Not sure if you have connections with your local rural fire brigade Marty but if so this might be worth querying with them as to the practicability for future episodes re saving houses and paddocks in rural situations.
Because we used to have one of the mop up units stationed at our old property and were encouraged to use it to make sure it was always in working order, at bushfire season we used to spray our fence line and posts with a fire retardent and also the area around the house. It wont of course help much with flying embers but will stop/slow a grass fire and reading the specs on it I think it would also be safe to spray onto homes as well. We never did that as our place was in the middle of a 100 acre cleared paddock but we always did the perimeters.
http://www.phos-chek.com.au/retardant/phos-chek-259
I realize not everyone has a mop up unit with a big spray tank on board, but the Stanthorpe council also used to hire out to locals their spray rigs (when they were not using them) for a nominal cost to allow people to do weed eradication along roadside verges and fencelines.
Can't remember what the cost factor of the retardent was and suspect it would only be viable if bought throught the firies, or even perhaps through your local council, but what price do you put on stock loss, and replacing fences.. Might be something that could be approached and actioned on a community basis
Just a thought
Cheers
Maureen