Facts of fire - Part 4 Windspeed

In todays instalment of the Facts of Fire series we are covering windspeed.

A fire will burn faster uphill. This is because the flames can easily reach more unburnt material (like grass) in front of the fire. Radiant heat pre-heats the grass in front of the fire, making it even more flammable.

In Victoria, most high-risk fire areas are not flat, so fires can spread and become out of control quickly.

On a 10-degree slope, fire will travel twice as fast as a fire on flat ground in the same conditions, and on a 20-degree slope, it will travel four times as fast.

Tomorrow we will be sharing part 5 which covers radiant heat.

For more information about how to prepare your property for the risk of fire this summer visit http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about/plan-and-prepare/

Make sure you have the VicEmergency app on your smart devices so you can get early warning of fire activity in your area.

Remember indecision and confusion during a fire could be a killer and on high-risk fire days, leaving early before a fire starts, is always the safest option.