I received in the mail today a letter from Claire Holloway, assistant to HRH Charles, Prince of Wales expressing thanks for the copies of 'Back from the Brink' and 'Beyond the Brink' and how much the Prince enjoyed them.
Also re the Victorian Bushfires, although I am quite safe in suburban Melbourne, as I was driving up to the shopping centre today, I can still see the smoke from the Kinglake complex of fires which appears about 20km away. Only white smoke which would be indicitve that the fire is burning slowly
Col.
Far Flung Friends
Moderator: webmaster
As far as possible we must ensure it never happens again! first and foremost what of the friends and supporters of NSF, not only in Vic, but also ,of course in the other areas of Australia suffering fires at the moment.
If anyone is living in these area, what difference, if any, did NSF make? I would have thought that having more moisture in your paddocks than your neighbour would have at least slowed the rate of spread? Although after three days of 40+ and then the dessicating conditions on Saturday it could only been a matter of degree.
Heard a very interesting idea on 774 in the middle of sat night while I was at work. Some guy rang up and said that all rural proprerties in the tornado prone areas of the US have there storm shelters, so we all should have bushfire refuges in Australia. There was a photo in the Sun of a family who had survived because they had their own refuge. It was a large above ground concrete water tank with a little brich right angle doorway attached.
And while we all yearn for the rural lifestyle, it was sad to see in many of the photos of destroyed properties, bush literaly up to the walls. There is an interesting place just outside of Emerald in Victoria. Fellow has obviously got the money to do it, there is a cleared area around this big house of a couple of acres at least. While most of us dont have the desire or the money to do something this big, surely having a cleared area at least the size of a suburban lawn would help and people can still enjoy the 'bush' around them?
Regards
Col.
If anyone is living in these area, what difference, if any, did NSF make? I would have thought that having more moisture in your paddocks than your neighbour would have at least slowed the rate of spread? Although after three days of 40+ and then the dessicating conditions on Saturday it could only been a matter of degree.
Heard a very interesting idea on 774 in the middle of sat night while I was at work. Some guy rang up and said that all rural proprerties in the tornado prone areas of the US have there storm shelters, so we all should have bushfire refuges in Australia. There was a photo in the Sun of a family who had survived because they had their own refuge. It was a large above ground concrete water tank with a little brich right angle doorway attached.
And while we all yearn for the rural lifestyle, it was sad to see in many of the photos of destroyed properties, bush literaly up to the walls. There is an interesting place just outside of Emerald in Victoria. Fellow has obviously got the money to do it, there is a cleared area around this big house of a couple of acres at least. While most of us dont have the desire or the money to do something this big, surely having a cleared area at least the size of a suburban lawn would help and people can still enjoy the 'bush' around them?
Regards
Col.
Col
There are many things that will need addressing such as lifestyle choices, fire shelters etc etc Nothing as you said would have prevented saturday's disaster.
That having been said I am sending this letter to the Editors
"Try this simple test. Tomorrow buy 2 copies of the saturday SMH or Age.
Soak one of the copies in the bath overnight. Read the other. Next day, (it was summer) I said put both copies out on the lawn for a few hours. Then ignite a match and see which one burns."
If we continue to dry, dessicate, and drain this landscape and populate it with gums we will only worsen the current situation.
None of the above is comfort in any way to the people and souls in Victoria who have lost everything.
There are many things that will need addressing such as lifestyle choices, fire shelters etc etc Nothing as you said would have prevented saturday's disaster.
That having been said I am sending this letter to the Editors
When we were invited to speak to the Committee elected to work out a plan for the ACT fires a few years ago I said the following:The present circumstances around the country pose a huge headache for Governments.
Once this landscape ran itself.
The fire regime was once in every 300 years. Today it is once in every 2-3 years (regardless of the cause).
Once the Australian landscape was cooled by inground water and a dense cover of fire retardant plants.
Today our landscape is drained, dried, barren of plant cover except for incendiaries of Eucalyptus spp waiting to vaporise.
The answers to the problems we are witnessing are there for all to see.....they are simple solutions.
The floodwaters and fire regimes could be better managed if only authorities understood these simple landscape processes.
The urgency of the situation says that "As Rome burns, Nero can no longer ignore this advice", I believe.
I truly believe that the national catastrophe currently facing our country needs to be addressed at the highest levels including the Victorian Premier's stated Royal Commission.
"Try this simple test. Tomorrow buy 2 copies of the saturday SMH or Age.
Soak one of the copies in the bath overnight. Read the other. Next day, (it was summer) I said put both copies out on the lawn for a few hours. Then ignite a match and see which one burns."
If we continue to dry, dessicate, and drain this landscape and populate it with gums we will only worsen the current situation.
None of the above is comfort in any way to the people and souls in Victoria who have lost everything.
-
Angela Helleren
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 6:45 am
- Location: Victoria
ColinJEly wrote:As far as possible we must ensure it never happens again! first and foremost what of the friends and supporters of NSF, not only in Vic, but also ,of course in the other areas of Australia suffering fires at the moment.
If anyone is living in these area, what difference, if any, did NSF make? I would have thought that having more moisture in your paddocks than your neighbour would have at least slowed the rate of spread? Although after three days of 40+ and then the dessicating conditions on Saturday it could only been a matter of degree.
Heard a very interesting idea on 774 in the middle of sat night while I was at work. Some guy rang up and said that all rural proprerties in the tornado prone areas of the US have there storm shelters, so we all should have bushfire refuges in Australia. There was a photo in the Sun of a family who had survived because they had their own refuge. It was a large above ground concrete water tank with a little brich right angle doorway attached.
And while we all yearn for the rural lifestyle, it was sad to see in many of the photos of destroyed properties, bush literaly up to the walls. There is an interesting place just outside of Emerald in Victoria. Fellow has obviously got the money to do it, there is a cleared area around this big house of a couple of acres at least. While most of us dont have the desire or the money to do something this big, surely having a cleared area at least the size of a suburban lawn would help and people can still enjoy the 'bush' around them?
Regards
Col.
Several folk have spoken of their ordeal and that they where forced to shelter underground in cellars or the like until the fire passed over. Their homes have gone but they survived.
Perhaps a change in the design of homes /structures .... I'm thinking small versions of our Australian Parliament House.... with grass covered roof.
Instead of folk exposing themselves to the radiant heat while trying to put out embers... a) use the time to lock up, gather family & animals and leave. b) Stay indoors with a better chance of survival.
Google- Earth Sheltered Homes
There are a couple of videos on youtube.
Many hands make light work.
Unfortunately, too many hands stirring anti clockwise, has spoiled mother natures recipe.
Back to basics.
Unfortunately, too many hands stirring anti clockwise, has spoiled mother natures recipe.
Back to basics.