Australia's burning
Dec 30th 2019, 2:01 am
#136
Concierge
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,138
Re: Australia's burning
Thanks! Me too.
They were in Marlo but their usual plan is Cabanandra for New Year - their mum's birthday with the extended family. Marlo is probably very safe but once the roads get closed there's no telling how long they'd be stuck there for. At least they had all evacuated the year they burned out and in hindsight my son is very grateful for that. Apparently there was one chap who stayed to fight and he had a wealth of experience and machinery available but apparently he's been totally screwed up with PTSD ever since and his family have really suffered.
They were in Marlo but their usual plan is Cabanandra for New Year - their mum's birthday with the extended family. Marlo is probably very safe but once the roads get closed there's no telling how long they'd be stuck there for. At least they had all evacuated the year they burned out and in hindsight my son is very grateful for that. Apparently there was one chap who stayed to fight and he had a wealth of experience and machinery available but apparently he's been totally screwed up with PTSD ever since and his family have really suffered.
I feel sorry for the man who stayed to defend his property, he obviously thought he had it covered but what a terrible price he and his family have paid. It's just not worth it is it quoll :-(
Dec 30th 2019, 3:16 pm
#137
Concierge
Joined: May 2006
Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
Posts: 27,203
Re: Australia's burning
One British family caught up in the fires said they had warnings but everything seemed to be OK, shops were open, people going about their normal things, then they realised it was really bad and they should have heeded the warnings, but by this time all the roads were closed, so they are having to sit it out.
Dec 30th 2019, 8:32 pm
#138
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,807
Re: Australia's burning
One British family caught up in the fires said they had warnings but everything seemed to be OK, shops were open, people going about their normal things, then they realised it was really bad and they should have heeded the warnings, but by this time all the roads were closed, so they are having to sit it out.
The most important part of that plan is knowing whether you plan to stay and defend, or evacuate. If the latter, then you should go as soon as you are warned to by the Emergency Services. You cannot (to quote Queensland Fire) expect a firefighter at your door telling you to leave, but all States send out Emergency Alert messages and all of them have active Media Units broadcasting updates on official Facebook pages and websites. Learn your local information sources and monitor them, keep your eyes and ears open, and if you get a message telling you to Leave Now, then do just that. Unless you are sufficiently prepared to defend your home, get out as soon as you can.
For those unfamiliar with Emergency Alert - voice messages are sent to landlines and text messages to mobile phones in the areas concerned. They go to all phones regardless of service provider, and will also be received on international mobiles as long as the mobile is within reach of the relevant towers here, doesn't matter what country the phone is registered in. You cannot opt out of this, and you will get the messages without opting in or signing up. Text messages come from numbers prefixed with 0444. If you get these messages they will usually contain the name of the State fire service (eg QFES in Queensland), they are official communications and are only sent when necessary, so please don't ignore them!
More info here - Emergency Alert. Be Warned. Be Informed.
Dec 31st 2019, 6:42 pm
#139
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Australia's burning
So sad, fire is one natural disaster I understand very well, my whole life has been in fire prone regions of the world for the most part and its not something one can ever get used to.
Dec 31st 2019, 11:33 pm
#140
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2012
Location: Cayman Islands
Posts: 4,993
Re: Australia's burning
I've just received this email from a cousin of mine who lives in Victoria:
To family and friends overseas
The overseas news is reporting on the extensive bushfires currently raging across south-eastern Australia.
Unfortunately the media is not mentioning the principal causes, which have been 50% arson and approximately 30% lightning strikes.
The other and most important factor is the lack of preventative measures taken in the months preceding the fire season.
Until about 10 years ago, every winter the fire authorities would “back burn” and “slow burn” the build-up of inflammable material in the bush, a process learned from the aboriginals and practised by them since the beginnings of time.
Political pressures from conservation groups and particularly The Greens has caused various governments to not implement the practice.
Please keep the above in mind when listening to the news from Australia.
And my reply to him...
I'm sorry to hear that, J---. But how come The National Party (formerly The Country Party, as you know) didn't reject the opinions of the city-dwellers? I well remember at Hannaford the importance of fire-breaks (I think they were called that, though I'm not sure) as a standard measure against "natural" bushfires. How sad if ignorant greenies succeeded in banning the practice. I've been following the incidence of the fires, and hope your little corner of the world will continue to be safe.
The overseas news is reporting on the extensive bushfires currently raging across south-eastern Australia.
Unfortunately the media is not mentioning the principal causes, which have been 50% arson and approximately 30% lightning strikes.
The other and most important factor is the lack of preventative measures taken in the months preceding the fire season.
Until about 10 years ago, every winter the fire authorities would “back burn” and “slow burn” the build-up of inflammable material in the bush, a process learned from the aboriginals and practised by them since the beginnings of time.
Political pressures from conservation groups and particularly The Greens has caused various governments to not implement the practice.
Please keep the above in mind when listening to the news from Australia.
And my reply to him...
I'm sorry to hear that, J---. But how come The National Party (formerly The Country Party, as you know) didn't reject the opinions of the city-dwellers? I well remember at Hannaford the importance of fire-breaks (I think they were called that, though I'm not sure) as a standard measure against "natural" bushfires. How sad if ignorant greenies succeeded in banning the practice. I've been following the incidence of the fires, and hope your little corner of the world will continue to be safe.
Jan 1st 2020, 12:53 am
#141
Officially Bewildered
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
Posts: 5,523
Re: Australia's burning
I've just received this email from a cousin of mine who lives in Victoria:
To family and friends overseas
The overseas news is reporting on the extensive bushfires currently raging across south-eastern Australia.
Unfortunately the media is not mentioning the principal causes, which have been 50% arson and approximately 30% lightning strikes.
The other and most important factor is the lack of preventative measures taken in the months preceding the fire season.
Until about 10 years ago, every winter the fire authorities would “back burn” and “slow burn” the build-up of inflammable material in the bush, a process learned from the aboriginals and practised by them since the beginnings of time.
Political pressures from conservation groups and particularly The Greens has caused various governments to not implement the practice.
Please keep the above in mind when listening to the news from Australia.
And my reply to him...
I'm sorry to hear that, J---. But how come The National Party (formerly The Country Party, as you know) didn't reject the opinions of the city-dwellers? I well remember at Hannaford the importance of fire-breaks (I think they were called that, though I'm not sure) as a standard measure against "natural" bushfires. How sad if ignorant greenies succeeded in banning the practice. I've been following the incidence of the fires, and hope your little corner of the world will continue to be safe.
The overseas news is reporting on the extensive bushfires currently raging across south-eastern Australia.
Unfortunately the media is not mentioning the principal causes, which have been 50% arson and approximately 30% lightning strikes.
The other and most important factor is the lack of preventative measures taken in the months preceding the fire season.
Until about 10 years ago, every winter the fire authorities would “back burn” and “slow burn” the build-up of inflammable material in the bush, a process learned from the aboriginals and practised by them since the beginnings of time.
Political pressures from conservation groups and particularly The Greens has caused various governments to not implement the practice.
Please keep the above in mind when listening to the news from Australia.
And my reply to him...
I'm sorry to hear that, J---. But how come The National Party (formerly The Country Party, as you know) didn't reject the opinions of the city-dwellers? I well remember at Hannaford the importance of fire-breaks (I think they were called that, though I'm not sure) as a standard measure against "natural" bushfires. How sad if ignorant greenies succeeded in banning the practice. I've been following the incidence of the fires, and hope your little corner of the world will continue to be safe.
Our local RFS here in NSW do as many hazard reduction burns as the weather allows them to do. Unfortunately, it's been very, very dry over the winter, with an abundance of high wind events, which has meant that the hazard reduction program was severely curtailed. Nothing to do with Greens, hippies, tree huggers or the like. Our fire season started in August, with a substantial number of fires already burning across the state, after an extended fire season the previous year.
But no, let's blame the Greens, who are obviously way more influential than even they would think.
Jan 1st 2020, 1:12 am
#142
A modern day warrior
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Here and there...currently here.
Posts: 344
Re: Australia's burning
I've just received this email from a cousin of mine who lives in Victoria:
To family and friends overseas
The overseas news is reporting on the extensive bushfires currently raging across south-eastern Australia.
Unfortunately the media is not mentioning the principal causes, which have been 50% arson and approximately 30% lightning strikes.
The other and most important factor is the lack of preventative measures taken in the months preceding the fire season.
Until about 10 years ago, every winter the fire authorities would “back burn” and “slow burn” the build-up of inflammable material in the bush, a process learned from the aboriginals and practised by them since the beginnings of time.
Political pressures from conservation groups and particularly The Greens has caused various governments to not implement the practice.
Please keep the above in mind when listening to the news from Australia.
And my reply to him...
I'm sorry to hear that, J---. But how come The National Party (formerly The Country Party, as you know) didn't reject the opinions of the city-dwellers? I well remember at Hannaford the importance of fire-breaks (I think they were called that, though I'm not sure) as a standard measure against "natural" bushfires. How sad if ignorant greenies succeeded in banning the practice. I've been following the incidence of the fires, and hope your little corner of the world will continue to be safe.
The overseas news is reporting on the extensive bushfires currently raging across south-eastern Australia.
Unfortunately the media is not mentioning the principal causes, which have been 50% arson and approximately 30% lightning strikes.
The other and most important factor is the lack of preventative measures taken in the months preceding the fire season.
Until about 10 years ago, every winter the fire authorities would “back burn” and “slow burn” the build-up of inflammable material in the bush, a process learned from the aboriginals and practised by them since the beginnings of time.
Political pressures from conservation groups and particularly The Greens has caused various governments to not implement the practice.
Please keep the above in mind when listening to the news from Australia.
And my reply to him...
I'm sorry to hear that, J---. But how come The National Party (formerly The Country Party, as you know) didn't reject the opinions of the city-dwellers? I well remember at Hannaford the importance of fire-breaks (I think they were called that, though I'm not sure) as a standard measure against "natural" bushfires. How sad if ignorant greenies succeeded in banning the practice. I've been following the incidence of the fires, and hope your little corner of the world will continue to be safe.
I suggest that you get them to change their "news" sources as this is a line constantly put out by Rupert's Rags in particular. Get them to have a look at this https://greens.org.au/bushfires
Secondly, in which councils do the Greens hold such sway they have control. From what I know, not one. They 58 councilors on 32 local councils in NSW, so an average of 1.8 per council - not really enough to hold such mighty power. The Greens (as they are getting the blame) also do not have a "no burning" policy.
Thirdly, they need to get their terminology correct. Back burning is a defensive measure during an actual bushfire. Hazard reductions burns are the controlled fires used to get rid of fuel out of bushfire season, which is now a smaller window. Hazard reduction burns have actually increased by Ha, but the current drought/drier weather patterns due to climate change have prevented more taking place.
By the way.....I'm not some raving, inner city, latte sipping Greenie. I just don't like fake news which hides the truth.
Jan 1st 2020, 3:31 am
#143
Officially Bewildered
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
Posts: 5,523
Re: Australia's burning
It really bugs me beyond all comprehension that the line about the Greens is still being trotted out. When we moved to the Blue Mountains 10 years ago, our neighbour told me then that the Greens had stopped any proper hazard reduction burns for the previous 10 years. It's that magical 10 year period, apparently.
Jan 1st 2020, 3:55 am
#144
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2012
Location: Cayman Islands
Posts: 4,993
Re: Australia's burning
Ah, well, I shall tell my cousin that the brains trust says he's got it wrong. That's all I can do. The Greens obviously need a better p-r advisor.
Jan 1st 2020, 4:15 am
#145
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,900
Re: Australia's burning
If you run dry, which does happen from time to time, you pay a delivery service to top you up.
Jan 1st 2020, 4:23 am
#146
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: Australia's burning
Jan 1st 2020, 4:56 am
#147
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,900
Re: Australia's burning
Emergency Services use to advise that anyone in a bushfire area should have a plan and should stick to it. Now we are increasingly revising that advice to say EVERYONE should have a plan, as more and more fires are moving into suburban and even urban areas.
The most important part of that plan is knowing whether you plan to stay and defend, or evacuate. If the latter, then you should go as soon as you are warned to by the Emergency Services. You cannot (to quote Queensland Fire) expect a firefighter at your door telling you to leave, but all States send out Emergency Alert messages and all of them have active Media Units broadcasting updates on official Facebook pages and websites. Learn your local information sources and monitor them, keep your eyes and ears open, and if you get a message telling you to Leave Now, then do just that. Unless you are sufficiently prepared to defend your home, get out as soon as you can.
For those unfamiliar with Emergency Alert - voice messages are sent to landlines and text messages to mobile phones in the areas concerned. They go to all phones regardless of service provider, and will also be received on international mobiles as long as the mobile is within reach of the relevant towers here, doesn't matter what country the phone is registered in. You cannot opt out of this, and you will get the messages without opting in or signing up. Text messages come from numbers prefixed with 0444. If you get these messages they will usually contain the name of the State fire service (eg QFES in Queensland), they are official communications and are only sent when necessary, so please don't ignore them!
More info here - Emergency Alert. Be Warned. Be Informed.
The most important part of that plan is knowing whether you plan to stay and defend, or evacuate. If the latter, then you should go as soon as you are warned to by the Emergency Services. You cannot (to quote Queensland Fire) expect a firefighter at your door telling you to leave, but all States send out Emergency Alert messages and all of them have active Media Units broadcasting updates on official Facebook pages and websites. Learn your local information sources and monitor them, keep your eyes and ears open, and if you get a message telling you to Leave Now, then do just that. Unless you are sufficiently prepared to defend your home, get out as soon as you can.
For those unfamiliar with Emergency Alert - voice messages are sent to landlines and text messages to mobile phones in the areas concerned. They go to all phones regardless of service provider, and will also be received on international mobiles as long as the mobile is within reach of the relevant towers here, doesn't matter what country the phone is registered in. You cannot opt out of this, and you will get the messages without opting in or signing up. Text messages come from numbers prefixed with 0444. If you get these messages they will usually contain the name of the State fire service (eg QFES in Queensland), they are official communications and are only sent when necessary, so please don't ignore them!
More info here - Emergency Alert. Be Warned. Be Informed.
There is a high degree of lack of understanding about bushfires. They can outrun cars, and they will kill you before the flames arrive due to the radiant heat. Ember attack means your property can go up in flames way before the actual fire wall gets anywhere near you. In recent years I've personally seen a bushfire (the smoke from one) start off in the distance from my workplace window - and within 2 hours a town 50 kms away was under threat and under an evacuation order. A few years prior to that I saw another one start from a lightning strike and within a day towns 100 kms away were under threat. I do know people committed to actively defending but they are longstanding farmers with millions of litres of water at their disposal and the proper equipment and experience (ie, people who know what they are doing). It is not something you do on your 5-acre lifestyle block with a couple of garden hoses.
It does not take much for one of these to start. In WA last year a massive one started because of sparks from a malfunctioning piece of farm equipment. Some have started because of welders and power tools gone screwy. Plus, yes, arsonists do get active at this time of year and far from the "Rupert Papers" it is DFES itself saying it. There have been arsonists involved in numerous amounts of the current fires.
This is not a new phenomenon in Australia, nor is the intensity particularly outsized. Black Saturday, which killed 173, was in 2009. Canberra was in 2003. The Wingello Seven were in 1998. There are examples of bushfires with substantial death tolls going back to time immemorial. No excuse for people in this country to be unprepared.
Bushfire plans are easy. Here, let me provide a template: "We will pack up the kids, pets and important documents, and leave as soon as it gets to Watch and Act, so we are out of harm's way and do not get in the way of the fireys or the first responders."
Last edited by carcajou; Jan 1st 2020 at 5:36 am.
Jan 1st 2020, 5:53 am
#148
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: South Australia
Posts: 503
Re: Australia's burning
Yes, and something I have found very frustrating is the number of warnings that went out over a period of several days that went unheeded, particularly about the Princes Highway and the potential for closures and strandings. One of the newspapers even ran a lead story about fire warnings being ignored and people having a "wait and see" attitude . . . which the warnings precisely tell you not to do. "Wait and see" attitudes are deadly.
There is a high degree of lack of understanding about bushfires. They can outrun cars, and they will kill you before the flames arrive due to the radiant heat. Ember attack means your property can go up in flames way before the actual fire wall gets anywhere near you. In recent years I've personally seen a bushfire (the smoke from one) start off in the distance from my workplace window - and within 2 hours a town 50 kms away was under threat and under an evacuation order. A few years prior to that I saw another one start from a lightning strike and within a day towns 100 kms away were under threat. I do know people committed to actively defending but they are longstanding farmers with millions of litres of water at their disposal and the proper equipment and experience (ie, people who know what they are doing). It is not something you do on your 5-acre lifestyle block with a couple of garden hoses.
It does not take much for one of these to start. In WA last year a massive one started because of sparks from a malfunctioning piece of farm equipment. Some have started because of welders and power tools gone screwy. Plus, yes, arsonists do get active at this time of year and far from the "Rupert Papers" it is DFES itself saying it. There have been arsonists involved in numerous amounts of the current fires.
This is not a new phenomenon in Australia, nor is the intensity particularly outsized. Black Saturday, which killed 173, was in 2009. Canberra was in 2003. The Wingello Seven were in 1998. There are examples of bushfires with substantial death tolls going back to time immemorial. No excuse for people in this country to be unprepared.
Bushfire plans are easy. Here, let me provide a template: "We will pack up the kids, pets and important documents, and leave as soon as it gets to Watch and Act, so we are out of harm's way and do not get in the way of the fireys or the first responders."
There is a high degree of lack of understanding about bushfires. They can outrun cars, and they will kill you before the flames arrive due to the radiant heat. Ember attack means your property can go up in flames way before the actual fire wall gets anywhere near you. In recent years I've personally seen a bushfire (the smoke from one) start off in the distance from my workplace window - and within 2 hours a town 50 kms away was under threat and under an evacuation order. A few years prior to that I saw another one start from a lightning strike and within a day towns 100 kms away were under threat. I do know people committed to actively defending but they are longstanding farmers with millions of litres of water at their disposal and the proper equipment and experience (ie, people who know what they are doing). It is not something you do on your 5-acre lifestyle block with a couple of garden hoses.
It does not take much for one of these to start. In WA last year a massive one started because of sparks from a malfunctioning piece of farm equipment. Some have started because of welders and power tools gone screwy. Plus, yes, arsonists do get active at this time of year and far from the "Rupert Papers" it is DFES itself saying it. There have been arsonists involved in numerous amounts of the current fires.
This is not a new phenomenon in Australia, nor is the intensity particularly outsized. Black Saturday, which killed 173, was in 2009. Canberra was in 2003. The Wingello Seven were in 1998. There are examples of bushfires with substantial death tolls going back to time immemorial. No excuse for people in this country to be unprepared.
Bushfire plans are easy. Here, let me provide a template: "We will pack up the kids, pets and important documents, and leave as soon as it gets to Watch and Act, so we are out of harm's way and do not get in the way of the fireys or the first responders."
Jan 2nd 2020, 5:03 am
#149
Banned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: Australia's burning
Lots of warnings going out about this weekend where we're expecting 40 degree temps and wind, etc.
....Meanwhile, just in case Canberra isn't smoky enough:
Stay safe, everyone.
....Meanwhile, just in case Canberra isn't smoky enough:
Stay safe, everyone.
Jan 2nd 2020, 5:19 am
#150
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Australia's burning
Colleague of the husband was packing his family up and heading down to Kosciuszko NP for Christmas and New Year - camping. The husband was a bit horrified and suggested it possibly wasn't the best place to go given the fires. Colleague - he has always been a moron- said they'd be fine and if they did find themselves in trouble he'd just drive through the fires mate. Hahaha. - He thought the media coverage and warnings were over the top and he knows the cou try mate. I have no clue if he went down or even if he got back. Frankly he's such a ****wit at the best of times I don't have it in me to really care. Hope his family are ok though.