Victoria is a funny state in many ways but I'd like to say that the VIC DSE are the most profesional and organised initial attack organisation on bushfires (wildfires as they call them) of any state in Australia. The fact that we had the Black Saturday fires last year is not necessarily a reflection on th ability of the DSE but rather an illustration of the worsening fire seasons. Climate change (and I'm not a subscriber to all the carbon emissions rubish) is seeing the seasons becoming atmospherically more conducive to fire risk.

I think all states need to increase their fuel reduction policies (and not during fire season) and all could also fine tune their public relations policies a tadd too.

NSW is improving at a rate of knots after being relieved of P/C as chief. There is still a long way to go though. The ACT obviously depend on VIC and NSW.

Good luck to all involved in and dependent on the fighting of bushfires this season!!!