NSW Fires

[Bird]

ya wouldnt wanna be alive before 6:08 eh..

[Bigfish]

That is unbelievable

& then, when it does rain, all the dirt is just going to wash down those hills, as there's nothing to hold it in place

Wrong mate...Morrissons hopes and prayers will see it stick together.   Govt has an obligation to its citizens.  Looks like the current mob are not too worried about us at all. Previous ones as well.  We have a big history of fires in this nation and yet we still have no where near enough fire fighting equipment to handle 1 state...let alone the country.  Wonder what would happen if all the volunteers let Canberra burn whilst they sat around thinking hope and prayers will extinguish it? Same goes for the drought...no govt action or ideas on how to fix many of the govt cluster f*&^s that have added to the problem. So many lives of humans and animals lost as well as land, houses and other property.  The whole of Oz is almost one big disaster area.

[Bird]

Wrong mate...Morrissons hopes and prayers will see it stick together.   Govt has an obligation to its citizens.

na, hes released the latest version of the Religious bullShit bill again - so that should have the fires out and the smoke cleared by 4pm sarvo.

[Hairs]

That is unbelievable

& then, when it does rain, all the dirt is just going to wash down those hills, as there's nothing to hold it in place

That's it mate.
And the ash, it's bad
It's going to take a long time to recover.

[alnjan]

That's it mate.
And the ash, it's bad
It's going to take a long time to recover.

Be okay if we get steady rain, not the hard heavy gully rackers.  The ash will be good fertiliser.  Couple of weeks/months and the trees will be regenerating with new growth.   Some of the Forestry earlier burnt is already regenerating.  Part of the Aussie bush. 

The bigger problem is while the fires have been bad, most of the fires haven't been that server.  Was just talking to my Dad about the fires and he was saying his Dad told of a fire that came from the southeast and burnt through to the northwest.  Everyone thought that would be it.  Trouble was a week later an old stump that was still burning underground flared up again this time burning the opposite way.  The first fire burnt the undergrowth and ground fuel.  During that week all the now dead leaves fell and the second fire burnt the leaves and other fallen burnt timber catching everyone out. 

If you take a run up the highway from Iluka to New Italy, see all the leaf litter and other fallen timber, branches etc, ready to burn again.  In patches along the highway there are sections of trees completely burnt while others still have a lot of leaves, ready to burn again.  Sadly all depends on the weather we get. 

[Hairs]

Be okay if we get steady rain, not the hard heavy gully rackers.  The ash will be good fertiliser.  Couple of weeks/months and the trees will be regenerating with new growth.   Some of the Forestry earlier burnt is already regenerating.  Part of the Aussie bush. 

The bigger problem is while the fires have been bad, most of the fires haven't been that server.  Was just talking to my Dad about the fires and he was saying his Dad told of a fire that came from the southeast and burnt through to the northwest.  Everyone thought that would be it.  Trouble was a week later an old stump that was still burning underground flared up again this time burning the opposite way.  The first fire burnt the undergrowth and ground fuel.  During that week all the now dead leaves fell and the second fire burnt the leaves and other fallen burnt timber catching everyone out. 

If you take a run up the highway from Iluka to New Italy, see all the leaf litter and other fallen timber, branches etc, ready to burn again.  In patches along the highway there are sections of trees completely burnt while others still have a lot of leaves, ready to burn again.  Sadly all depends on the weather we get.

I haven't had a need to travel up the H/way or anywhere, maybe that's a good thing, I reckon it would be numbing.

You are right about the logs, branches and leaves falling and causing another  problem.

It's not good.

[Hairs]

This storm front will cause more problems than it solves.

[Brij]

Some interesting thoughts, and data, particularly the "Chinese Effect", and solar radiation variabls, and longer term temp records/trends, not just the last 200 years of industrial revolution, but 1000s of years of trends.

http://thelongview.com.au/documents.html

[Squalo]

The bigger problem is while the fires have been bad, most of the fires haven't been that server.  Was just talking to my Dad about the fires and he was saying his Dad told of a fire that came from the southeast and burnt through to the northwest.  Everyone thought that would be it.  Trouble was a week later an old stump that was still burning underground flared up again this time burning the opposite way.  The first fire burnt the undergrowth and ground fuel.  During that week all the now dead leaves fell and the second fire burnt the leaves and other fallen burnt timber catching everyone out.

I've seen that - it doesn't even take a maverick burning stump, a fire that comes in through unburnt bush can roar straight across a recent fireground without losing any intensity. A ranger mate down the NSW South Coast told me it's happened a few times following winter/spring burn-offs. Standing hardwood that has been burnt still has a lot to give to a good firefront.

[alnjan]

Some interesting thoughts, and data, particularly the "Chinese Effect", and solar radiation variabls, and longer term temp records/trends, not just the last 200 years of industrial revolution, but 1000s of years of trends.

http://thelongview.com.au/documents.html

A lot of different weather events all combining to affect separate areas.  We have been in drought conditions for a while and haven't really had enough rain to say we are out of drought, just enough rain to keep us on the cusp of drought.  Last year didn't help nor did a very dry winter.  It's all about the weather events. 

[alnjan]

I've seen that - it doesn't even take a maverick burning stump, a fire that comes in through unburnt bush can roar straight across a recent fireground without losing any intensity. A ranger mate down the NSW South Coast told me it's happened a few times following winter/spring burn-offs. Standing hardwood that has been burnt still has a lot to give to a good firefront.

With the right weather conditions fire will go most places the fuel is. 

[Squalo]

With the right weather conditions fire will go most places the fuel is. 

Kind of brings it back to the current issue - the effect of climate change on fires. This is quite literally the start of what we can expect for the next 5-10 years, after which it will get worse - assuming there's anything left to burn.

Because those right weather conditions are becoming business as usual. Here on the Sunshine Coast we had a visit from RFS in June, they wanted to tell us that the fire season start would be in July. Usually it's around October. So by late July we were doing drills with RFS - we're working on being their refillers, so they can come off the fireground and have some downtime while we man the pumps before they go back out again.

But here's another problem - SES are now coming into storm season, our primary function, but it looks like we'll still be supporting RFS at the same time. So that overlap is yet another thing we're going to have to cope with.

Anyone want to join RFS/CFS/SES? We're going to need you.

(Volunteer membership of above entities drops every year, although thankfully my SES unit and the RFS units we support are still strong)

[alnjan]

Kind of brings it back to the current issue - the effect of climate change on fires. This is quite literally the start of what we can expect for the next 5-10 years, after which it will get worse - assuming there's anything left to burn.

Because those right weather conditions are becoming business as usual. Here on the Sunshine Coast we had a visit from RFS in June, they wanted to tell us that the fire season start would be in July. Usually it's around October. So by late July we were doing drills with RFS - we're working on being their refillers, so they can come off the fireground and have some downtime while we man the pumps before they go back out again.

But here's another problem - SES are now coming into storm season, our primary function, but it looks like we'll still be supporting RFS at the same time. So that overlap is yet another thing we're going to have to cope with.

Anyone want to join RFS/CFS/SES? We're going to need you.

(Volunteer membership of above entities drops every year, although thankfully my SES unit and the RFS units we support are still strong)

I know a lot of RFS have left over the past decade as they just were not doing what they joined up to do. 

[Squalo]

I'll leave that one for current/former RFS members to comment on - but it doesn't change the fact that we need people. Even if you can't walk 500 metres, you're useful on a radio.

And to everyone out there - don't put the volunteers at risk just because you're a lazy c%$^! Clean your place up NOW, make an effort. Here's a tip - when the volunteer crew turns up at your place and they just see Shit everywhere, they'll get on the radio to other teams in the area and figure out which properties really deserve their protection. And fair enough too. Their personal well-being is primary.

[Fizzie]

Some interesting thoughts,

Very interesting, but I hope he's wrong

[Hairs]

Hey,
On a bright note,
Must be the first time in months that we have had a Blue Sky, thanks to the easterly.
Don't get me wrong, the RFS and others have worked their arses off.

[Bird]

Hey,
On a bright note,
Must be the first time in months that we have had a Blue Sky, thanks to the easterly.
Don't get me wrong, the RFS and others have worked their arses off.

I could see a few camper trailers parked up on the left/center/right just there....

[alnjan]

Hey,
On a bright note,
Must be the first time in months that we have had a Blue Sky, thanks to the easterly.
Don't get me wrong, the RFS and others have worked their arses off.

Another bright side for Jon, travelling back from up north today and some of the burnt section between New Italy and Iluka starting to reshoot.  All those fresh new leaves. 

[Hairs]

I could see a few camper trailers parked up on the left/center/right just there....

Plenty of room
Cheers

[edz]

Yep climate change .. Interesting vid ..  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WppbuIoyXdg&t=115s   .. and this isnt Robinson Carusso with news records .

[Rodt]

Hey,
On a bright note,
Must be the first time in months that we have had a Blue Sky, thanks to the easterly.

It's all blown over our way 

[Bigfish]

Yep climate change .. Interesting vid ..  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WppbuIoyXdg&t=115s   .. and this isnt Robinson Carusso with news records .

If you havent heard...this bullShit that BOM was hiding and manipulating data has been shown to be absolute crap.  Several months ago there was a full run down on the whole process of transferring all records to digital. Just wish I had kept the article because I get sick of hearing crap news and conspiracy theories from ignorant trolls.

Heres one .

Google has quite a few conspiracy theories.  They also say man never walked on the moon...the cheese would have melted from the spacecrafts engines

[Craig Tomkinson]

Sorry Squalo, I would love to join but I put in 30 years taught by the old fellows in the field, then spent around another 7 years in the BFB I did all the training chain saw courses and this and that, I loved the old way were we trained them in house on the job,did not need a ticket to use something on mostly private property,  Left in the end got sick of doing up dates on stuff I did not think needed doing and had a run in with NO 1 officer as I was 2ic, A lot of the trouble on the coast people choose to live with all the bush right up to there house, I do not, my block is clean no trees or bush near the place or on the block just for fires would love the shade but hate rubbish that can burn around my house, there were 27 different palms and trees and crap right up to the house when we bought it 3 years ago we cleared it all away for fire control,  But theses people that live in bush want some poor bastard to help them when a fire gets going and out of control, I got sick the greeny Fwits burning without permits and proper control measures, The first photo is my house nice and clean, lawn needs mowing , second photo is my neighbours house with trees right up to it and all the gardens mulched 8 inchs deep, if there a fire its gone, the trees you can see are all on both Neighbours blocks both sides of me it Shits me as they are Shit scared of fires all the time but do nothing about it, Craig   

[alnjan]

Unprecedented is one word used a lot with the current fires.  Guess you can say that when you don't look at what has happened before.   

"Large fires in the east and west
1974-75 also saw the most severe fire season for perhaps 30 years in the far west of the State with 3,755,000 hectares burnt, 50,000 stock lost and 10,170km of fencing destroyed. One and a half million hectares were burnt in the Cobar Shire and 340,000ha in the Balranald Shire. At that time, the Moolah-Corinya fire was the largest fire ever to be put out by firefighters. The perimeter was over 1,000km. Three people died in the fire, 100 were hurt and 40 homes were destroyed.

In the late 1970s, the Blue Mountains endured two bad fire seasons. In late 1976, 65,000ha were burnt. The following year, one life was lost, 49 buildings were destroyed alongside of a further 54,000ha. Serious fires occurred in the Southern Highlands two years later in 1978-79. Major fires were widespread for the 1979-80 fire season burning over one million hectares in total across the State."

https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/about-us/history

[krisandkev]

Unprecedented is one word used a lot with the current fires.  Guess you can say that when you don't look at what has happened before.   

Totally agree. I have read similar articles but I guess the media are loving all the current drama. Take the most nationally pushed news item, poor Sydney having smoke! Like we all must be living there, no we don't. Like do other places have bad smoke - yes we do!
I also read history on fires in Tasmania. Very interesting and on the west coast you can still see huge areas where the fires have been. But I suppose this time it is the gov fault, as some have been saying.  Kevin