Climate Change and our Land of Fire, Flood and Drought.

On topic just a bit left of the discussion recently

Take care all in all Fire Risk areas. Your life is far more important than saving any assets. Recently very nearly bleeding to death brought that home to me in big way [biggrin]

Being in several bush fires or the clean up has also proved in my mind that know matter how prepared if the environment and conditions all line up against anything the fire wins the argument.

Hoping of course all the risk predictions remains as warnings not actual deaths. Take care.

Bushfire conditions 'catastrophic' for Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter, Illawarra and Shoalhaven - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/maps-reveal-potential-bushfire-devastation-as-nsw-set-for-dramatic-weather-change/live-coverage/2607c039dd567c5d0213218b1ca6d0db

9 year olde with a blowtorch!!! Purely accidental then?

Got off with a warning.


He'll be back next summer, mark my words. Maybe the cops will haunt him as they do here, to recognised Firebugs?

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Originally Posted by Eevo

*scratches head

hoe does drought cause high fuel loads?

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Do I really have to explain to a firey that drought turns green vegetation brown so it burns better?
Coming around Townsville today I can see why the locals call it Brownsville. Ripe for even more fires than the ones we have already seen.

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Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Do I really have to explain to a firey that drought turns green vegetation brown so it burns better?
Coming around Townsville today I can see why the locals call it Brownsville. Ripe for even more fires than the ones we have already seen.

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you've just described two different things.

drought turning green vegetation brown is called curing, and is not related to fuel load.
where i am, curing gets to 100% every summer

Yeah a bit weird that. Fires here have "created" rain & then floods especially down the Torrens Gorge at Cudlee Creek..

One poor woman in a caravan park some years back, got caught & climbed a tree.

No matter what the Rescue Services tried they could not get to her to save her. Nothing would reach her & a Chopper could not get over her to drop a bloke due to overhanging branches..

Poor bugger spent some very cold hours there & eventually exhaustion took over & she let go.

It was pitiful to hear her yelling out for help but it never came.



Who in their right mind designed & approved plans for a Caravan park on a river flat ffs?[bigsad]

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Originally Posted by V8Ian

In which case he should refrain from spreading gossip, like a fishwife.
I have no interest in the colour of his danglies.

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In retrospect of course, you are quite correct but I assumed it could be a touchy subject in his locality & maybe political, so quite understand why he couldn't, but jumping the gun like that hasn't done Eevo any favours.

"Bad Boy Eevo, bad boy. Six of the best for you my lad. Report to my office after school.".[biggrin]

Back in the 70s there was a large fire that went through from Mt Byron, Armstrong Ck, Kobble Ck and Mt Samson districts. It was a huge fire but, in those days, most of the affected country was primary producing. Today there would probably be at least 100 houses, including ours, incinerated if there was a repeat of that fire.
Fires aren't getting worse or more common, it's more likely that years ago, a lot of the recent fires wouldn't have made the news i.e. Peregian area, no one was living there as it was an old army live firing area. Bribie, nah! Monsildale, definitely not. Most people wouldn't have known of the areas existence and it would most likely be left to burn itself out. Plus, no reporters "Coming live from the horrific scene, right now!"

Also, a lot of trees are pyro-regenerating so you're forced to have a good fire or two, hey!

It's the same old story over and over. Population growth. More people in the "Tree Change" areas, where fires are part and parcel of nature.

I'm not saying these fires aren't a calamity but "Climate Change"? Really?
I would consider "Ignition Factors" to be substantially more relevant.

Have any of the people who are determined to downplay the seriousness of the current situation and who want to compare the number of lives and houses lost in fires back in 1926 or 1939 stopped to think that so many things have changed that the comparisons are meaningless?

On the one hand there are more people now, more houses and more houses in risky areas.

On the other hand, how would we be managing if we were fighting today's fires with nothing more than a green branch, a McLoud tool and a bit of back burning.

How much better off would they have been back in the 1926 fires if they had access to a 737 waterbomber and all the other equipment currently deployed.

The comparison with previous fires is meaningless and not helpful.

All good points Saitch but why do people want, & councils approve buildings in an area surrounded by & in amongst mature inflammable trees?
You see it all the time on TV footage & each time I am flabbergasted. (Goes off shaking his head in bewilderment [bigsad]).

Here & possibly elsewhere, the CFS have a say in building permit approvals. If they can't get in & out safely & other criteria, then No Way Jose.

Not just for Bush fire work but a 'normal' fire call because some turkey has let the toaster have free rein etc.

Interesting about Perigian. We vaguely thought about a joint there but knowing my luck there'd be a "Dud" 25 pdr waiting in my future potato patch. Cultivation? Not necessary now.[biggrin]
"
Years ago one of my clients in Bridgewater insisted in living in a Timber framed house set in amongst a large stand of Pine Trees. "Good for your health" she would say.

Maybe it was, but if youse is dead what is the advantage?

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Originally Posted by vnx205

The comparison with previous fires is meaningless and not helpful.

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we compare so we can learn the lessons of the past.