 This will reach your home long before the main fire will. Ember attacks are the most common way houses catch fire during bushfires. An ember attack can make late evacuation a dangerous and frightening experience. Embers are burning twigs, leaves and pieces of debris. They can range in size from small leaves to large pieces of bark and branches. As vegetation burns, embers can be blown by the wind ahead of the fire, creating an ember attack. If the fire is large enough, the embers can be carried very high into the air and travel long distances. The intense heat of a bushfire causes gases and material to rise rapidly in a cloud of smoke. This is called a plume or column. It creates massive amounts of updraft, which sucks in air like a strong vacuum. This generates winds from all directions and increases the size and power of the smoke column. The updraft lifts the embers high into the smoke column, where they're picked up by the prevailing winds. This can carry the embers many kilometres away from the fire front, where they can start new fires. You might think you're safe when the fire front is far away, but embers can land well ahead of the main fire and start new ones. This means roads or your property could be threatened by fire, long before the main fire arrives. Embers could catch fire or escape routes could be cut off before you even know a fire is near. That's why leaving early is always the safest option.