Bushfire resilience - FireMesh™
A game-changer for bushfire resilience: Protecting Australia’s energy infrastructure with FireMesh™
According to Climate Change Australia, ‘Australia is one of the most fire prone regions in the world’ and over the past decade, bushfires have ravaged millions of hectares, destroyed thousands of homes, and inflicted billions in economic losses. Yet, one of the most overlooked casualties has been our electricity network. Specifically, the wooden transmission and distribution poles that form its backbone. These poles are increasingly vulnerable as climate-fuelled fires grow longer and more severe, the cost of protecting and replacing damaged timer poles is escalating rapidly. When these poles burn, communities lose power, industries grind to a halt, and recovery costs for Government and private energy company’s skyrocket.
FireMesh™ by Genics is a game changer for bushfire resilience
It’s a revolutionary fire-retardant mesh which was rolled out across Queensland by Ergon Energy and Energex after a successful trial. Installed at the base of power poles, Fire-Mesh™ activates when exposed to heat, swelling into a fireproof blanket that shields poles from embers, radiant heat, and direct flames. In recent bushfires near Townsville, poles wrapped in Fire-Mesh™ remained undamaged, allowing power to be restored to nearly 2,000 properties quicker than usual1 The cost-benefit is significant and can be installed at a fraction of the cost of replacing a single pole, which can run into tens of thousands of dollars. With over 1.7 million poles across Queensland alone, the potential savings for governments and energy providers for bushfire impacted poles makes Fire-Mesh™ low-cost insurance for the network and communities of Queensland. Beyond cost, Fire-Mesh™ offers unmatched durability - proven to perform for over 25 years and rigorously tested under simulated wildfire conditions 2. It’s environmentally safe, durable enough for existing storage and handling, easy to install, and compatible with existing maintenance practices.
Preserving critical wood resources also delivers significant environmental benefits
Australia's climate is warming at an accelerating pace, contributing to longer, more intense fire seasons that pose a growing threat to communities and infrastructure. In this changing climate, a proactive strategy for bushfire management is not just prudent, it's essential. Compounding the challenge is a growing shortage of hardwood poles in Australia, which are difficult to source and require decades to mature. Protecting these critical energy assets with solutions like Fire-Mesh™ not only ensures greater resilience, faster recovery, and long-term sustainability for Australia's power infrastructure, but also extends the life of existing poles—making it an environmentally responsible choice. Fire-Mesh™ is also non-toxic and environmentally friendly. This is not just a product - it’s a strategic investment in resilience. As climate change intensifies fire seasons, Fire-Mesh™ provides a proactive, scalable solution to protect critical infrastructure, ensure energy continuity, and safeguard communities. For governments and private enterprises, the message is clear: safeguard critical wood pole assets with Fire-Mesh™.
Articles
- Genics FireMesh™ product overview
- Fireproof mesh to be installed on power poles in Qld
- Aussie engineers find way to prevent power pole-top fires - Energy Source & Distribution
