How do residents living in bushfire prone areas view the bushfire risk of their local area and does this assessment match that of their state fire authority? Does this risk perception change when different building materials are used in the construction of their home? Do residents living in brick houses, for example, feel safer than their neighbours in timber or fibro homes?

This paper presents the survey finding of 252 (74 pilot & 178 field) responses from residents living in selected villages of the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast of NSW. Questions examined building construction by asking about the materials used in the outer membrane of the house - the outside walls, roof, door and window frames. Regarding sheltering in their home during a bushfire attack, respondents were asked which parts of their home they would seek shelter in during a bushfire and which parts they would avoid and why?

Further questions looked at which alterations/additions to their home they believed would improve its fire performance. Of particular interest is the risk perception of those residents living in the 29 homes built after 1999 which should have been AS3959 compliant. What was their perception of risk? This paper also sheds light on more unusual questions, such as whether proximity to the sea affects resident’s perception of their bushfire risk.