How do buildings ignite?
CSIRO has undertaken extensive research on house loss during bushfires. Research has shown that consequential fires are a major cause of house ignition.
How buildings ignite
Most building fires start with small ignitions. Under ideal bushfire conditions, these ignitions will accelerate and progressively involve the whole building. For example, if left unattended, small fires next to the house can grow to a size where they will ignite or break vulnerable building elements creating a point of entry for the bushfire.
Ignition can also occur from embers landing on external combustible elements or entering the house through gaps in the buildings envelope. Any break or gap in the buildings envelope may provide a point of entry for the bushfire to damage or destroy the house.
Buildings may be impacted by direct attacks from the bushfire or by indirect attacks from consequential fires, tree strike or wind attack