Bushfire traps: the application of mesh screens to contain bushfires

Bushfires have become an all too frequent natural disaster in Australia. The severe impact of the incidents, especially in recent years, indicates the relative ineffectiveness of available techniques to contain them. The options to eliminate or reduce their impact include the application of wire meshes, which appears to be an effective technique. As filters and flame arrestors the benefits of meshes are well-established, and Australian standard for construction in bushfire prone areas (AS3959) recommends their use. However, the effectiveness of wire meshes in controlling bushfire propagation requires further investigation. In recent research carried out by the authors, it has been revealed that the screens are able to reduce the radiant heat flux, as well as effectively to weaken ember attack. The effects of screen parameters such as cell size, porosity, cell shape, weaving type and the screen orientation with respect to wind direction have been investigated experimentally and the results are presented in this paper