During a bushfire, fire water tanks must be able to endure a variety of heat and flame conditions. The effectiveness of your bushfire water tank can be impacted by radiant heat from an approaching fire and direct exposure to flames, as well as red-hot embers from leaf litter and those blowing during strong winds.
Poly tanks can melt, change shape, and crack as a result of the stress of storing water while also being exposed to radiant heat. As a bushfire solution they are far from ultimately effective. Just above the temperature of boiling water, polythene reaches its transition temperature, the point at which it begins to soften. Even embers can begin to blister the tank.
In contrast galvanised lined tanks retain tank integrity and effectiveness, in most bushfires, and continue to deliver water for fire fighting:
The Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (Bushfire CRC) and Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) have researched and tested poly and galvanised steel tanks in bushfire conditions. The results demonstrate that galvanised steel water storage tanks have the best chance of providing effective bushfire protection for your property during and after the fire-front.
(Source: Fire Note issue 68, November 2010)
There are a number of instances where combining fire protection and domestic or irrigation water use is the most cost-effective solution to manage both requirements.
To preserve the firefighting reserve water, the take-off point for domestic and irrigation use is installed above the reserve level for bushfire protection.
This ensures your firefighting capacity is always preserved, while providing the cost-saving benefits often achieved of having one large tank versus two smaller tanks.
Tank Description | Model | Diameter (mm) | Height (mm) |
---|---|---|---|
23900 Litres | AM3G052 | 3700 | 3700 |
34400 Litres | AM3G076 | 4500 | 2200 |
46800 Litres | AM3G103 | 5200 | 2200 |
61100 Litres | AM3G134 | 5900 | 2200 |
77300 Litres | AM3G170 | 6700 | 2200 |
115500 Litres | AM3G254 | 8200 | 2200 |
137400 Litres | AM3G302 | 8900 | 2200 |
161300 Litres | 161300 Litres | 9700 | 2200 |
187100 Litres | AM3G411 | 10400 | 2200 |
214700 Litres | AM2G472 | 11100 | 2200 |
244300 Litres | AM3G537 | 11900 | 2200 |
275800 Litres | AM3G607 | 12600 | 2200 |