Ceri

Bush Fires!

Has anyone here been affected by them at all now or in the past?
Got home last night to find that there was a small fire in the reserve behind (about an acre if that of fire) ..smoke billowing out. The firies had put it out, but the air was thick with smoke... now in this reserve there's a walking track which runs through.. the fire had been started near the track..... Kids!!

Today, I get a call from one of my friends up that way, and seems there's a biggish fire about half to 1k away, thick smoke, fire trucks blaring down the road... god I feel sick!
I'd like to get hold of some of these people... what goes through their minds I never know.
What's so frightening.. if any fire sweeps past at the back of my house.. my house is in danger (not that I care much for brick and mortar.. but my animals are in there)... we live on a bit of a hill, the reserve is below us, we are backing right onto it.. fires spread up hills fast.... you really should build down.

It's only September.. and this is happening now... we need rain! I'm scared what this summer is going to bring. The ground around is so dry

When we bought our land... the only thing which I didn't like was the thought of a bush fire.. if you've ever seen a bush fire - god they are scary!

I suppose that is one of the downfalls of living next to nature.... but boy do I feel angry and the stupidity of some people. What goes through these peoples minds????. If I were the law, I'd fine these parents of the kids who start fires. And if they are adults who start the fires... lock them up!

Anyway, I've always had a plan in case of emergency what to grab first, I wonder what would you other people would grab first.. ???
After life and limb of course

Mine would be my photo Albums (which are stored in a suitcase)
my videos (camera video's)
a box of my essential documents... ie work references, passports, insurance papers.. you know the stuff

And my hand bag. (which would include my essentials for booking into a motel etc... mobile phone, money and bank cards) .

If I could only rescue one thing (after human/animal life of course)... it would be my photo albums and videos which are stored in the same case. everything else I can replace.

This summer is going to be a pig of a year.. if we don't have some rain soon in Queensland.

Cheers

janeyray

Before we came to Oz my friend was living in NSW last year when all the bad ones were around.

I didn't think they had many in Perth. How wrong I was, again!! Since we have lived here there have been a few controlled fires (which I never knew anything about before we arrived) which seemed hugh to us!! I have been told by the lady I work for that they do have a few scary ones but none have actually reached her home (she lives in the hills). We live near a massive Pine forest but it looks like its been there a while! There are patches though, along the road side where trees must have been on fire last year. :scared:

Megalania

Wait for a stretch of 40+ temperatures, relative humidity < 10% turning yer pine trees into the 12th day of christmas trees. One spark, strong winds and bow-fang, yer house is cactus!

Kath

We live in the Hills surrounded by bush. We had a large fire quite close to us last summer, about 3 km away. It was a weird feeling when the smoke reached our house, quite scary because you felt disorientated, not knowing where the fire was. We don't back onto bush so I feel fairly safe, but you can never be sure - look at the Canberra fires, whole suburbs virtually wiped out!

I've done the same as you Ceri, during the summer all the photo albums are in suitcases and all essential paperwork in a few plastic tubs ready to go! We watched a fire fighting operation in January near us and were really impressed with the organisation, 3 or 4 helicopters doing a circuit picking up water from inflatable pools which were set up in our local park - the children loved it! The fire was under control very quickly.

Also, I can't believe people who don't get their home insured? Can you imagine losing your home and not having insurance to build another? Our home and contents is only $450 per year, well worth it considering we live near bush.

bondipom

I have great sympathy for anyone affected by bushfires. Bushfires have always been part of Australia's ecology and if people want to live next to the bush they must be prepared for the worst. Ceri it sounds like you are prepared.

Below is a link to the NSW bushfire site which has information on how homeowners can protect their property.

The people that deliberateley light fires seem to have mental problems. Other causes of the fires are idiots chucking out cigarette butts from their cars and lightening.

There is a lot of debate about backburning and hazard reduction but with a country the size of Australia not everyone can be protected.

How easy is it to get insured for fire next to the bush?

http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/index.cfm?cid=109&the_start=6

Kath

Although we don't back onto bush, we live near it and we had no problems with insurance. I actually checked with GIO our insurers regarding fire cover and she said it wouldn't make any difference on premiums ie. they don't place a loading on for our area. Might be different for other areas.

Ceri

About insurance.. yes it's the first thing which we did.. actually we went one day without house insurance. It was when the building work had been completed (ie the builders insurance wasn't covering us). I was unhappy for that day.. if the house fell down.. we would have lost the lot.

No I can't believe how may people don't get insurance, it doesn't cost a lot.. and it's well worth the peace of mind. Actually Hubby filled in our forms and he did it incorrectly.. he's insured it for more than what it's worth. Our insurance - you're actually just insuring the building/house value and not the land. He included the land value as well.. oops . So we are over insured, mind you we probably under insured on house contents... it's amazing how much it would all cost to replace, from something as small as shoes to the large items.

It's one thing which is pretty frightening.. it's one thing seeing it on TV, it's another being close to it. These are only small fires where we are , they are getting put out left right and centre... Apparently there was a biggish on up in Morayfield yesterday. It's just scary how a small fire can spread so fast... the ground and trees are so dry around where we are... a discarded cigarette would do it too.

I just wonder what the hell goes through some of these fire starters head. They should be done for attempted murder. How many people got killed last year in fires? I know there were some firemen, and one lady springs to mind. Fell off her roof didn't she while trying to hose down her house.

Cheers

.

Sandra

Nor sure about elsewhere but I know there is a premium on insurance on house here that are within a certain distance of bush - high risk areas and because it was only added pretty recenty it has taken insurance costs out of some peoples comfort levels. And you can also faced with extra premiums on what will and will not be covered for fire. Yes you have the choice if you move to an area as we did to find out these things, but there are many folks here I know that have had the increases imposed after living in an area for many years. Hence having uninsured properties is more widespread than you think. I live in Sydney suburbs and also in a high risk area because of the previous fires in 97/98 and November last year.

Remember my mum (here on visit) phoning me up at work to say she had been listening all day on the radio and was terrifed. The fires at the time where over 15k away at that time, but later that day they had to put out a small spot fire further up our road. I remember apologising to her for laughing at her worrying and ever so glad she took all the warnings seriously and had cleared our place from leaves etc. You might never get the chance to take those last few possesions, here in Sdyney last November people I worked with had to go home certain days not knowing if they had a home to go to!

Cheers Sandra

PS Ceri - I do not have pets at home but do have a 13 year old who goes home before us. I understand your terror, what if someone stupidly lights a fire near where we live by the national park, will they have time to get out? This summer I so hope there are less idiots about, mind you some of the worse Sydney fires were caused by human error not all are deliberate. Does not make the outcome any better though.

bondipom

Bush fires are a natural part of Australia's ecology. Captain Cook noted that this was a country on fire on his travels. The arson sickens me but a lot of fires are natural. I have heard a lot of comments against the NSW $10,000 pay outs. The reasoning being the people lived there and knew the risks.

dotty

One thing we have just done is up our house insurance. Everytime there are bushfires people end up underinsured. Cost of building is way higher than 2 years ago. Its already very warm and shaping up to be boiling and possibly very dry. Check it out now do you have enough insurance to replace if your house burnt down. I think we are going to see a lot of 40's again this year.

Ceri

B*gger this I'm going home now. I know what you mean sandra... lucky enough I don't have to worry about children and such, human life.. which would be worse... I'm bad enough with just my animals.

Anyway I'm off.. before I worrry myself sick.

cheers

Megalania

Most house fires could be prevented by people in attendance at their homes with a bucket and supply of water to douse spot fires.

Time to buy a bush fire petrol powered pump to pump water from your swimming pool or even from a kiddies wading pool.

dotty

I am being serious here, does that really help, having seen a few bush fires, flames were huge, 20 30 metres into the air, got the impression a garden hose would be pretty ineffective. Question is serious as we have several hundred trees on our property and the street only has one way out! I often think about it.

renth

Conversely, back in the UK we used to get huge fires every year when the old bracken was really dry but the new stuff hadn't grown yet. This would happen in early summer.

We have to maintain a 30 foot firebreak around our cottage in Ashdown Forest. Got close a few times.

I bet there is some microscopic small print in the insurance policy absolving them from paying out if disaster strikes.

I can just see it now...

me "My house has burnt down, can I make a claim"

Them "do you have a receipt for your house?"

me "no"

Them "You're f***ed then"

Megalania

Not interested in having toasted Dot on my hands - get prepared - clear out your bush - you should know what to do by now. If you don't seek local advice.

Biggest causes of house loss in Canberra:
1. people away for weekend,
2. people not dampening down gardens esp tan bark etc,
3. people not putting out spot fires.

Front row houses - too bad, rest lost due to having noone in attendance.

Biggest cause of life loss:
1. people going back to pick up bloody useless cats.