Quinkana

I rang Dr Peter Ellis of The CSIRO Bushfire Behaviour and Management Team this moring and had a chat.

Bottom line, I suggested:

1. Improved extreme bushfire warning system, specifically improved prediction of strong wind after prolonged dry hot conditions.

They are working with the Beureau of Meteorology and are experimenting with monitoring of "forest moisture measurement".

2. National "over-reaction" task force to sky lift large tanker helicopters to locations at high risk according to the early extreme bushfire warning predictions (new short takeoff and landing aircraft like the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy are now available).

3. Active marketing of bushfire research knowledge / products to fire fighters.

Stopped a CFA crew at the shops and asked if they had heard of or seen any of the research results of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre. Answer: never heard of them.

mr mover

Driving to Kapunda this morning ,listening to ABC 891 the boss of the CFS was on and in his words" a squadron of fire bombers would not of stopped that fire front" it was moving at 70 kms an hour at one stage. "Q" you know that country,? and when you get a hot northerly, all hell can break loose , just look at Tulka a few years ago. All i can say is get behind the relief efforts , there,s a lot of people lost every thing, only the lucky ones only lost there homes. .........................mm

Quinkana

The fire was contained. The wind was coming. The warning was not. Resources to swamp the fire before it got out of control were not forth coming.

The pattern should not repeat for want of warning.

mr mover

I totaly agree , who do we "hang" some one from the "MET" CFS", or do we learn , and MAKE sure those lives were not lost in vain ...................mm

Quinkana

Car exhaust linked to deadly SA blaze

Exhaust link to bushfire tragedy