Assessment of Bushfire Exposure

The University of Melbourne

As our fire season becomes hotter and longer, its vital we build houses that can withstand these conditions. This online micro-credential is ideal for professionals in bushfire planning, design or advisory services seeking the skills and knowledge to conduct bushfire assessments of residential properties and deliver building recommendations that contribute to creating more fire-resilient structures. Learning in this course is mapped to Australian Standard AS3959:2018. Perform topographic analyses and assess vegetation: Explore how to assess vegetation type using desktop research and perform topographic analysis using GIS. Learn to assess a site based on regional fire weather differences using online data. Recommend alternate building approaches: Undertake desktop assessments of bushfire exposure. Develop alternate approaches for a building site based on vegetation and slope. Conduct a property assessment: Learn to apply a basic property assessment using the Australian Standard AS3959:2018. You'll document a bushfire assessment of three residential properties and include the measurements and calculations used to determine property exposure. Report on your findings and recommendations: Gain the knowledge needed to provide recommendations for a residential building based on the AS3959 assessment. Report on your findings in a clear concise manner and provide recommendations on alternative plans and the construction standards required.

Skills and learning outcomes: By the end of this course, you'll have a deeper understanding of how to assess properties and recommend changes to increase fire-resilience. You'll be able to: Apply a basic property assessment using the Australian Standard AS3959:2018 Provide recommendations for a residential building based on the AS3959 assessment.