Wildfire Protection Services director Paul Roadknight, of Dandenong, said the lack of a national building standard for bushfire bunkers meant residents in fire-prone regions such as the Dandenongs would not know whether their bunker was safe until it was too late.

He urged the State Government to give manufacturers boxes to tick to ensure peace of mind for residents. "A lot of the bunkers have design flaws and they're nothing more than concrete tombs."

Mr Roadknight said a bunker was a "daunting environment".

Building and Plumbing Industry Commissioner Tony Arnel expects a standard for bushfire bunkers to be completed by 2010 despite there being no current technical standards.

"A bunker should only be part of an individual's overall bushfire plan rather than a simple solution," he said.

"It's important people considering building or installing a bunker seek the advice of a relevant building practitioner, such as a fire-safety engineer or a structural engineer prior to doing so."

A spokesman for the State Government said it was working on a national bunker framework, which it hoped to discuss at next month's ministerial council meeting.

On Black Saturday, seven people died taking refuge in bunkers.