Building resilience: using parametric modelling and gaming engines to simulate the impacts of secondary structures in bushfire events

Bushfires are a global phenomenon, closely connected to climate change and safety, resilience and sustainability of cities and human settlements. Government agencies, architects and researchers across institutions are committed to improving Australia’s resilience to bushfires yet grappling with ways to further mitigate risks. ‘Build back better’ is the often-used phrase to support bushfire resilience, yet there remains a limited understanding of how secondary structures, such as storage sheds, garages, and fences contribute to or mitigate fire loss. These secondary structures are integral to properties yet fall, largely, outside land use planning approval processes and other regulations. Computational modelling can be adapted to deliver visualisations that increase awareness. We developed several simulation approaches which addressed distances, relationship to and the construction materials of secondary structures, terrain slopes and environmental forces. We conclude that gaming engines may offer the optimal immersive opportunity for residents and others to visualise fire risks related to secondary structures to increase awareness and improve bushfire readiness behaviours