen when lit up by
torchlight or vehicle headlights.
To enable folk to find the bunker after the fire, you might want fire-proof
signs, made of flat steel with letters cut out, stencil style, or weld cut-out
or bent-rod letters to a frame securely mounted on steel posts.
Immediately after the fire, hang a bright cloth from it so that rescue
services will easily see it as a “place of life”. BUT NOTE THAT THIS FRAME MAY BE EXTREMELY
HOT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIRE AND IT SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED UNTIL COOL
You might with to keep your flag in your shelter, possibly with some reflectors and a flashing bike
light. And take some of your solar lights out.
The Fire Refuges in Victoria: Policy and Practice: 10/2005 position paper
:http://www.oesc.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/OESC/resources/file/eb04990e498e54
d/Fire_Refuges_in_Victoria.pdf suggested this as a standard sign. No mention is
made of reflective lettering or its ability to survive a fire (stencil style, raised lettering
or steel lettering), but these could be worthwhile.
You may wish to design your sign holder as part of an integrated “roll cage” type arrangement to
provide your entrance / door opening with additional protection from falling debris, and to hold any
solar panel/s. See also diagrams at the end of this document.
MAKING YOUR FIRE BUNKER BLEND IN / LOOK GOOD.
There is a large choice of bricks / construction materials, and you may wish to have soil around and
above it which not only provides insulation and protection, but can be covered with plants such as
succulents.
If you wish to choose “designer” style bricks, these might not need to be fire-proof for the outer wall,
even if you choose fire-rated bricks for the inner wall of your bunker.
Avoid plants which:

may become a fire hazard near entrances;

may cause structural damage because of their roots or if they fall; or

require considerable amounts of water – which may leak or seep into your bunkers’ walls or
roof, causing dampness, corrosion, flooding or mould.
OXYGEN / AIR SUPPLY TANKS & COMPRESSORS
Do NOT bring in an oxygen tank. Raw oxygen is EXTREMELY dangerous around fire.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 29 of 59
In a reasonable sized space you could expect your available air to be sufficient until the initial fire
front to have passed, however if your bunker has leaks in it, this time will be reduced.
Not long after, you would expect the available air outside to be again oxygenated for you to breath –
even if this might not necessarily be pleasant because of the smoke.
I note that the standard bunker from Fireshelters and Fireproofshelters claim “There is sufficient air
in a small Fireshelter [5 cubic metre] to sustain safe and comfortable breathing for 4 adults for over 2
1/2 hours.”
Methods of keeping the poisonous gasses out include:

Best possible door and vent sealing arrangements

Increasing the air pressure in your bunker slightly, by gradually releasing compressed air, so
the smoke and gasses can’t get in.
However using the KEEP IT STRICTLY SIMPLE (KISS) approach could suggest there are also
risks in having extra things to go wrong or fall over, and the SIMPLEST arrangements is often the
best.
For some basic info on Scuba tanks, see http://www.thescubaguide.com/gear/tanks/ which says ”An
80 cu.ft. cylinder at 3000 psi contains 80 cu. ft. of air, [1 cubic metre = 35.3146667 cubic feet, so 80
cu feet is a spot over 2 cu metres] which is about the size of a small telephone booth. The air in a
telephone booth at 14.7 psi (or 1 ATM, which is ambient sea-level air pressure) weighs about 6.5lbs.
The air is compressed 204.08 times smaller to fit into the scuba cylinder.
The air stored in the tank of a standard compressor will do the same thing, provided of course that it
was filled in a safe environment, but your basic air compressor you bought from the hardware or
auto shop only pressurises to about 100 psi. However, see warning from contributor Neville below.
A correspondent advised me ”I have also been told that hospitals use bottled air which may be
suitable for use in a bunker”.
One fire bunker supplier site makes reference to a Chemical Oxygen Generator however upon
reading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_oxygen_generator, this may have safety issues in a
confined space with fire about, particularly if there is no apparent ability to control the rate or length
of its output; it gets hot when operating; and raw oxygen is dangerous around fire.
I’d like to thank Neville, a reader of this paper, for the following contribution.
1. In your section on SIZE you note that you don't know the volume of air required. I have
found a figure of 9,700 litres/human/day at: http://ptaff.ca/air/?lang=en_CA#introduction
That site gives states … “First a reference volume of air is defined as the volume one average
human needs for breathing during 24 hours. This volume of approximately 9,700 litres/human called
here one human-day (hum-day) is derived using an inhaled volume of 0.5 litre per breath × 13.5
breaths/minute × 60 minutes/hour × 24 hours/day (Lough, 1983)”.
However that site does not appear to account for the fact that when we are anxious we consume
more oxygen, and, against that, we only use a portion of the oxygen we breathe in, so we can
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 30 of 59
actually re-use stale air and stay healthy for some time. Eventually, the oxygen levels will drop and
start to cause problems. See http://www.oxigraf.com/html/oxygen_deficiency_detector_apps.html
for a table on how different levels of oxygen depletion affects you, it with other gasses also around,
this can change the equations.
Hand held oxygen monitors are available, but at this stage I don’t have the cost.
Neville also advises: 2. After your discussion on scuba tanks (a good idea, yielding about 2 cubic metres of air),
you say: "The air stored in the tank of a standard compressor will do the same thing". You
can calculate the air that an air compressor will deliver using Boyle' Law (remember P1 x V1
= P2 x V2?). I have a (relatively small) GMC compressor in the workshop. It holds 24 litres at
800 kPa (i.e. 115 psi). if you let all that out to atmosphere (i.e. 101.3 kPa), then you can
calculate the new volume V2 = (24 x 800)/ 101 = 190 litres. That is only about 0.2 cubic
metres, useful for one person for only 28 minutes if you believe the numbers above. Given
that there have been warnings that air from normal air compressors may not be healthy to
breathe, I think it may be unwise to recommend the use of air compressors. (The danger
apparently relates to the fact that normal air compressors use synthetic oils so that they
won't oxidise under pressure, but they can be toxic).
Numerous sources on the internet suggest it is not just the available oxygen being a potential
problem, but also the intake of poisonous gasses from the fire. This is where we need organisations
such as th CSIRO contributing – to find out just what is and isn’t dangerous and just how dangerous.
Is the advantage of the pressure keeping the smoke out greater than the danger of the effects of the
oil fumes?
Neville has also contributed some valuable suggestions on the importance of strength in block
buildings underground and in concrete roofs being reinforced, and I have taken them on board and
revised these areas.
COUNCIL PERMITS – AND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF IGNORING THEM
The laws generally require that you obtain council permits for building structures such as fire
bunkers. Buildings are required to be built to certain standards, to minimise the risk to occupants.
These standards can include appropriate materials, drainage, structural integrity and door and
ceiling heights etc.
It is possible your local council does not have approved standards for bunkers. (See next section.)
If you choose to ignore the permit process there are several risks to you.
 You may be fined.
 You may be required to dismantle the structure.
 You may be at risk of being sued by anyone who is injured, and have your insurance
company not provide coverage to you for this.
If you are not happy with what your council does, you may choose to take action to have these rules
changed. Be aware that this may take time, and councils generally go down a path which protects
themselves from legal action (and their ratepayers from having to foot the costs of claims) and thus
are conservative in what they allow.
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author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 31 of 59
It is possible there may be some change after the Royal Commission however this may take time
and may require further research by organisations such as the CSIRO and evaluation of the results
before agreed standards and regulations are determined.
Against all this, I am not aware of the requirements of building very solid WINE CELLARS, which
you may choose to construct in a manner which has your precious bottles protected from all that
nature might throw at them, and which by coincidence might happen to become your place of last
resort should you unfortunately need it. (One wag retreated to his cellar and, noting they had a
couple of hours to kill, shared the polishing off of two bottles.)
Any council folk / planners who wish to confirm or correct the above, please feel free to email me.
ONE DIY FIRE BUNKER BUILDER’S EXPERIENCE WITH COUNCIL
The following is one person’s experience, Yours may be different. Things may change over the
coming months, or if and when new standards are released.
“I checked with my Council today to see if I should have got a Planning or a Building permit. Basically
a Planning permit was not required because the planning scheme did not specify that a Fire Bunker
needed a permit.
The Council Building surveyor said that as there were no standards or regulations covering a fire
bunker and that the technical and safety requirements where not clear, there were no regulations that
they could issue a permit against. Therefore a permit was not required. I suspect this will change
post the Royal Comm. but it should not be retrospective.
An interesting anecdote, when I looked on the internet post Black Sat there was only 1 Aust site I
could find that sold fire bunkers but now every concrete tank manufacture has a fire bunker in their
range!”
LIABILITY AND INSURANCE ISSUES
If someone is injured on your property they can potentially sue you for damages. They can be
successful if you are found to have been fully or even partially negligent.
Your householders’ insurance policy will normally pay for all liability claim amounts and solicitors
costs.
Your installing or allowing to be installed a sub-standard structure will assist the claimants case.
HOWEVER, if you have acted illegally, by ignoring building standards and/or council regulations,
your insurance cover may become void and so you could be obliged to pay for legal costs and the
amount of the claim award out of your own pocket.
BUILDERS
Builders are also required to comply with building standards and council requirements or they can
put their building licences at risk.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 32 of 59
They can be sued for faulty workmanship or be joined as a defendant in any legal claim by an
injured person against you.
They also have similar insurance issues and their insurance company may refuse to pay if they have
not complied with the laws/regulations.
Because of all this, they may not wish to build you a fire bunker unless it complies with all standards
and regulations and the relevant permits have been issued.
Any builders out there who wish to confirm or correct the above, please feel free to email me.
WARRANTIES
Although builders warranties are outside the scope of this article, you may wish to make enquiries
regarding these.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ADEQUATE INSURANCE ON YOUR HOUSE & OTHER ASSETS
Having adequate insurance:
 allows you to go about your life with less anxiety – because in the event of a loss the asset
can be replaced;

stops you from being tempted to put yourself into danger because of the potential for
financial loss;

allows you to rebuild if your assets are damaged or destroyed.
COSTS and TIME
Rough guess, $4,000 to $15,000 plus. Firmly establish ALL your costs BEFORE you start.
If doing it yourself, my rules of thumb are:
 Estimate the amount of time it will take and multiply it by five, or seven or more if you also
have a social life. (!)

Estimate the cost and multiply it by at least two. (!)
Any feedback on costs gratefully received.
MAINTENANCE

Regular inspection o entrances being clear of accumulated leaves and rubbish
o control of surrounding plant growth
o clear access to entrances
o it not having become cluttered with junk being “stored” (!)
o structural defects;
o corrosion;
o dampness;
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 33 of 59
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
bugs; (periodic surface-spraying / flea-bombing may be required)
dead animals and birds
doors and latches working (doors can expand with moisture and may need to be
planed down a bit Make sure you have your jemmy bar with you when testing this!!);
vent openability, closability and bird/insect-proofing (inside and outside);
fan (if fitted) working and correctly positioned
torches in working order
radio in working order
extra batteries for torches & radio/s
all other mandatory gear all present and in working order.
One commercial supplier says they will do regular maintenance checks if required, for a fixed fee.
For some technical info on maintenance of fire doors etc, see
http://www.pfpa.com.au/docs/maintenance/PFPA%20%20Guide%20for%20practical%20maintenance%20of%20passive%20systems-_V1.0_.pdf
THINGS YOU MAY WISH TO PUT IN YOUR BUNKER TO BE FULLY PREPARED
If you know what you would like to put in, you can make sure you’ve built your bunker big enough.
Allow sufficient room so that things you bring in don’t clutter up the place and reduce its
effectiveness as a safe fire bunker.
It is suggested that you put what you need in plastic boxes which are sturdy, can be stacked and
also be used as seats or tables.
Some folk like to go minimalist, others like to be fully prepared. Adapt this list for your
needs. HOWEVER, as stated previously, be aware that all the stuff you might like to take in may
take up valuable air space, so make sure your bunker is big and roomy enough to accommodate
you needs and still allow plenty of free cubic metres for you to move about freely.
(At this stage I am not aware how much air space is required per person for a (say) a 60 minute stay
without additional ventilation.)
(See http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200902/r336097_1523074.pdf for a good succinct list)
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Jemmy bar – so it your door/s gets stuck you can get out
Woollen Fire Blanket – (that you should normally carry in your car – see
http://www.creswickwool.com.au/index/index/page/product/catId/13.)
Water bottles – BIG AND PLENTY
Torches
Spare Batteries. Consider also wind up torches.
Wallet / handbag, including credit cards, health cards, licences and copy of a bank statement
(for ID)
Keys
Address/Contacts book
Candles, for possible lighting AFTER the fire has passed.
Matches
First Aid Kit Include eye baths, saline solution and Stingos or equivalent
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 34 of 59
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Current Medications / Pill / Asthma puffer [an ABSOLUTE MUST for asthma sufferers]/
diabetic medications
Gladwrap for burns - after they have been cooled and washed with clean water for 10
minutes. (Glad wrap is a useful first aid dressing for burns as it prevents moisture loss, and
keeps the area clean. It also makes it easy for the doctor to assess the burn.)
Spectacles
Contact-lens cleaning kit
Prescriptions for medications and pill and spectacles/contact lenses.
Basic provisions (you may be cut off for some time after the fire) that can be eaten without
cooking (eg muesli bars)
Communications / Mobile phone
Transistor radio and spare batteries for radio
FOLDED chairs / card table
Games (pack of Uno for the kids), Storybooks and favourite toy.
Pens, pencils and paper / exercise books – for writing lists & for kids to draw on.
Small sharp knife
Personal toiletries (including toothbrush, soap etc) but NOT aerosol cans
Toilet paper
Buckets and large icecream containers (several) for washing and cleaning and emergency
toileting.
Portable toilet seat
A pile of tea-towels/cloth nappies – to be used as
o face rags,
o hand towels,
o wet scarves.
o door seals (place wet against bottom of door);
o keeping people and pets cool;
o extinguishing embers
Sunscreen
Insect repellent (non aerosol)
Bar of soap
Spare boots / Shoes
Spare clothes / including some heavy/warm jackets (for afterwards) and underwear / socks
Hats
Gloves (leather or non flammable) for during and immediately after the fire
Face Masks / Smoke Masks
Goggles suitable for protection from embers and smoke.
Spare glasses, eg. your old pair of prescription glasses and/or cheap reading glasses.
Sunglasses
Knife / fork / spoon
Reflectors and a flashing bike light (see Signs)
Your “we’re safe” flag for your signpost, or use one of your rags and some lipstick(!)
Shovel
Metal Rake
Hessian bags and Mop/s for extinguishing small spot fires
Fire fighting knapsack / spray pack
Bowls / cups
Laptop, Computer box / hard-disk drive / iPods
Precious items / Pictures
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 35 of 59
You can even buy hand held oxygen depletion measurement devices if you wish.
Prepare in advance.
Don’t put your life at risk trying to rescue stuff to fill your bunker with.
Nothing is really that important.
THINGS YOU SHOULD LEAVE OUT OF YOUR BUNKER
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Gas bottles and gas canisters
Aerosol cans
Oxygen bottles
Lead Acid Batteries
Styrofoam, which can leach toxins
Fuel, or anything containing fuel*
(*One local fire-bunker supplier suggests you take in a chainsaw, however my view would be that
the dangers of leaking fuel fumes in a confined space in an environment which could get hot are far
greater than difficulties of not having a chainsaw when you get out.)
If you have other gear (equipment etc) that you wish to protect but it is not safe to put in your
bunker, make a separate storage place/bunker which does not have the same stringent
requirements for comfort/health or total sealing.
THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT DO IN YOUR BUNKER
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Sleep in there or light a candle without the doors and vents well chocked OPEN.
Cook.
Use a gas lamp or any other fuel lamp.
Have a lit mosquito coil burning.
Close animals in (without you) without them having ventilation.
Leave children in there unattended whilst you are outside fighting fires. (The scenario of
them being in there alone and you never returning is too distressing to think about.)
PREPARATION FOR BUNKER USE – YOUR FIRE BUNKER PLAN
You have a bushfire plan – which you’ve worked out and should practice.
You also need to have and practice your fire bunker plan.
This should be written down and kept in your house and ALSO
in your bunker in a clear plastic bag with a pencil to write down your entry time.
WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU HEAD INTO YOUR BUNKER
(eg when fires are anywhere near or might occur.)
1. If you are NOT planning to spend a lot of time in there (eg overnight bunking), then close the
vents (inside and outside), but leave the door/s open.
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author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 36 of 59
2. Bring in your pets and tie them up or have them in cages, with water available. (They might
not be happy or comfortable, but they will be safe and will not be at risk of running into
danger, or tempt you or a member of your party to risk life and limb attempting to catch
them.)
3. Have your mobile phone with you (it should have been charged) or put it in your bunker.
4. Get on with your other fire preparation tasks around the property, but don’t leave yourself cut
off from your bunker.
WHAT TO DO AS YOU HEAD INTO YOUR BUNKER
1. Firstly, if you haven’t got from the house the things on your list then you’re too late.
NOTHING is so important that you need to take risks getting back to your house to get it.
2. Keep our children close with you.
3. Close over the outside vents if you have not already done so.
4. If able, pull out a couple of the solar lights you had near the entrance and take them in with
you. Also take in your “spot fire” fighting gear.
5. Take a last look to make sure there is no-one still out there.
6. Turn on torch/es.
7. Close the door/s.
8. Close the vents.
9. If anyone has been burned, IMMEDIATELY put PLENTY of COLD WATER on the burn to
stop the burning process.
10. TAKE A NOTE OF THE TIME and write it down.
11. Take a note of the NOISE, as later reduction in noise may indicated the most dangerous time
has passed.
12. If you have compressed air in your bunker, turn it on low for very slow release, to make the
pressure in the bunker slightly higher than the pressure outside, and thus reduce the
probability of smoke coming in.
13. Check on everyone’s health and be careful with injuries. Administer first aid as required and
BE VERY CAREFUL TO KEEP WOUNDS CLEAN. After the clean water on burns, put
Gladwrap on to keep the wound from infection and to retain the natural moisture of the skin. .
14. Settle everyone down and keep them supported and calm. Be aware that panic and hysteria
can occur in stressful and unusual situations and in confined spaces.
15. Settle and reassure your pets.
16. Wet some rags and put them at the base of the doors to stop any smoke.
17. Wet other rags in case you need them.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 37 of 59
18. Keep an eye out for any smoke coming in anywhere else as well. If it does, try to use the
wet rags to stop it.
19. Stop, have some water and settle down.
20. Attempt to use your mobile phone to advise friends of your predicament, that you are
currently safe and where you are. If necessary, leave voice mails and text messages, which
should possibly be sent to various key contacts.
21. Wait at least 15-20 minutes after you went in before you (a) turn off your compressed air, (b)
listen for outside noise, compared with what you heard when you went in, and, if you feel it is
appropriate, (c) attempt to have a look outside.
22. Be VERY careful opening your door or vent peephole SLOWLY and keep your face covered
and well free of the opening, in case of flame entry.
23. If it looks safe to venture out, do so carefully, with good shoes and your safety gear on.
24. If safe, leave the door/s open for ventilation.
25. Attend to any fire fighting required on your property. Pay particular attention to your party’s
safety and, if building are not burned, watch for late spot fires setting them alight, including
through broken windows and in ceiling spaces. (MANY buildings catch fire well AFTER the
main fire front has passed.) Check your neighbours too.
26. Try to ring / text your contacts and give them an update of your situation.
27. Mark your fire-bunker sign with a bright flag to show it is a “place of life”. Note this frame may
be extremely hot immediately after the fire and it should not be touched until cool
28. Do NOT bring children out until it is SAFE and they are aware that things could be different.
Reassure them of the importance of their own safety so that their exit is not traumatic.
29. Do NOT release your pets until it is absolutely save to do so. Many pets have been released
too early and have burned their paws on hot ground and coals.
Note that one of the biggest dangers after the fire is from burnt limbs falling from trees.
Keep yourself and your family clear of danger,
drink lots of water and keep yourself fed.
AFTER THE FIRE HAS PASSED
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Register with the authorities so they know you are safe.
Tell your family and friends.
Re-establish your post box and telephone accessibility.
Re-establish your online (email) presence.
Arrange mail re-direction if appropriate.
CLOTHING
AAARRRRRGH!!!
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 38 of 59
TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME we see folk on the TV hosing their houses in the face of the
advancing flames – or clutching their kids and dragging them to the car – and what are they
wearing? Shorts, thongs, sandals, light short sleeve shirts, no hats and no sunglasses. NOOOOO!!
The fire authorities strongly recommend you have the following items of clothing in a cupboard or
suitable place in the house for you and your family to have immediate access to, and that everyone
knows where it is. See CFA and Fireready websites for more information.
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Cotton LONG SLEEVE shirt.
Cotton jeans or overalls
Cotton scarf – a tea-towel will do, to be able to be wet and put over your mouth to protect
your mouth, throat and lungs from super-heated air.
Woollen socks
Leather boots.
Wide brimmed hat.
Sunglasses
Smoke-proof goggles
Gloves, such as cotton or leather gardening gloves
See http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200902/r336097_1523074.pdf for an excellent list.
IF YOU THINK THE RULES NEED TO BE CHANGED, OR MORE RESEARCH IS REQUIRED–
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
Since I started to write this, authorities have commenced the process for the evaluation of bunkers,
with tight timeframes. It is hoped this will bear fruit and not get bogged down or forgotten.
If you feel your voice may contribute to these issues not being forgotten, contact your local
councillor/s, state and federal parliamentarians, community groups and media.
You may feel organisations such as the CSIRO should be funded to fully explore the best way to
make safe havens for times that it is not possible to be somewhere else.
Be aware however that people in authority may wish to await the outcomes of the 2009 Royal
Commission before taking further action.
You can see a full copy of the Report of the Royal Commission 1939 bushfires at:
http://www.coagbushfireenquiry.gov.au/subs_pdf/29_3_richardson_vicroyalcommissionbushfires193
9.pdf
The information relating to dugouts starts on page 34 of the document (which is page 33 of the
PDF).
An extract is as follows:
"The design of the dug-out, despite the test to which dug-outs were subjected by the fires of
January, 1939, is a matter for the most careful consideration, of which only technicians are
capable. It is true that the efficacy of dug-outs in fires such as those of January, 1939,
appears to have been proved. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that hasty
generalization is dangerous. It is recommended that the matter be submitted to experts, of
which there are many in the Public Service; and that such experts determine the best
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author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 39 of 59
manner of construction.
It is suggested that in the event of this recommendation being acted upon, the experts
should particularly consider the questions of ventilation, air-purification, location, design (for
example: whether tunnel, or tunnel with cross chamber, or in flat country, shaft and drive),
baffles for both air and smoke, storage of water inside dugouts, supply of medicaments (for
example: the prevention or relief of temporary blindness and inflammation of the eyes), water
sprays, and restoratives; the direction in which the entrance to the dug-out should face; the
question of exposed timbers and sheet iron; and the various other suggestions which appear
in the transcript of evidence. It is suggested that it is essential that technicians who may be
considering the matter, should read such parts of the transcript as relate to the matter of dugouts generally.”
A number of the recommendations of the 1939 Royal Commission have resulted in significant
improvements in the area of bushfire fighting and bushfire safety. Those fires were now 70 years
ago. Unfortunately, the work relating to fire bunkers appears to have lagged behind the evolution of
modern building materials.
BUNKER BUILDING STORIES
Thanks to Diederik for sending me his story – at http://campaignprojects.wordpress.com/
LINKS
I have found the following, but little specifically covering fire bunkers, or having it all grouped
together. (That’s why I wrote this document!).
For an overview of the Black Saturday bushfires, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Saturday_bushfires
Fire Refuges in Victoria: Policy and Practice: 10/2005 position paper from Victoria’s Office of
the Emergency Services Commissioner
“This document expresses the Victorian Government’s policy position on designated public fire refuges and
sets out a range of associated information about refuges, including responsibilities and a process for decision
making, fixed and operational performance criteria for refuges and discussions on management and risk
minimisation for the providers of refuges.” [Note from IP - experiences of Black Saturday make some of the
info seem obsolete. There could be some great conversations about some aspects in light of recent lessons!]
Document:http://www.oesc.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/OESC/resources/file/eb04990e498e54d/Fire_Refug
es_in_Victoria.pdf
Web page: http://www.oesc.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/OESC/Home/Policy+and+Standards/OESC++Fire+Refuges+in+Victoria+(PDF)
CSIRO Victorian Bushfires Q & A (includes reference to fire bunkers). See also numerous other
CSIRO pages (but unfortunately nothing on fire bunkers).
http://www.csiro.au/resources/Victorian-Bushfires-QA.html
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 40 of 59
The Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (Bushfire CRC) has produced numerous Research
papers and reports related to Bushfire Building & Construction.
http://www.bushfirecrc.com/research/d11/publicdocuments.html
CFA website
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/
CFA survival guide
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/residents/documents/survival_guide/English-SurvivalGuide_web.pdf
CFA’s Living In The Bush workbook
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/documents/living-bush-workbook/Litb_full_version.pdf
Fireready website
http://www.fireready.vic.gov.au/
Boral Blocks brochure / specifications
http://www.boral.com.au/Brochures/orders/PDF/BOR15025_FA6_BlockBrick_VIC_A4Brochure.pdf?
company=Bricks%20and%20Blocks
Pyropanel fireproof doors, doorsets and seals http://www.pyropanel.com.au/index.htm
Selleys Fireproof Cement http://www.selleys.com.au/Selleys-Fireproof-Cement/default.aspx
Black Friday stories
http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/story/default.htm
Black Friday Aftermath – includes info on dugouts
http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/aftermath/tstuckey.htm
More stories from that site - http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/aftermath/lfoster.htm. Click on the
names on the right of that screen to see more stories.
Report of the Royal Commission 1939 bushfires
http://www.coagbushfireenquiry.gov.au/subs_pdf/29_3_richardson_vicroyalcommissionbushfires193
9.pdf
Alliance for Fire and Smoke Containment (PFPA). LOTS of technical info from the
manufacturers. http://www.pfpa.com.au/contact/index.htm
New building codes were released Wednesday 11/3/2009. For info see:
http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/www/html/7-home-page.asp
Media release for issue of new building codes
(http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/resources/documents/buildingstandards_media_release_(2).doc
New building code info – “Guide to building in Victoria after bushfires”
http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/resources/documents/Guide_to_building_in_Victoria_after_b
ushfires_(6_March).pdf
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 41 of 59
Pre-cast concrete panels – brochure from the American Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute.
http://www.pci.org/view_file.cfm?file=MK-33-03.PDF
Various other sites, mostly from USA and relating to storm shelters etc.
http://www.bunkerbuilders.com/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/1010038/Part-1Welcome-to-My-Underground-Bunkerhttp://www.airsoftretreat.com/forums/index.php?topic=11975.0;wap2
http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/design_ideas/article/0,,hpro_20171_3888683,00.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?Home-Surveillance-and-the-DIY-Dont-Panic-Room&id=1478177
http://www.homeandgarden.com.au/article.cfm?article_id=84
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3036742/Granddaddy-of-All-Underground-Storage-Areas
http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-underground-Root-Cellar/dp/0882662902
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071201085723AApZyKz
NEWS ARTICLES
http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/architects-urge-fire-bunker-standards20090301-8lgy.html
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25089467-5006301,00.html
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2008/s2504512.htm
BUSHFIRE TALK http://bushfiretalk.org.au/ Evolving and informative newsy site for people in
bushfire-prone areas
COMMERCIAL BUNKERS AVAILABLE FOR SALE
(but see notes in this article regarding insulation of bunker and protection of its walls and entrance
from radiant heat.)
Alternate Dwellings http://www.alternatedwellings.com.au/concrete-bunkers.html
FireShelters / Fire Proof Shelters http://www.fireshelters.com/Fireshelters.com/Welcome.html
(Seems to be the same product as http://www.fireproofshelters.com.au/)
Their safety page is particularly good reading:
http://www.fireshelters.com/Fireshelters.com/Safety.html and they’ve got a
youtube advert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B-A2i69MxY
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 42 of 59
Fire Bunkers Pty Ltd is currently collecting information, and possibly awaiting further development
of building standards, before developing a bunker possibly made of slab concrete. You can register
your interest at www.firebunkers.com.au. (I’ve registered and apparently they will email me some
info, but at today’s date I have not received it.) No pictures on site.
I have no connection whatsoever with that organisation – I discover their site after commencing this
article, and found they were saying the same things as I was.
 The Firebunker is not designed to offer residents an additional incentive to remain under the
threat of fire, but to offer a vital alternative if residents find themselves unable to leave.
 We envisage that fire bunkers will be able to offer this desperately needed product in building
safety by July 2009.
Statewide Fire Bunkers No pictures on site, but say their bunkers are 4.1 x 2.4 x 2.4.
http://www.statewidefirebunkers.com.au/?gclid=CJCM5vWHlZkCFRk_awodTiwFbw
Versatile Tanks
http://versatiletanks.com.au/firebunkers/index.html
Available in 22 500 Litre - Size: 2.4m wide x 2.6m
high x 4.4 long, mould manufactured.
Fire Safe Bunkers – have also advised that they anticipate supplying from April 2009, after release
of the 3/09 building regulations. Cost for 15mm thick - 2m wide 2m high is $9,700 plus GST.
Includes extras. They also advise bunkers are a “last resort when you have run out of options”
http://firesafebunkers.com/
Timbercrete – Above ground Concrete Block unit sold in kit form. Includes
pressurised tank so keep smoke from entering, fire resistant window and
fire resistant spy hole.
[Note this is single thickness concrete block. Quoted test results show product’s ability of hold structural
integrity in heat and an unacceptably high inside temperature (75 degrees) after 4 hours of that heat, but
no info on inside temp after (say) 30 minutes of fire that can melt mag wheels. See also notes in this
article about possible advantages of double bricking, and radiant heat through Windows.]
http://www.timbercrete.com.au/fire-resistant-building-materials.html and
http://www.timbercrete.com.au/PDF/Bunker-Brochure.pdf
Bushfire Bunkers – based in NSW. Units come in two sizes, each 2.5 metres
in diameter. The small model has an internal height of 1.485 metres, and the
large model has 2.27 metres of head room. Side or top opening.
http://www.bushfirebunkersaustralia.net.au/index.html
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 43 of 59
Firepit Australia Go to http://www.carltonhandyman.com/
then click on Firepit Australia on the TOP of the page.
[My concerns about this unit include (a) how easy is it to get into
and seal in a hurry and (b) it is stated the top door is rated to
1300 degrees C, which means the door will apparently retain its
structural integrity, but there appears to be nothing about its
insulation qualities, which are required to stop the trapdoor
heating and radiating heat straight down to you.]
Bush Fire Bunkers http://www.bushfirebunkers.com.au/ Built of blocks, to your specifications,
prices from about $5,000.
Victorian Fire Bunkers http://www.victorianfirebunkers.net/ New to the scene, you can register
your interest.
Aussie Bunkers http://www.aussiebunkers.com.au/index.html Also appears to be new to the
scene, you can register your interest.
Firebunkers.net, Firebunkers.info, Firebunkers.org and Safetybunkers.com all direct you to
www.firebunkers.net which claims to be an information matching service to express interest in
receiving information about fire and emergency safety bunkers etc, but their registration page was
not working when I tried.
Cellar Creations – Pre-fabricated wine
cellar pit. [Although not advertised a s a fire
bunker, they come up whenever you do an
internet search for fire bunkers!]
http://www.cellarcreations.com.ausn/cellar_pits.htm
Earthlink homes
http://www.earthlinkedhomes.com.au/fire-shelters.php Commercial and house builder, also do fire
bunkers.
Waterford Constructions http://waterfordconstructions.com/ Safety bunkers - Fire fighting base
stations, Personal family fire bunkers. [Looks like a concept rather than something which has yet
been tested.]
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 44 of 59
MineARK FireARK Chambers. These folk make STEEL safety chambers for
the mining industry and are apparently thinking of turning their hand to fire
bunkers.
[The exposed steel walls are a worry if not buried] “At this stage, MineARC has
made itself available for consultation with local government and the related authorities
and is currently assessing existing fire and safety standards and regulations.”
http://www.minearc.com.au/nd7/minearc-developing-bush-fire-shelter/
Brochure at: http://www.minearc.com.au/Uploads/Downloads/firearc-chamber.pdf
Economy tanks - A correspondent advised me that “I also spoke to Economy tanks who produce a
concrete tank that may be suitable (triple skin concrete construction)”
http://www.economytanks.com.au/index.html
National Fire Bunkers - Complete Insulation and Service of Underground Fire Bunkers.
http://www.startrades.com.au/trades-2268-0-6963.html
Flat Pack Fire Bunker - http://www.flatpackfirebunkers.com.au/index.html Pre-cast floor, walls and
roof, 2 sizes, Looks interesting.
Wildfire Protection Services is designing a small metal bunker with internal
insulation. http://www.wildfireprotection.com.au/Safety%20Cell_Link.htm
Bushbunker solid purpose built unit
with accessories built in.
http://www.bushbunker.com/
and
http://www.bushbunker.com/download
s/BushbunkerImagePack.pdf
OTHER PRODUCTS & USEFUL EQUIPMENT LINKS
Protect-A-Life Fire & Smoke Mask $60 (more products on that site)
https://www.exitkitsaustralia.com.au/shop/products/show/47
More mask info
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/environment/emergency_mgmnt/bushfire_smoke.htm
http://www.bushfirecrc.com/search/?q=masks
Relocation kit – list found on an ABC site – says much of what I have said in this article!
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200902/r336097_1523074.pdf
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 45 of 59
Smart Age Technology Pty Ltd http://www.trilite.com.au says “We can provide a internal and
external fire board to build houses and bunkers giving you 30 - 240 minute rating”
Wildfire Protection Services http://www.wildfireprotection.com.au/index.html manufacture Radiant
Heat & fire Shields to protect windows and doors etc. Also sells other gear.
Ceasefire http://ceasefire.com.au/pages/ sells various fire retardant paints and other products.
Woollen fire blankets used by the CFA and the Rural Fire Service in NSW. The Victorian one is
thicker. You can buy the thick one (without the logo) from the manufacturer from
http://www.creswickwool.com.au/index/index/page/product/catId/13. They also have
a thinner version on the same page (less expensive, but I just bought the thick one
for my sister.) Outlets in Creswick (VIC) or Hawthorn (VIC), see
http://www.creswickwool.com.au/index/index/page/contact. Keep one in your car, pull it out if you
need it at home.
See also http://www.creswickwool.com.au/index/index/page/details/catId/13/prodId/68/catName/fire%20safety
and http://www.creswickwool.com.au/index/index/page/details/catId/13/prodId/69/catName/fire%20safety
and http://www.creswickwool.com.au/index/index/page/details/catId/13/prodId/67/catName/fire%20safety
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or
authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 46 of 59
If you have two doors, it
MIGHT be appropriate for
ONE of them to open
outwards, See document for
more details.
SAMPLE DESIGN, WITH 2 DOORS AND PROTECTED ENTRANCES
(You need to be in Print Layout view to see the graphics on this page. Go View, Print Layout)
This is NOT TO SCALE – as you will probably wish to make it longer to accommodate all your needs.
Earth Fill around walls
Earth Fill around walls
Slotted drain pipe around base
If no earth fill, build a second wall around 3 sides. on slab.
Slotted
drain
pipe
around
base
There is
no direct
exposure
to door
from
radiant
head
Hooks
MUST have
roof over
entrance
THIS IS “FOOD FOR THOUGHT”
ONLY. GET INFORMATION FROM
PEOPLE WHO REALLY KNOW
ABOUT THESE THINGS BEFORE
MAKING PURCHASES OR
COMMENCING CONSTRUCTION!!
WALLS MUST BE STRONG
ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE
PRESSURE OF THE SOIL,
PARTICULARLY WHEN WET.
Closable
vent in
door
Inward opening
Fire Doors,
with seals
Closable
vent in
door
You will probably wish to
make it longer to
accommodate all your needs
Bench with plastic storage
boxes underneath
Shelf above bench.
Vents to be
bird-proof
Hooks
Earth Fill
around
walls
OR double
layer walls
Hollow
Besser /
Boral
concrete
blocks, fire
rated if
required.
If no earth fill, build a second wall outside, on slab.
Earth Fill
MUST have
roof over
entrance
Secondary walls protect the
inner walls from direct heat.
Example of wall to catch breeze. Also further protects
entrance. One on each opening may be preferred
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not
accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided
on the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services
which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies
or authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 47 of 59
ROOFING - POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION METHOD.
(You need to be in Print Layout view to see the graphics on this page. Go View, Print Layout)
Not that whilst this might be sufficient for normal usage, it may not be strong enough to hold a fire truck!
1. Lay a line of half-width bricks
on top row. This is essential
to seal the roof.
Get your own information about these things and remember the importance of signage.
VIEW FROM SIDE
Must seal
completely
A convex roof will stop water pooling.
Concrete poured onto clip-lock sheeting. Reinforcement will also be required.
Clip-lock steel sheeting
Ribs to go across shortest span.
THIS IS “FOOD FOR THOUGHT”
ONLY. GET INFORMATION FROM
PEOPLE WHO REALLY KNOW
ABOUT THESE THINGS BEFORE
MAKING PURCHASES OR
COMMENCING CONSTRUCTION!!
2. Cut and lay Clip-lock
sheeting.
3. Lay concrete roof.
4. After concrete has set,
waterproofing may be
required before it is covered
with earth to provide an
insulating barrier.
Scoria rock can enhance
insulation.
Temporary support to
be removed after
concrete has set.
Minimum height,
2.2m
(I believe that’s 11
blocks).
Block wall, hollow
concrete blocks 190 mm
wide. surrounded by soil
or double bricked.
Fire rated concrete blocks
and bricks are available.
Strong reinforced concrete slab, with appropriate sloping and with any required allowance for
drainage, doorways and the building of outside walls.
Slab may need
to extend out for
the building of
outside walls
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not
accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided
on the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services
which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies
or authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 48 of 59
ROOFING – CONSTRUCTION METHOD IF TWO WALLS
(You need to be in Print Layout view to see the graphics on this page. Go View, Print Layout)
Concrete poured onto clip-lock sheeting. Reinforcement will also be required.
Clip-lock steel sheeting
THIS WILL NOT WORK for DOUBLE
WALLED structures, as smoke can flow
through the flutes / folds in the clip-lock
sheeting if it breeches the outer wall
THIS IS “FOOD FOR THOUGHT” ONLY …
AND YET ANOTHER REASON TO GET
INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE WHO REALLY
KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS BEFORE MAKING
PURCHASES OR COMMENCING
CONSTRUCTION!!
Pads on the top of the to row of hollow
bricks will seal the hollows in them, and the
second small brick barrier will stop the
smoke from getting in through the
folds/flutes.
Concrete poured onto clip-lock sheeting. Reinforcement will also be required.
Clip-lock steel sheeting
Clip-lock
Pad
Pad
Pads are available fro m your
brick supplier
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not
accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided
on the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services
which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies
or authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 49 of 59
DIAGRAM OF SAME STRUCTURE WITH LOCKABLE STORAGE AREA FOR WINE OR OTHER ITEMS.
(You need to be in Print Layout view to see the graphics on this page. Go View, Print Layout)
Structure to be surrounded and covered by soil.
Wall of inner area, which are not covered and are thus exposed to outside, to be double-bricked.
Sealable
vent in
Door or in
wall
Door
GET INFORMATION FROM
PEOPLE WHO REALLY KNOW
ABOUT THESE THINGS
BEFORE MAKING
PURCHASES OR
COMMENCING
CONSTRUCTION!!
Storage area for wine or
other safe items.
Lockable wire mesh gates.
Door
Sealable
vent in
Door or in
wall
If you have two doors, it
MIGHT be appropriate
for ONE of them to open
outwards, See document
for more details.
MUST have
roof over
entrance/s
Design of opening allows
cross-flow ventilation for
before and after fire
Design of opening allows
cross-flow ventilation for
before and after fire
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not
accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided
on the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services
which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies
or authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 50 of 59
EXAMPLE OF MODIFIED CONCRETE TANK.
GET INFORMATION FROM
PEOPLE WHO REALLY KNOW
ABOUT THESE THINGS
BEFORE MAKING
PURCHASES OR
COMMENCING
CONSTRUCTION!!
(You need to be in Print Layout view to see the graphics on this page. Go View, Print Layout)
Walls and roof MUST be WELL covered in soil as radiant heat can heat tanks to oven-temperatures.
Door needs to be fireproof and have sealing to stop smoke from coming in.
NOTE – YOU CAN BUY
CONCRETE TANK BUNKERS.
SEE LINKS SECTION IN THIS
DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS.
Example of a Tank type
bunker with a SIDE door.
They are also available with
TOP doors.
TANK BURIED
INTO SOIL
Sealable
vent for
crossventilation
Advantages and
disadvantages of both are in
this article.
Reinforced
wall
holds
in soil
Sealable
vent in
Door or
in wall
MUST have
roof over
entrance/s
Wall to
protect
door
from
radiant
head
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not
accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided
on the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services
which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies
or authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 51 of 59
BEST POSITION ON THE SITE
(also see next page)
(You need to be in Print Layout view to see the graphics on this page. Go View, Print Layout)
SIDE VIEW OF
SLOPE
This bunker is better
positioned as the fire is more
likely to go over the entrance.
The highest probability of bad fires is on days of northerly
winds, so you would easily conclude it was better to have
your bunker to the south of your residence, so it would be
less likely you’ll have to go towards the flames to get to your
bunker.
However Dr Kevin Tolhurst, giving evidence to the Royal
Commission, said that 80% of the damage is done when
the south-west change comes through. This is partly
because by then the fire front is wide.
Slope
This bunker’s entrance is more likely
to be exposed to the flames
So possibly slope it the most important factor to consider –
because a fire will go more quickly UP a slope than down it.
But of course you need to be able to go UP that slope
quickly.
This might be one of those issues where luck plays a part –
so you should take into account all other factors first. Install
it close enough to get to in a few seconds, but not so close
that it could be heavily affected by a burning house.
Slope
Also see
LOCATION – WHERE
SHOULD YOUR BUNKER BE
BUILT
in this document
ALSO remember that fires go much faster UP
hills than down hills.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not
accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided
on the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services
which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies
or authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 52 of 59
BEST POSITION ON THE SITE (continued).
(You need to be in Print Layout view to see the graphics on this page. Go View, Print Layout)
Is it easy to get to?
It may be the steepness of your hill that dictates placement
UP THE HILL
What do you have to go past to get
to it?
Not too close – or too far away
from house?
Is the slope too
steep to allow
safe access UP to
the bunker?
Is ACROSS the
slope a better way
to get to the
bunker?
House
DOWN THE HILL
Is the slope too
steep to allow
safe access
DOWN to the
bunker?
Where are
 EXISTING and PLANNED
structures
 Dangerous structures
 Roadways
 Pipes
 Cables
 Trees
 Future constructions
 Neighbour’s property?
What is natural flow of water when
it rains?
Which side of
house?
Flooding or drainage concerns?
Are there any soil slippage or
erosion concerns?
Where will entrance/s be?
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not
accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided
on the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services
which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies
or authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 53 of 59
LOW VOLTAGE VENTILATION SYSTEM See also VENTILATION & FAN FORCED VENTILATION sections
In FIRE-READY position Vent is sealed or BRICK (wrapped in wet
towel) covers VENT & DRAIN HOLE is covered
Unit is in NORMAL position covering vent hole,
and drain hole is open
ROOF
Bird / bug
barriers
Vent hole in
wall
VIEW FROM
SIDE
Entrance
corridor
Drain hole
here
or
here
VIEW FROM
SIDE
barriers
Vent hole in
wall
Unit
Shelf
ROOF
Bird / bug
Ventilation unit
blows out stale
air and sucks in
fresh air
Brick
Entrance
corridor
Drain hole exit
also covered by
brick
Brick
Brick
Ventilation unit is
replaced by block,
wrapped in wet
towel, hard against
vent hole, or
clamp-down vent
cover installed.
Drain is blocked with
brick, wrapped in wet
towel, hard against
drain hole.
FLOOR
FLOOR
Bird and bug barriers required on vents & drains.
Brick
If vent is a pipe, barriers are to be at both ends
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not
accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided
on the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services
which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies
or authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 54 of 59
SIGNS
Steel sheet plate with
letters pressed out stencil
style, to survive fire.
Solar Panel
could attach
to here
This sort of plate could
also suit bolting to a
brick wall, preferably
with gap (use washers)
between wall and plate.
 Fire Bunker 
Chain links welded to
bar for your
attachment of your
“We’re Safe” flag
Solid steel bar heavily
bolted to bunker roof,
or sunk into ground
with concrete footings
Do NOT use
aluminium plate.
For top opening tank-bunkers, strong
sign frames can also form a safety frame
to protect door from vehicles and falling
timber .
Sign and arrows to be
covered BOTH sides with
reflective red tape, to show
up in light from torches or
vehicle headlights.
Arrows can be bolted on
in the direction to
indicate location of
bunker / door
Reflective
adhesive
strip on bars
If you think this is a good idea and you
work for / own an organisation that can
build these commercially, why not offer
your wares to the commercial fire bunker
manufacturers?
If you do build them, tell me and I’ll add
you as a link.
The Fire Refuges in Victoria: Policy and Practice: 10/2005 position paper
:http://www.oesc.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/OESC/resources/file/eb04990e498e54d/Fire_Refuges_in_Vic
toria.pdf suggested this as a standard sign. No mention is made of reflective lettering or its ability to survive
a fire (stencil style, raised lettering or steel lettering in an open frame), but these could be worthwhile.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not
accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided
on the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services
which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies
or authorities, including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 55 of 59
THE HIDDEN IMPACTS OF BUSHFIRES
The following is extracted from an ABC story about the 1939 bushfires.
(http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/aftermath/lfoster.htm)
“It impacted on people who were burned out, it will happen again here as well. If you were just
to go to Mount Macedon, the divorce rate just went boom, people who were just teetering on a
marriage that wasn’t all that secure, just tipped them over the edge.”
It is important you recognise these hidden impacts of bushfires.
Be aware that
 your state of mind may not be someone else’s state of mind.
 your logic / priorities may not be someone else’s logic / priorities.
 the consequences of a ruined relationship may be more devastating than losing any
physical assets.
 the anxieties and fears of potential bushfires can have similar effects.
Stop, listen, talk about it and allow others to say things to get them out of their system. Make it clear
that you’ve heard them and be supportive, even if you don’t agree with them or even fully understand
it all.
Stop, find someone who is supportive and who is a good listener, and let it all spill out.
You might never know why it works like this, it just does. And it might spill out at times when you least
expected it, or in ways which could be hurtful to others or harmful to your relationship with others.
Take time to let the flurry of snowflakes fall to the ground and for things to get back to some sort of
normality. You may need to be gentle and forgiving with others – and go easy on yourself too.
Just as the ash needs to be washed away to allow re-growth, all humans require the washing out of
something inside them that they sometimes don’t even realise is there.
It just seems to be the way we are made. Learn to live with it, and learn lots from it.
Alternatively, ignore it at your peril.
The Age had an absolutely EXCELLENT article on getting over bushfires, printed 2 May 2009.
Clinical psychologist and consultant to the Australian Red Cross Dr Rob Gordon, who has worked
with survivors of 25 major disasters, has some excellent advice on rebuilding one’s life post the fires.
He refers to getting over being in “adrenalin mode”, and getting back to the things that are really
important in your life. He says “Hang on to the big picture and think about what you can’t replace:
your relationship, your family and children, your health, your career, your interests, your friendship
networks. All this things that actually make life meaningful.”
You can read a full copy of the article at the end of this document.
EQUIPMENT AND OTHER HELPFUL STUFF
See CFA and Fireready websites for full details of equipment you should have around the time of a
fire and how to protect our property in the lead up to the fire-season.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or authorities,
including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 56 of 59
There are FOUR fire risks that your house is at risk from:
 Embers in advance of the main fire.
 Radiant heat from the main fire.
 Flames.
 Embers AFTER the main fire.
Small tools may include: metal rake; fire knapsack or sturdy back-pack sprayer; old style mop; plenty
of water in open containers; buckets
If setting up INSIDE your house up for fending off the fires, as well as wet mops (ie the old style “rope”
type mops), wet towels, and buckets, also have HOSES inside, attached to reliable water supplies.
Remove your washing machine hose from the tap and screw a hose fitting onto the laundry tap and
attach a garden hose.
If inside water is reliant on the continuation of electricity to your house, this is likely to fail during a fire.
Mains pressure may also reduce with everyone using their hoses at the same time.
Outside (and inside), pumps can fail and hoses can be cut or burned. To be able to douse spot fires
that might occur AFTER the main fire has passed, and your piped water supply / pump / hoses may
be out of action, MANY pre-filled buckets will need to be available and can be easily filled from open
containers, such as a swimming pool. Have your bath and basins full.
Have plenty of wet hessian bags. wet towels and wet mops available. You may get more mileage out
of these for the water you have available.
Be aware that heat from the flames may not let you get anywhere near the flames.
Keep two woollen blankets and large unopened waterbottles permanently in your vehicle.
(For a scientific paper on vehicles in fires see http://www.bushfirecrc.com/downloads/Conferencepaper-vehicle-burnover-final.pdf. and for a source of woollen blankets see
http://www.creswickwool.com.au/index/index/page/product/catId/13.)
THAT’S IT.
I wish you all the best in your endeavours, and look forward to hearing of how you went, the things
you learned (good and bad), and perhaps get some pictures.
It might be possible for these to be put on a link from the opening web page (only with your
permission and with or without your identifying details – as you choose).
Please don’t rely on me to provide your answers, all that I know is in this document (and the
additional info is put onto updated editions of this document, as I learn of it).
There are individuals and groups out there desperately seeking the info, and unfortunately the
organised accumulation of the relevant material in the community is still in its infancy. I have received
emails from individuals, families, friends and relations in bushfire prone areas, builders, engineers and
folk involved in local fire groups and land care groups. These groups could be a good place to go
to meet like-minded folk working with the same issues.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or authorities,
including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 57 of 59
The new building codes (released Wednesday 11 March 2009, were announced within a month of
Black Saturday. However there is still much research apparently required into fire bunkers, made
more difficult because the Black Saturday fires were something not been experienced before. The
CSIRO has indicated these conditions are now more likely to occur again than in the past.
If you feel something needs to be done to ensure it does not all get bogged down, do something
about it. Contact your local council and/or member of Parliament and make sure they are not sitting
on their hands. As stated, some of these issues were first raised 70 years ago, but fell off the radar.
If I can write a document such as this, then imagine what you and your communities can achieve.
Please do what you can to make it all happen.
Once again, do not RELY on this document, but I hope it helps you with your enquires.
All the very best.
Ian Pullar
ianpullar@gmail.com
PS – Okay, if you’ve read right to the end – I may as well put in a plug for my other project, which is a
budgeting book called Easy Budgeting – I’ll never be broke again.
Free download from http://home.iprimus.com.au/ianpullar/easybudgeting.htm
You never know – follow the hints and you might be able to afford your dream bunker (oops, I mean
wine cellar).
SEE OVER PAGE FOR AGE ARTICLE
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or authorities,
including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 58 of 59
You need to be in Print Layout view to see the article. Go View, Print Layout
AGE ARTICLE
When it comes to surviving bushfires – this is possibly the most important information in the
whole document. A fire bunker may be able to save you and those who are important to you. The
following is about keeping those people important to you – and keeping you important to them.
It says “Hang on to the big picture and think about what you can’t replace: your relationship, your
family and children, your health, your career, your interests, your friendship networks. All the things
that actually make life meaningful.”
We can fight long and hard for material things or “the way things should be” which may ultimately
mean nothing if we loose the people around us in that struggle.
DISCLAIMER - No claim is made as to the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of this document / web site. The
author/s of the material and provider/s of this web site do not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice
(or the use of such information or advice) which is provided or incorporated into it by reference. The material is provided on
the basis that all persons reading it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. Further – this information
is not intended to override the suggestions or requirements of fire authorities or council or government bodies or authorities,
including the concept of leaving the area in the event of fire risk.
© Ian Pullar March 2009.
Page 59 of 59