We understand that you’ve been keen on these new features inside Stash and we wanted you to be the first to give them a spin.
Drum roll, please….. The Dev team have been super busy developing our National access to Flooding & Bushfires feature inside Stash. Let’s get started!
Newly Released Feature: Bushfire and Flooding Layers
Knowing the hazards in the area (like flooding and bushfires) of your target property is one of the factors to be considered since they give you an idea of what adjustments you have to do when doing the development.
The level of bushfire hazard that a building experience is influenced by a combination of factors, including the weather and local climate conditions, topography, and fuel load from unmanaged vegetation: as well as other consequential fire sources.
Bushfires are common in many parts of Queensland and can pose significant challenges for people living in bushfire-prone areas. Understanding how bushfires behave is essential when it comes to planning, designing, building, and surviving in a bushfire resilient house. It is important to understand:
- the environments in which bushfires occur
- the challenges faced by people living in bushfire-prone areas
- the different types of bushfires, their potential impacts, and how buildings ignite
- how to assess bushfire hazards in and around your property
- myths and misconceptions about bushfires.
How does the planning scheme address potential bushfire hazards?
Areas prone to bushfires are identified in the State Government’s bushfire mapping. This map is also utilised in the Quilpie Shire Planning Scheme. The Planning Scheme requires that new development considers bushfire risks, the impact on disaster management response or recovery capacity and also ensures that the development will not compromise the capabilities of emergency services, or put people within the development in harm’s way.
What does it mean if my property is in a bushfire hazard area?
If you wish to develop your property, you have to make sure that your intended development does not:
- Block direct access to evacuation routes; or
- Store hazardous material in bulk; or
- Is not considered a vulnerable use (ie child care centres, community care centres, educational establishments, etc.)
What puts a property at risk when it comes to Flooding?
The location of a property is the main driver of flood risk.
Most at-risk across Australia according to IAG-Flood-Fact Sheet:
- Brisbane, QLD
- Central Coast, NSW
- Clarence Valley, NSW
- Hawkesbury, NSW
- Kempsey, NSW
- Lismore, NSW
- Shoalhaven, NSW
- Townsville, QLD
- Tweed, NSW
- Wollongong, NSW
The areas at risk of flooding are dictated by topography (i.e. the surface of the land) and rainfall in the catchment, as water follows the lowest path across the landscape. This means floods don’t affect every part of a geographic region in the same way. If you live in a flood risk area, your risk can vary significantly depending on:
- Location of your home
- Floor heights
How to view and check Bushfires and Flooding in Stash?
To view bushfires inside Stash, just simply follow the steps below:
- Select your target property.
- Once done, click the ‘Bushfire’ tick-box on the upper right-hand corner of the Stash page.
- For richer information, just click on ‘Planning Info’ and you will have the details regarding the hazards of the property with the links as your reference.
To view and check flooding inside Stash, please refer to the steps below:
- Select your target property.
- Once you have your target property, click the ‘Flooding’ tick-box on the upper right-hand corner of the Stash page to see the results.
- Go to ‘Planning Info’ to get further details regarding the flooding and bushfires hazards as well as their references.
These new additions are very simple and easy to use even if you’re not tech-savvy.
So give it a whirl, and ensure your property research is looking at Fire and Flood risks.
Contact our Customer Support Champion for any assistance.
Send an email to support@stashproperty.com.au or chat with us directly now at stashproperty.com.au.
References:
- https://www.iag.com.au/sites/default/files/Documents/Climate%20action/IAG-Flood-Fact-Sheet.pdf
- https://www.qra.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-12/0576_qra_bushfire_guideline_v10_pages_print.pdf
- https://quilpie.qld.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2018-Bushfire-Fact-Sheet.pdf
