Thread: Gippslands burning again

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cheers, DL

Originally Posted by Vern

from what i've been told, i have lost my back yard, front yard, my camper trailer burnt to the ground, i can't get back to my home to see the damage. All i know is they saved my shed which is our house at the moment as we are about to build there. I'm so glad the wife and kids got out just in time, it started about 200m from our place. Why would some ****er want to do this, what are they achieving by setting bushland and peoples homes and lives on fire.
I will head bak up tomorrow and see if i can get in, if not will see what i can do to help the community out.

Sorry to see your loss. I don't get what goes through the heads of these mongrels, maybe its a power thing to bring out the emergency services.
To my mind they are nothing more than terrorists and should charged under that legislation. Or give them to the firies to administer the punishment.
90% of the fires I have been called out to so far this year have been arson.

Originally Posted by rangieman

Thanks Damien , The house is in the centre of the town but its also on top of a hill so i hope the embers dont get it
Im keeping in ph contact with my brother , dont know why im bothering as he,s been evacuated , so he knows as much as me about the house

I hope all goes well for him, unfortunately being in the middle of town won't be a guarantee, ember attack is the major cause of house loss, and houses can be vulnerable many kilometres from the actual fire. Naturally the closer you are the greater the risk. Householders should put significant effort into ember proofing their home.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

Well, the Great Dividing Range from Cape York to almost Melbourne is pretty heavily forested most of the way, but only a few areas seem to regularly have huge fires. Gippsland and the Blue mountains in particular. I was asking why is this so.

If you draw a line from around Port Macquarie (NSW) across to Adelaide that is about the most fire prone area in the world. Whilst fires can start from many causes most have some human involvement (and not always maliceous) the further from 'civilisation' the less likely a fire starting. Vegetation type also plays a significant role, whether it is dry or wet schlerophyll. Whilst wet schlerophyll will (and does) burn conditions have to be much more severe (drier) for it to happen. The further north you go the moister the bush tend to be, until you get into the tropics proper when you have wet/dry seasons

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

Qld. Forestry and the National Parks people regularly have reduction burns so why not others. If these bodies are not keeping your bushland clean around populated areas then questions should be asked. Likewise the property owners. They should be keeping as much clear space around their homes as possible. I know people like to live in twee little bushland retreats nestled in the scrub but such situations are plainly stupid in areas where the fire hazards are real and regular. I know the trouble my Blue Mountain rellies go to in regard to reducing fire risk. They hold pretty poor opinions of neighbours who don't.

I commend your rellies for their efforts, however as you have stated many people do little, because they want to live in the bush and are prepared to take the risk (some are just oblivious to the risk). This has the effect of reducing the effectiveness of the preparation of those around them.
Hazard reduction burning is not as simple as it seems on the surface, there is very narrow set of fuel conditions within which HR will be effective. If it's too wet then obviously it wont burn but too dry and it will be too difficult to control, some of the larger HR's need to be undertaken over a number of days, and hence need a set of stable weather conditions for a longer period. Not much point in lighting up a fire if in a few days time it is going to be hot and windy. Even with the best of conditions the amount of HR that can be done is a drop in the bucket compared to the area of bush that may burn.

Originally Posted by clean32

Guys Keep posting, I know nothing about Bush fires ( i know about exstreme cold), so what do you do if you get cought in a fire area. i saw on TV sty in your car. and one one movie thay said doint run up hill. Keeping you property clear, is that cutting down trees or more?

What to do depends on where you are.
If at home then stay in the house especially if its well prepared, if not then you should have made the decision to leave well before the fire came through. Many bushfire fatalities occur with people deciding to evacuate too late, and getting caught in bushland between their home and a safe refuge.

If in a car then stay in the car in as clear an area as possible, the fuel tank won't explode, but tha amount of plastics in a modern car mean conditions inside may not be tenable and may drive you out (out of the pan into the fire)
On foot fire will definitely move faster and hotter uphill, hence why you don't run uphill, you should try and move downhill across the fire (towards the edges). Remember in a bush fire it is the radiant heat that will get you, before the fire does.

Have a look here.

Deciding to stay and defend, or leave early - NSW Rural Fire Service or

Living in the Bush, Residents - Country Fire Authority

Originally Posted by rangieman

Are you for real , These were deliberate lit fires it would,nt matter how much was cleared in these forest,s or surrounds.
Now does the blame fall on the owners of the plantations because they didnt burn back or clear fallen branches , What about the tossers that lit them they had a agender to lite fires Ill give them more than the goverment would

Has it been proven they were deliberately lit ?? As more fires get investigated many more varied causes come to the front, however incendiarism is a significant cause. I can't comment on Vic but basically in NSW if you own the fuel you own the problem, and have to take measure to prevent a fire occurring on or leaving your land.


Martyn

Originally Posted by 350RRC

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cheers, DL

When you look at that, you start to realise just how little bush there actually is.


Martyn

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

I understand you cant have fires in pine but what about keeping surrounds clean to possibly limit spread?

Fires can spot for several kilometres around, how much do your rellies clear?

I hope you all are safe and speared of any/total loss...I have been involved in the Qld RFS for over 15 yeas and ho har for 23yrs we understand how heart wrenching this is for any bushfire too strike but particularly when someone starts one


Please stay safe


Mrs ho har

Originally Posted by Vern

from what i've been told, i have lost my back yard, front yard, my camper trailer burnt to the ground, i can't get back to my home to see the damage. All i know is they saved my shed which is our house at the moment as we are about to build there. I'm so glad the wife and kids got out just in time, it started about 200m from our place. Why would some ****er want to do this, what are they achieving by setting bushland and peoples homes and lives on fire.
I will head bak up tomorrow and see if i can get in, if not will see what i can do to help the community out.

Vern, my heart goes out to you and your community.

Can some of us in Melbourne help you, your neighbours or local community by coming over to -

• clean up damaged/burnt property
• create fire breaks around farms or
• perhaps

even assist with defending local farms and houses under ember attack?

I am led to believe that many farming families are on their own (ie 2-3 person households) trying to secure their properties downwind of a blaze. Despite having firefighting equipment (pumps and 1000Lt trailer tanks etc) they don't have enough hands"on board" to use it as the locals are defending their own places or are out with the local brigade elsewhere.
I have found many 4WDers like myself (particularly in the 3 clubs I am in) who have past CFA/Bushfire suppression experience and if asked would pitch in to help.

Originally Posted by Vern

from what i've been told, i have lost my back yard, front yard, my camper trailer burnt to the ground, i can't get back to my home to see the damage. All i know is they saved my shed which is our house at the moment as we are about to build there. I'm so glad the wife and kids got out just in time, it started about 200m from our place. Why would some ****er want to do this, what are they achieving by setting bushland and peoples homes and lives on fire.
I will head bak up tomorrow and see if i can get in, if not will see what i can do to help the community out.

Soeey to hear that mate, glad the family are all ok and hope it all works out ok for you.

Originally Posted by waynep

Hope and pray all is OK ...

saw the smoke from the Endeavour Hills fire tonight on the way home ..... wouldn't be surprised if that was deliberate too.

That fire was started by a minor car accident at the Churchill park golf club.

It has burned all around the clubhouse and into the national park where it took off and of course there are houses built right to the trees.

Oh and by the way, there is a 9 metre fire break around the national park up there and they have controlled burns but still it went up like a box of matches......because it was 45deg and sqwally winds.