Australia’s experts in bushfire property protection will be out in force at the Bushfire Building Expo in Springwood on Saturday, September 10.
In its third year, the expo has become a must-do calendar event with more than 1500 people attending last year. The free community event produced by Blue Mountains Economic Enterprise (BMEE) showcases building products, bushfire consultants, architects, builders, landscapers, designers, and insurers.
The expo will also feature community information sessions, presenting essential information for all residents living in bushfire-prone areas.
“Last year more than 620 people attended the information sessions. This year we have an even more unique and interesting program, covering topics such as getting insurance right, what is a BAL rating, why do houses burn down,” said BMEE CEO, Jacqueline Brinkman.
“This year we are also running a Mythbusters session where we will have experts break apart some of the misconceptions that exist such as: ‘My house is brick so it won’t burn down’, ‘We built to Flame Zone standard, so all the neighbours can shelter at our place if a fire comes,’ and others.”
For the first time, BMEE will also be screening a series of films including the highly popular Fire Stories – A Lesson in Time, produced by the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute. The film captures the human stories surrounding the devastating bushfires which tore through Leura and Wentworth Falls in 1957-58. In addition, the SBS documentary, Bushfire – Inside the Inferno, will be screened.
“We are fortunate and incredibly grateful to have been given permission to screen these films as part of the expo program. Both provide incredible first-hand accounts from firefighters and survivors from the notorious Blue Mountains fire in the 1950s and of course the much more recent 2013 bushfires,” said Ms Brinkman.
NSW RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers urged residents to attend the expo which is designed to help people understand the bushfire risk in their area and how to best prepare.
“This event is a great initiative to help residents fully understand their risk and, more importantly act on it. The NSW Rural Fire Service will be on hand to help people better plan for the event of a bushfire,” said Mr Rogers.
The day prior to the Bushfire Building Expo, BMEE is once again presenting the Bushfire Building Conference on Friday, September 9. This is the only national event that brings together builders, architects, designers, planners, researchers, regulators and insurers to explore issues around building in a bushfire-prone area.
“This year’s conference will cover new ground including the findings from the 2015 Wye River fire near the Great Ocean Road and the latest on regulations and building innovation from around the country. The conference has become known as a great forum for anyone working in the building or planning industries to learn more about the increasing risk of bushfire,” said Ms Brinkman.
The expo in September 10 is a free community event from 9am-4pm. The conference is a ticketed event ($195). To register: bmee.org.au/category/bushfire-conference-expo/.
Both events are held at the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub in Macquarie Road, Springwood.