Radiant Heat is very dangerous, and is the major cause of death of humans and animals in bushfire.

Radiant heat generated in a bushfire can be so intense that it scorches vegetation in its path and kills animals and people in the open. Death is caused by heat stress, leading to heat exhaustion and death. This may happen very quickly when skin is exposed to radiant heat from an intense bushfire.

The easiest way to feel radiant heat and its impact, is to;

• put your hand near an open flame, an electric heater or light bulb and feel the heat on your hand.
• If you put something between your skin and the heat your skin feels immediately cooler. This is because radiant heat can't go through solid objects.
• Similarly, the heat on your hand will get less as you move your hand further away from the flame.

This relates to protecting yourself from radiant heat in a bushfire; the more distance you put between yourself and the fire and the more shielding you can put between yourself and the fire the more protection you will have.