What Is an Ember Attack and How to Protect Your Home Against It?

All-flow Aluminium Gutter Mesh • Oct 13, 2023

Are you living in bushfire-prone areas? Perhaps you're looking for ways to protect your home against ember attacks? An ember attack is the most common way house fires start during bushfires. While they may be small in size, they can travel up to several kilometres and ignite anything flammable along their path. Fortunately, there are ways to safeguard your property in the event of an ember attack. In this blog, we'll discuss what an ember attack is, how it occurs, and the dangers it poses. We'll also talk about the various solutions available such as installing an ember gutter guard kit to protect your home and family against an ember attack. Read on to learn more.

What is an ember attack and how does it occur?

An ember attack, also known as an ember shower or ember storm, is a wildfire phenomenon where burning embers are carried by the wind and can travel ahead of the main fire front.

It basically occurs when burning twigs and leaves are carried by the wind and land on or around a house. As the embers are lightweight and small enough to travel through the air and land, they can ignite on a combustible material ahead of the fire, causing the fire front to grow faster and often with greater intensity. In worst cases, an ember attack can start spot fires and create new bushfires. This makes it a major risk to homeowners and businesses located in bushfire prone areas.

What is the danger of an ember attack?

Ember attacks have the potential to accelerate the spread of wildfires in an unpredictable manner. They carry the fire through the wind and cause it to rekindle in areas that have been previously burned, which can lead to further destruction of property, vegetation and wildlife.

In extreme cases, radiant heat and direct flame contact can also have the potential to break glass and enable sparks, embers, and flames to enter a structure. As the fire spreads quickly, embers may land on combustible materials, such as furniture or flooring, and ignite them.

How can you protect your home against ember attacks?

To protect your home against ember attacks, there are several measures you can take:

Install ember guards

Ember guards are typically designed to cover openings and gaps greater than 3mm in your home's structure. Ember guards are also made of mesh or screen material that are designed to protect against burning embers. By installing an ember guard in your roof, you can prevent embers from entering your home.

Seal any gaps or holes

Any gaps, cracks, holes or any openings in your home's exterior can potentially allow embers to enter. Make sure to seal them or cover any openings that can be found on the exterior walls, roof and foundation of your home.

Clear out debris

Make sure that you always check and regularly clear out your roof and nearby surroundings with anything that can catch fire easily, such as dry leaves, twigs, debris, and any flammable objects. This is to ensure that your property won't catch fire in the event of a bushfire.

Takeaway

Embers are one of the principal causes of building damage during bushfires. When they come in contact with combustible materials, they can start a fire in your property. Whether it's bushfire season or not, an ember attack can happen anytime without warning. That's why to ensure that your property or a building in bushfire prone area is protected against it, you need to install ember guards, seal gaps and holes, and clear out debris within your vicinity.

At All-Flow Aluminium Gutter Mesh, our gutter guards are ember proof and made from weather-resistant materials. Not only can they prevent leaves and debris from clogging your gutters but they can also lessen the risk of damage caused by embers and burning materials during a bushfire. Contact us today to learn how our ember proof gutter mesh can protect your home.

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