If your home is going to be built in an area that is adjacent to some bushland where many fires have occurred, it would be sensible to take the advice here on board.
Get bushfire windows instead of standard ones
If you were building your house right in the middle of an area where bushfires are a common occurrence, then getting bushfire windows (i.e. windows that will take a long time to be destroyed by fire) fitted in your new home would be a no-brainer. However, even if your plot is technically not within the area where bushfires happen, but is instead merely close to it, and the building regulations you need to follow don't, therefore, stipulate that your house must have these windows, you should still get them.
The reason for this is as follows: the way in which a bushfire spreads can be unpredictable and depends on many things, including the direction of the wind, the number of flammable materials in the environment and the speed with which the firefighters work. As such, whilst your plot might only be adjacent to the area where bushfires frequently develop, it could still end up being exposed to a bushfire's flames and heat if, for example, the wind is blowing in its direction, if it is not raining or if the fire-fighters are unable to get it under control fast enough. If the fire spreads far beyond its initial ignition point in the bushland and reaches your property, the presence of these windows could give you time to escape and possibly reduce the damage the bushfire causes to your home.
Make sure your dress your bushfire windows correctly
If you get these windows, you should also make sure that, after your home is built and you are ready to start doing some window dressing, you are mindful of the materials you use for this process. For example, it might be a good idea to purchase fire-resistant blinds; these will ensure that if your bushfire windows happen to be open when a fire is occurring in the adjacent bushland, and some ignited detritus is being blown towards your home by the wind, the blinds will not immediately catch fire and cause the flames to rapidly spread through the house.
If you cannot find any fire-resistant blinds that match your home or the style of windows you've chosen, you should get ordinary ones and paint them with fire-resistant paint. If you do this, you will have more options in regards to which blinds to choose and will still be able to use them as an extra form of protection during any future bushfires.
If you live in an area that experiences fires, consider purchasing bushfire windows.
