Aussie Bushfires

[Kiwifruit]

Watching the 6 o'clock news and they are showing footage of bush fires raging in NSW and Queensland.
Sorry to see you guys across the ditch having to face yet more wildfires. Our thoughts are with you as you head towards another dry summer.
Keep safe Ockers 

[Sweaty]

It's definately a scary start to the season Col & we are only a couple of days into Spring 😬

[grog]

Thanks Col. Yeah tinder dry and very windy. No sign of any rain. Lucky here so far, can change quickly. Had 3 scares in 90s, frogwits still throw butts out of cars, even some light fires. Theres no defending, rely so much on firies for that. Back in 90s one fire was burning tree tops 4 ks ahead of fire front. Sparks, cinders etc.Im surrounded by bush these times scare the crap out of me.

[KiwiCol]

I missed the news & report on the fires.  Bloody scary alright.  Just hope you guys all come through unscathed.  Fire takes no prisoners, bit of first hand experience in that.

[Tony Nitrous]

Yeah, smoke and dust around several areas here.

I did some homework to make sure I avoided it today.

Several houses lost, we are safe in suburbia near the city but rural places are not good.

[GSXKING]

Famous "Binna Burra" lodge raised to the ground 

Who let's people build housing estates in dense forest 10 houses lost so far, more to come unfortunately 

[VladTepes]

not as if they have a lot of water to chuck on a fire either.
Mate posted this on another forum

how dry is it , check our river in texas .unbelievable.
we have had 79mm for the year in 2 to 5mm installments.

[Mick_J]

Famous "Binna Burra" lodge raised to the ground 

Who let's people build housing estates in dense forest 10 houses lost so far, more to come unfortunately 

That's almost as dumb as building whole housing estates on a flood plain, who would do that  Oh we do 

[grog]

Totally disagree about building houses in danger areas near bush. Australia is covered with bush, thats just where we live. When we get drought, winds , everything so dry. Fire in top of trees up to 4 ks ahead of fire front. No area, city, beach etc is safe. Dont comment unless you know. Have been lucky at my house but can change in an instant. We have a escape plan, what do you take? Yourselves basically. My eyes a crying from smoke tonight but just 30ks north, people are in make shift shelter, stadiums, halls etc. Can they go back to their house, they dont know. No rain forecast, threat goes on until that happens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9pmWNwqW2w

[Kiwifruit]

The news footage showing the water bombers, both helicopters and jets doing their utmost  to contain the firesis pretty amazing.
The firefighters on the ground are doing it tough tòo they look determined but tired.
Take my hat off to all those battling the fires.
Hope you guys get some rain soon.

[Andre]

The news footage showing the water bombers, both helicopters and jets doing their utmost  to contain the firesis pretty amazing.
The firefighters on the ground are doing it tough tòo they look determined but tired.
Take my hat off to all those battling the fires.
Hope you guys get some rain soon.

The guys on the ground have little chance to stop the fire when there is a situation like the one Grog reports.

Fire in top of trees up to 4 ks ahead of fire front.

The ground crews not only work very hard but can quickly be surrounded by a fire like that.

I have been lucky twice when I lived in the USA in semi-desert. Both times I was not at home. One time the neighbours had put out the fire ( 300 meters from my house). Another time we were all saved because the wind shifted just in the neck of time. Lots of wildfires there. And when the rains come quite a few homes were hit by mud avalanches.

[Tony Nitrous]

Some areas have anti preventative back burning laws.

This is said to protect wildlife, encourage a build up of natural debris in the undergrowth, stop back burning fires getting out of hand etc.

The news yesterday showed one rural property that had sat untouched whilst everything around it was blacl and charred. The owner had ignored the rules and law and back burnt away from his property.

I know back burning won't fix everything, but the current laws are questionable.
Having to allow very high risk areas to build up around a property and not legally being able to clear them has its faults.