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The Forum > General Discussion > bushfire

bushfire

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We see burnt trucks, tractors and houses. Maybe large fire blankets can be stored by Rural Fire Brigade and supplied to cover a vehicle as the bushfire approaches . Strips of blanket could be thrown over houses and held by magnets along the edges or metallic velcro to cover the building , with stones to seal the base. Bushfires generally last 15 minutes at a site and at 400-500 degrees. Blankets resist 500 degrees for 1 minute. So I googled for something better and found:

". SunSeeker (USA) will provide over twice the protection in terms of temperature and 5 times the protection in terms of time, than the ones now in use.”
Current fire blankets will withstand up to 1,000 degrees (500 C)Fahrenheit for up to 1 minute. The SunSeeker fire blanket withstands temperatures over 2500 degrees for up to 5 minutes. The fire blanket is made of NASA-based and UL-approved ceramic fiber blanket that withstands 3,000F, with an Inconel spray that keeps the foil of the fire shelter from disintegrating like it did in Yarnell, Arizona where 19 hotshot firefighters lost their lives in 2013. The spray is waterproof so can be applied well in advance of a fire approaching.

The blanket is made from a ceramic fiber coated in a zirconia/inconel spray, and weighs in at a little under 7 lb (3.2 kg). This is a couple of pounds heavier than the tent-style shelters currently used, but unlike those, the Fire Blanket can reportedly withstand temperatures of up to 3,000º F (1,648º C)."
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Now maybe the high temp peaks for 5 minutes in a bushfire and perhaps the blanket can do 500 degrees for 15 minutes. I've tried emailing insurance companies , CSIRO etc but no interest . One insurer says they don't make fire blankets so I explained they donate to Fire Brigades and blankets could be profitable for them in reduced pay-outs. Also I bang my head on the wall.
Posted by nicknamenick, Tuesday, 14 February 2017 9:00:27 PM
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". Also I bang my head on the wall."

Now I understand!!
Posted by Is Mise, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 9:24:30 AM
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First, do we see firebreaks and planned regular controlled burning off of excess fuel?

If not, it is like banging your head against a wall.
Posted by leoj, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 9:48:20 AM
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The fires lately around Dunedoo showed open flat grassland . Like the fires in Canberra few years ago the flames are driven across even mown lawns. And the brigades say that generally they can't fight just protect domestic property. There has to be some simple way to screen flames. There are pumice-block shelters available which is the right sort of thing.
Posted by nicknamenick, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 10:32:01 AM
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I think Nick is onto something here. At least they should give it a try. Simple solutions usually work!
Posted by JBowyer, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 10:56:41 AM
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Hey hey , a thermal supply company just wrote:

"Our glass fibre materials are rated to 550oc and the woven glass fibre fabric can have a coating applied so it can see temperatures up to 800oC (1000oC intermittent).

Your idea is a good one however the material supplied would require test certificates, this can be obtained by means of testing in an authorised testing facility (CSIRO) we can arrange (cost involved)."
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I really hope it's his cost and he won't bill me all my pension.
Posted by nicknamenick, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 1:00:51 PM
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And ....
"Thank you for contacting CSIRO.

We do not have the resources to provide answers to information requests. CSIRO scientists are not able to assist with requests for an expert opinion as their main activity and priority is to carry out their research, which means they are off-site or time-restricted by project management requirements.

Once again thank you for connecting with CSIRO. If you have any further enquiries regarding CSIRO and its research capabilities or services, please reply or follow the links below.

Kind regards,
Hui Ping
Information Officer
CSIRO Enquiries ".
Posted by nicknamenick, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 1:12:49 PM
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But the velcro works . Das ist Deutsche ya.

"The uber-Velcro, dubbed Metaklett, is also chemical-resistant and can withstand temperatures of nearly 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, according to developers at the Institute of Metal Forming and Casting, Technical University Munich (TUM).
"They are bent in such a way that they deform elastically under light pressure and glide into the holes like the synthetic buckles on backpack straps. Once inserted, they return immediately to their original form and, thanks to their sprung splaying arms, they resist back-pull like an expanding rivet," the literature explains (PDF).
And what of that iconic scratch Velcro makes as it is undone? The sound of Metaklett being unzipped has been described as "metallic, like a glittering chain," TUM's Patrick Regan said. Sounds like an improvement."
Posted by nicknamenick, Wednesday, 15 February 2017 1:19:08 PM
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