Understanding your BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) rating is essential for ensuring the safety and compliance of your property, especially in bushfire-prone areas. This article explains what constitutes a good BAL rating, the different Bushfire Attack Levels, and the BAL assessment process.
Introduction to BAL Rating
A BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) rating assesses the potential exposure of a building to embers, radiant heat, and direct flame contact during a bushfire. This rating is crucial for determining the necessary construction and landscaping modifications needed to ensure the safety and compliance of your property with bushfire regulations.
The BAL Assessment Process
The BAL assessment process evaluates several factors to determine your property’s BAL level:
- Vegetation Type: The types of vegetation surrounding your property.
- Proximity to Vegetation: The distance between the vegetation and your building.
- Slope of the Land: The gradient of the land where your property is situated.
- Fire Danger Index: The potential fire weather conditions in your area.
Different BAL Ratings
- BAL-LOW:
- Description: Minimal risk from bushfires.
- Requirements: Generally, no specific construction requirements or extra costs are necessary.
- BAL-12.5:
- Description: Risk of ember attack.
- Requirements: Enhance ember protection by adhering to specific construction standards, includes sealing openings, using compliant glass and doors, and ensuring the roof is sarked.
- BAL-19:
- Description: Increasing risk of ember attack and heat flux.
- Requirements: Improved construction standards for ember and heat protection. Costs include sealing openings, using fire-resistant glass, compliant doors, and ensuring the roof is sarked.
- BAL-29:
- Description: High risk of ember attack and increasing levels of heat flux.
- Requirements: Stringent construction methods to protect against embers and heat. Costs include sealing openings, using glass with shutters, robust door frames, sarked roofs, subfloor supports, external walls, and other non-combustible features.
- BAL-40:
- Description: Very high risk of ember attack and significant levels of radiant heat.
- Requirements: Comprehensive construction standards for heightened fire dangers. This can be more costly, and achieving a BAL-29 or lower may be more feasible.
- BAL-FZ (Flame Zone):
- Description: Extreme risk of direct exposure to flames, ember attack, and high levels of radiant heat.
- Requirements: The highest standard of construction to ensure safety from direct flame contact and high heat. Costs can be significantly higher, and aiming for a BAL-29 or lower may offer a better balance of safety and cost.
AS3959 can be found at Standards Australia
What is a Good BAL Rating?
A ‘good’ Bushfire Attack Level accurately reflects the specific bushfire risks for your property and ensures you take all necessary precautions to protect your building.
Generally, a lower BAL rating requires fewer protection measures and easier compliance with bushfire safety standards. Properties with lower BAL ratings are typically safer due to their favourable location and reduced bushfire risk.
Learn more on our Retrofit for Bushfire Resilience Page.
Conclusion
Understanding and evaluating your BAL rating is vital for the safety and compliance of your property in bushfire-prone areas. The BAL assessment process identifies the level of risk from bushfires, and different BAL ratings determine the necessary construction standards. Implement all safety measures appropriately according to your specific BAL Level. Lower BAL ratings are better because they require fewer protective measures
Explore further details on our Siting for Bushfire Defence Page.