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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-AU link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Thank you Bob and Jim,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Yes while 1 ½ inches (35mm) is common in many of the fire tests that achieve a 2 hour fire rating . Expressed in Australia as a fire rating level ( FRL ) of Frl 120/120/120 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>People often forget in some climates the fire source, the wood fire ,may burn 24 /7 for a number of days or weeks a year, not just for 2 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Wood combustion heaters , manufacturers specifications are the best guide, along with considering straw as Flammable. Heat transfer through the render causing smouldering is not uncommon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>As always it is interesting repairing , seeing and learning from such events, sad as they are for the owners, trust yours is recovering quickly .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Regards lance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US> Gsbn <gsbn-bounces@sustainablesources.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>bob@bobtheis.net<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, 14 June 2018 1:09 AM<br><b>To:</b> Global Straw Building Network <gsbn@sustainablesources.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [GSBN] Fire case studies<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here's a fire incident that Jim Reiland asked me to post on his behalf. <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>There was a similar event at Black Range Lodge years ago where heat from a cob fireplace flanked by bale walls set the walls to smoldering. Catherine Wanek should be able to fill in the details. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Makes me wonder if these massive-looking bale walls register subliminally as masonry, so people drop their inherent caution about keeping combustibles away from fire. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Now I imagine the warning label that goes on each bale….<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Bob<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Last year I repaired a straw bale wall in a small cottage here in S. Oregon. The wall had burned. Whoever installed the wood burning stove failed to read the instructions about keeping it a minimum of 30” from flammable material, or thought that a straw bale wall protected by an inch of plaster was inflammable (probably the latter). <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The stove was operated seasonally (November – April) for ten years before heat finally ignited the straw bales inside the wall. According to the responding fire fighters, the fire appeared to have been burning for several hours and was “creeping around,” especially at horizontal and vertical joints between bales. It likely started during the night and more smoldered through than burned approximately 120 sq. ft. of a clay plastered straw bale wall for several hours before a neighbor noticed the fire, found the building occupant unconscious (the building had no smoke or CO alarms), and called the fire department. When fire fighters removed exterior plaster to get at the fire the wall burst into flame, which they extinguished with a Class A foam fire retardant. They stopped the fire before it reached the attic, which was very lucky since the building didn’t have any kind of barrier between the top of the wall and attic framing and insulation. They returned several times during the day to make sure the fire was out. Some 4 x 4 posts were charred, and the 2 x 4 sill plates immediately adjacent to the wood burning stove needed to be replaced. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>This story has less to do with fire testing than what happens when fire gets into a straw bale wall, and how to extinguish it. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Jim<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Jim Reiland<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Many Hands Builders<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>541-899-1166<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>541-200-9546 cell<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jim@manyhandsbuilders.com"><span style='color:#954F72'>jim@manyhandsbuilders.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.manyhandsbuilders.com"><span style='color:#954F72'>www.manyhandsbuilders.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal>On May 28, 2018, at 8:57 AM, Chris Magwood <<a href="mailto:chris@endeavourcentre.org">chris@endeavourcentre.org</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Hi all,<br><br>I have a researcher who has asked me for information about case studies involving fires in straw bale houses. Has any kind of summary report ever been done? Anybody have any specific cases they could point toward?<br><br>Thanks,<br><br>Chris<br><br>-- <br>Chris Magwood<br>Director, Endeavour Centre<br><a href="http://www.endeavourcentre.org">www.endeavourcentre.org</a><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>Gsbn mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Gsbn@sustainablesources.com">Gsbn@sustainablesources.com</a><br><a href="http://sustainablesources.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/gsbn">http://sustainablesources.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/gsbn</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></blockquote></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
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