Timber offers their own natural defence, forming a char that protects its core strength – usually long enough for the fire to be extinguished.

Far from providing additional protection in the event of a fire, as is often claimed, steel frames are prone to softening and buckling in extreme heat.

Research into fires indicates that houses in intense bushfires succumb when embers, often propelled by high winds, penetrate the exterior of a house, igniting furnishings and interior fittings. At this point there is a fire that will almost inevitably destroy the house, regardless of the structural material used.

Importantly timber frames follow a more predictable burning pattern and tend to support structural loads for longer in a fire. Anecdotal evidence from fire-fighters suggests they are less comfortable entering a steel-framed home in a fire than a timber framed homes simply because of this lack of predictability.