Thread: Bushfire

I keep getting reminded by my son Brendon that live in Japan about the fire season is coming in the Dandenong Rangers. He said I should have an emergency bag packed, even though Mario and I have had to 2 big fires here over the years we have lived here. They where close, and he lives in a country that have earth quakes nearly every day some where there.
I can remember watching the planes fly over the house you could nearly count the rivets in the plane because they where so low, and taking 4to 6 min turn around from picking up the water and flying back.
I told him that I have cleaned all around and under the house and cut things back. Next is to get the gutters clean out which I will get done in the next few weeks when it stop rain here.
I know the boys worry about me, it's funny when I try to give advise I get Mum! I know what I am doing.
But I still love them they have grown up to being the most caring and thought full young men, which Mario instilled in to them.

Obviously Heather, you and Mario have done a fine job raising the boys.

Got 3.5mm overnight, which helped a little, but it is still not under control. But it is not heading this way. Its southern edge is about half a kilometre into the far side of my northern neighbor, but the wind is SW and not very strong.

I went into town today for a number of reasons, including food, but also to buy fuel and hydraulic oil for the tractor, and I paid the insurance and green slip for the 2a (due end December). I pointed out in the NRMA office that they had the wrong year for it on the renewal. The local office cannot handle that sort of issue, so they dialed the number and handed the phone to me. I spent the next 3/4hr on the phone, mostly on hold. It seems that (although they did not admit it) that they thought it was a Rangerover. How they managed that, when the same company has had it correctly identified on the third party insurance, which they had covered for over thirty years escapes me. The good bit is that it seems the Series is about $20 cheaper to insure than a Rangerover! I wonder if they have been overcharging for years?

In town I also picked up my new glasses.

And just for icing on the cake, I hit an emu on the way home. I saw it only as a momentary glimpse as it **** out of the scrub a couple of metres from my left trying to cross in front of me at high speed before it disappeared below the front of the bonnet. My foot was on the way to the brake pedal when I hit it. I suppose I was doing about 30kph, as I was slowing for a turn. No apparent damage to the 110 (thanks AR, but I'm afraid I can't say the same about the emu. I had earlier seen a number of emus both on the way into town and on the way home on the road as well as quite a few roos and one goanna about a metre long.

Saw two fresh roo bodies on the bitumen on the way into town, and another one (different route) on the way home. Last one was enormous.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Yesterday was pretty quiet - here anyway - the fire is north of me, and is in the far side of my next door neighbor, but only just inside their far boundary. However, with the wind now in the west, all the excitement is at the eastern end of the fire. It is into an area with more open land, and more housing etc. And heading for the railway. But at least it is easier to stop in the open country.

I also had some issues with the ute yesterday (see 2a thread).

Today looks like it is going to be OK here, although with the wind still in the west, the east end is still going to be an issue, although the wind is forecast to be lighter than yesterday. Actually almost no wind at the moment.

I am hoping to feel safe enough to do a shopping run to town tomorrow. Which will mean taking some of my evacuation stuff out of the car.

Do you have any fire fighting gear of your own to stay and use or would you rather just leave?
I have 8000 litres of water in pod tanks under the house hooked up to a sprinkler system I made with heads every 5 metres at gutter level around the house. This and a hose reel at each end of the house and one at each shed supplied by a Honda fire fighting pump.
Then I have a tractor drawn trailer with 2 pod tanks ,a reel and a Honda that I can hook up to and use as well.
This means I will stay and fight it and being on my own I hope a neighbour will come and help with the tractor drawn one while I am busy with the house one. Started up the trailer one last week and that 1 & 1/2 inch grey spiral hose split on me so bought some yellow HP hose that is supposed to be better. Must be because its parked in the back paddock in the sun. I have covers over the tanks.
So good luck John and hope it misses you.
Keith

I have a fixed petrol firefighter next to the house. It can draw fro its own 3,000l tank. the similar sized house header tank (both self priming because they are above the pump, or it can feed from the house tanks by running the electric pump (standalone power).

But I mainly rely on the fact that the house (on a slab) is non combustible (steel and hardiplank), with insulated walls and roof, and surrounded by a close mown grass area.

And the good news is that the fire is now listed as under control!

Originally Posted by Roverlord off road spares

I know the boys worry about me, it's funny when I try to give advise I get Mum! I know what I am doing.

They know what they are doing because they were taught by the best.

A mate of mine lives in a stunningly beautiful bush area. He's insured, all his real valuables and documents are with one of the kids in the metro area and he and his partner keep their "go bags" by the front door. There's only one thing that can't be replaced, and that's you.

Last year when dad was on his last legs, he sat and told me how proud he was of me. I reminded him that pretty much everything I know, he taught so as good as he might think I am, I was just standing on his shoulders.

The chances of you coming to harm are remote, but listen to the boys because they know more than you. They know what you know, but they've built on that knowledge.

I heard this recently : Every time an old person dies, a library burns down.

Originally Posted by BradC

.............
I heard this recently : Every time an old person dies, a library burns down.

I like that. I probably will only have about another ten years, and I am continually reminded about all the stuff I know that very few others know, and that will be lost.

Originally Posted by BradC

Last year when dad was on his last legs, he sat and told me how proud he was of me. I reminded him that pretty much everything I know, he taught so as good as he might think I am, I was just standing on his shoulders.

My Dad was the opposite,he didn't teach me much at all,sure us kids picked things up along the way.
We had to work most things out ourselves.

Done the opposite with my boys,i have taught them so much it is rediculous,and i often see where i made mistakes,they didn't, because they listened to me,and their Mother.

Running over Emus,Mum did once,taking us kids to school.In all the commotion,she lost a lense out of her sunglasses.
We found it years later in a Bower birds bower.