Post Mortem - Bush Fire
July 2nd 2009 06:00
In February 2009 bush fires raged in Victoria causing millions of dollars worth of damage. Now comes the analysis of what went wrong. A Royal Commission, no less, is investigating the circumstances of the fires, why they did so much damage, took so many lives and what could have been done better.
Saturday, February 7th has been christened Black Saturday. 26 years ago the fires came on a Wednesday, now called Ash Wednesday. Same scenario with the weather, the dead undergrowth in the forests, and no breaks to slow the fires progress.
Why did it happen again? The fires from 26 years ago had their doctors doing postmortems and making recommendations. What happened? Nothing at all. Had there been any notice taken of that inquiry 26 years ago, perhaps some of those who lost their lives this year would still be alive.
I would like to think otherwise but political will only lasts as long as the sensation of the moment. Prevention is better than cure. So why not make breaks in the forests to prevent the fires from becoming so big and so hot that they cannot be fought.
Bush fire has, as I see it, three stages:
1. Bush fire - Can be fought and controlled
2. Wild Fire - Difficult to fight but reasonably small area
3. Fire Storm - Unstoppable and unfightable.
Which would you want in you home area. You live there, you know what you stand to lose next time, stand up now and have your say about the prevention of the next possible 'Fire Storm'.
I am no expert, just an old guy who has seen it all before.
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Comment by Tricia Benet
The Green Edition
The Night Owl
Yorkie Yappers
The government pitches in and they rebuild them in the same places, waiting for the next fire storms to move through.
Comment by Robert Bruce
Australian Storyteller
Storyteller - prose and poetry
Bushwriter