Facts of fire - Part 5 Radiant heat

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

During a bushfire, the atmosphere will literally feel like hell on earth. Flame temperatures can reach up to 1,100 degrees and radiant heat fluxes high enough to vaporise vegetation, only adding speed to the scorching hot flames.

There’s no questioning the facts, if you are stuck in a bushfire, your chances of survival are slim.

This CFA crew protection system test clearly demonstrates the risks of radiant heat if you trapped in vehicle in the middle of a bushfire.

Temperatures outside the vehicles reach over 700 degrees and the it is only the special crew protection system that keeps the inside temperature to a survivable level.

Even with special protection equipment as firefighters we do everything possible not to be trapped in the middle of a bushfire.

Tomorrow we will be sharing part 6 covering grassfires which is the most common type of summer fire occurring in the Wollert area.

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.