NSW Fires

[oddsocks]

Nasty sounding one out Holesworthy heading south east - towards Menai/Sandy Point

dunno wat the weather is like, but if its windy as it is here it would be a ****in nightmare..

60 km/h winds were recorded at Sydney Airport yesterday around the time the fire stared. Was extremely gusty and hot and just fanned the flames. Cooler day today but wind is still up. Live just up the road in Revesby.


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[edz]

They get a few fires go through there .. Tends to get rid of a bit of Unexploded Ordnance on the firing range ..
Though I did hear that this one damaged  Buildings  on the base ..

[Hoyks]

From the satellite view of the fire path, there was what looks like a ammunition or hazardous material store in the middle of it all. It has a big berm around it anyway.

[McGirr]

Why don’t the southern states do a burn off each season. Every year major fires start.

In the NT they do burn offs and you never hear of a major fire destroying homes.

Mark

[oddsocks]

Talk about it being deliberately lit. Burnoff’s don’t really help in these circumstances especially when they see a munitions dump is in the fire’s path.


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[speewa158]

Burn offs are done here with permits as required if its OK with the Greenies that is . Also you have to remember that there is a population difference between Vic & NT . We could do more in the 1st place         

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

To add to Speewa's post.
Trouble is, there's a LOT of people want to live in overgrown forested areas away from populated areas.
Mt. Dandenong Ranges area is a great example.  Even though it's not State Forest.  It'll still go up really well.
And people will live in houses with bush right up beside the house and tree rubbish all over their roof's.
And then they scream blue murder if they get caught in a fire situation.

[GGV8Cruza]

A burn was scheduled for this weekend in the same spot. They cancelled it and this then started up.

GG

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[GeoffA]

To add to Speewa's post.
Trouble is, there's a LOT of people want to live in overgrown forested areas away from populated areas.
Mt. Dandenong Ranges area is a great example.  Even though it's not State Forest.  It'll still go up really well.
And people will live in houses with bush right up beside the house and tree rubbish all over their roof's.
And then they scream blue murder if they get caught in a fire situation.

Agree Rob. It's just a matter of when.....

[Pottsy]

To add to Speewa's post.
Trouble is, there's a LOT of people want to live in overgrown forested areas away from populated areas.
Mt. Dandenong Ranges area is a great example.  Even though it's not State Forest.  It'll still go up really well.
And people will live in houses with bush right up beside the house and tree rubbish all over their roof's.
And then they scream blue murder if they get caught in a fire situation.

I have photographed a number of major bushfires and I can take you to properties that were effected by the fires where people still have vegetation right up to and next to their properties. this will always be the case as people seek the "bush life"

I have no issue with this if they have a clear and concise action plan for bushfires whether that be stay or go and the appropriate firefighting apparatus if they decide to stay and defend. We all have different lifestyle choices. These people do not have the right to scream blue murder though if they caught as the choice was entirely theirs.

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

I have photographed a number of major bushfires and I can take you to properties that were effected by the fires where people still have vegetation right up to and next to their properties. this will always be the case as people seek the "bush life"

I have no issue with this if they have a clear and concise action plan for bushfires whether that be stay or go and the appropriate firefighting apparatus if they decide to stay and defend. We all have different lifestyle choices. These people do not have the right to scream blue murder though if they caught as the choice was entirely theirs.

Exactly my point Pottsy, they made the choice. 
There's a large percentage of these people who have absolutely no idea what a good 'Fire' can do.

[Bird]

They get a few fires go through there .. Tends to get rid of a bit of Unexploded Ordnance on the firing range ..
Though I did hear that this one damaged  Buildings  on the base ..

we were blocked from going in there one year due to UXB... so we repositioned back at Menai Station LOL!

Burn offs are done here with permits as required if its OK with the Greenies that is .

adding to this, theres was that much paperwork and "approvals" to go through when I left the RFS in late 90's I cant imagine the bullShit you'd have to go through these days. More than once it was blocked in the shire due to a 'rare' animal being found (a frog one year) - that the burnoff was not approved... several months later some of the biggest fires went through and kermit was ****ed anyway.

[alnjan]

adding to this, theres was that much paperwork and "approvals" to go through when I left the RFS in late 90's I cant imagine the bullShit you'd have to go through these days. More than once it was blocked in the shire due to a 'rare' animal being found (a frog one year) - that the burnoff was not approved... several months later some of the biggest fires went through and kermit was ****ed anyway.

Pretty much the same reason I haven't rejoined the local RFS.  Been ages since they last done a controlled burn off.  Poor old Kermit and his mates have a lot better survival prospect from a cool fire to a out of control bush fire.  Now days just do my own hazard reductions over winter.   

[Bird]

Not cool down south coast way

Strong winds are fanning an out-of-control bushfire threatening homes near Ulladulla on the NSW south coast, with some residents told to seek shelter as it's too late to leave.

About an hour's drive north, another out-of-control blaze is threatening property at North Nowra, burning east towards the Princes Highway and Bomaderry.

These major south coast bushfires are the worst of dozens of early-season blazes firefighters are battling across the state under severe conditions, with a total fire ban declared for Sydney, the Illawarra and Hunter regions until midnight on Wednesday.

It's the earliest declaration of a total fire ban in the regions in almost a decade, the NSW Rural Fire Service tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.

More than 800 firefighters were battling about 70 fires across the state, with more than 30 of those uncontained, the RFS said.

The fire service issued an emergency warning for the blaze at Mount Kingiman, west of Burrill Lake near Ulladulla.

Residents in Burrill Lake, Kings Point and Ulladulla's south who are not prepared, or plan to leave, have been told to head north into central Ulladulla immediately, the NSW Rural Fire Service says.

Those in Woodstock are being told that it is too late to leave, and they should seek shelter in a solid structure as the fire approaches.

The fire service said a southerly change was expected to send the fire north towards Croobyar on Wednesday afternoon.

"Under these conditions, fires are uncontrollable, unpredictable and fast-moving," the fire service said.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/nsw/bushfire-threatens-homes-near-ulladulla-on-nsw-south-coast-20180815-p4zxk1.html

[briann532]

Why don’t the southern states do a burn off each season. Every year major fires start.

In the NT they do burn offs and you never hear of a major fire destroying homes.

Mark

Ummmmmmmm what?

Are you suggesting to deliberately light fires to control burn areas so we don't end up with "catastrophic" fires? reduce fuel loads or something like that?
I almost chocked on my lentil soup!
Seriously what are you thinking???
A lizard could get burnt, a tree might have to regenerate. Surely some Toyota diesel driving moron and his family's lives are far less important than the smoke that might be produced.
OK, before you retaliate, I know that if when the fires come, it will be 10 times as bad and cost 10 times more and we'll lose more stock and wildlife and put lives at risk, but seriously, think about the poor wombat who loses his home? Have you thought about the wombat estate agents who will be out of business for 6 months? No you just think about yourself and other peoples lives and common sense. Spare a though for the snakes who may have to run off temporarily. Do they get a government grant for moving expenses? And where does that money come from? Higher GST? just cos you want to save lives and be sensible?

Anyway, I would like to rant on about your insensibilities toward nature but my yoga lesson starts in 15 and I have to ride my bike there cos my Prius is out of charge, so I gotta go.
That reminds me I have to charge my prius to get to work tomorrow. Lucky its such clean energy, you know electricity and all. Not like it comes from burning fossil fuel like your landcruiser.
(well I can't see the power station so I don't care - that's your problem, I'm saving the seals!)

Note: Sorry Mark, just couldn't help myself. I'll pull my tongue out my cheek now and take my meds.

Brian

[McGirr]

Ummmmmmmm what?

Are you suggesting to deliberately light fires to control burn areas so we don't end up with "catastrophic" fires? reduce fuel loads or something like that?
I almost chocked on my lentil soup!
Seriously what are you thinking???
A lizard could get burnt, a tree might have to regenerate. Surely some Toyota diesel driving moron and his family's lives are far less important than the smoke that might be produced.
OK, before you retaliate, I know that if when the fires come, it will be 10 times as bad and cost 10 times more and we'll lose more stock and wildlife and put lives at risk, but seriously, think about the poor wombat who loses his home? Have you thought about the wombat estate agents who will be out of business for 6 months? No you just think about yourself and other peoples lives and common sense. Spare a though for the snakes who may have to run off temporarily. Do they get a government grant for moving expenses? And where does that money come from? Higher GST? just cos you want to save lives and be sensible?

Anyway, I would like to rant on about your insensibilities toward nature but my yoga lesson starts in 15 and I have to ride my bike there cos my Prius is out of charge, so I gotta go.
That reminds me I have to charge my prius to get to work tomorrow. Lucky its such clean energy, you know electricity and all. Not like it comes from burning fossil fuel like your landcruiser.
(well I can't see the power station so I don't care - that's your problem, I'm saving the seals!)

Note: Sorry Mark, just couldn't help myself. I'll pull my tongue out my cheek now and take my meds.

Brian

So you agree 

Mark

[briann532]

So you agree 

Mark

Hell yeah. Can't for the life of me understand why they won't. They did it for years with no adverse effects and it actually worked.
Back burning and containment lines. It's not rocket science.

Cheers Mate,
Brian

[achjimmy]

They have done some burn offs up in the mountains here. Fair few  But tbh they seem ineffectual they don’t clear the fuel, it’s still there in loads and seems no containment lines!  and then the latte sippers Brian refers to bitch about some smoke in the city and suburbs.

[rags]

In my old local area, hazard reduction burns were done in a mosaic grid pattern, the idea being that a different parcel of land was burnt each year. Over a period of time, there would be neighbouring areas that are burnt, it would be cyclic and resulting in different areas having different fuel loads. The hope being that if a wild fire was to break out then at some point it would pass over a section of land which has been burnt and hopefully be contained or slowed.

It will be getting put to the test ATM as a fire broke out today to the bush west of our old house and is still classified as out of control.

It just so happens we are driving down tomorrow for the weekend so I will throw my gear in and see if they need a hand, although I'm probably not able to assist these days as I haven't trained in over three years since moving away.

But otherwise always plenty to do at the fire shed in times like these.

[Bird]

Hell yeah. Can't for the life of me understand why they won't.

Different world now.

Too much paperwork and bullShit you to get approvals through.. RFS, councils, greens, EPA, Col Sanders etc. Then you have to pick a date, and weather conditions. if you miss your date due to weather etc.. start gain

Then you get people complaining that there's smoke in the air for a couple of days...
Then you get those people complaining their house burnt down cause there was no burn offs..

[McGirr]

Different world now.

Too much paperwork and bullShit you to get approvals through.. RFS, councils, greens, EPA, Col Sanders etc. Then you have to pick a date, and weather conditions. if you miss your date due to weather etc.. start gain

Then you get people complaining that there's smoke in the air for a couple of days...
Then you get those people complaining their house burnt down cause there was no burn offs..

And they say Queenslanders are strange people 

Mark

[Bird]

thats quite a lot of smoke for a 1 jeep fire.

Some sound advice at the bottom too.

The fire remains at a Watch and Act alert level, with Mr Webster saying residents should continue to enact their bushfire survival plan.

“For those people with plans in place, continue to prepare your properties as this fire will be around for some time,” he said.

“If you choose to stay and defend your property, test your equipment, make sure your pumps work and if you have a ladder make sure you’ve got it back from your neighbour,” he added with a wry chuckle.

While it is not currently an emergency situation requiring evacuations, Mr Webster also had vital tips for those who choose to relocate.

“Be sure to take your mobile phones and chargers for those phones, items to confirm your identity and any medication required – those are things people often overlook.

“And another thing I’d say is gather your family photos – you wouldn’t believe the number of times we see people put themselves in harm’s way trying to retrieve photos.

“While you have the time and a window of opportunity get busy, use the time appropriately.”

https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/news/local-news/5589581/bemboka-bushfire-returns-to-higher-alert-level/

[Fizzie]

Bugger

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-17/waterbombing-helicopter-crash-nsw-south-coast-woodstock/10133264

[Hoyks]

A truck rolled up near Caparra (NSW mid north coast) putting 4 into hospital too.
https://www.winghamchronicle.com.au/story/5590462/update-rural-fire-service-truck-rollover-north-of-wingham/

They really need to work on getting some new and younger members in the doors too. I'm a member of 2 brigades, one isn't too bad as we can muster crews that are are in their 20's and 30's, but the other one I'm the 3rd youngest member.... at 48. Dragging yourself and a 38mm hose full of water up and down hills in your 60's and 70's is bloody hard work. This crew were 20, 54, 62 and 71.


https://www.nbnnews.com.au/2018/08/16/four-firefighters-hospitalised-after-tanker-rollover/

[Bird]

Dragging yourself and a 38mm hose full of water up and down hills in your 60's and 70's is bloody hard work. This crew were 20, 54, 62 and 71.

Its always been a challenge in some regions. We found country areas with very small crews struggled to get any youth in... our town people looked down on the volunteers until they had a fire.



This sounds bad too..

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/too-late-to-leave-emergency-warning-for-hunter-bushfire-20180819-p4zye6.html

An emergency warning has been issued for a bushfire on the NSW North Coast, just as firefighters rein in an out-of-control blaze in the Hunter region.

The fire at Ellangowan, south-west of Ballina, broke containment lines and jumped a creek about 4.30pm on Sunday, the Rural Fire Service said.

The blaze is burning toward isolated rural properties and emergency warnings have been sent to residents telling them it is too late to leave.

They have been advised to seek shelter as the fire, which has covered 2000 hectare, bears down.

The warning comes just as firefighters start to contain a bushfire at Salt Ash, just north of Newcastle, during which residents were told it was too late to leave as strong westerly winds of up to 60km/h fanned blazes.

The Rural Fire Service said easing conditions on the fire ground had reduced the threat to homes, but warned residents in the area to continue to monitor the situation should it change.

Emergency alerts were sent to residents around Rookes Road, Lemon Tree Passage Road and Brownes Road in Salt Ash just after midday on Sunday as strong winds caused the blaze to intensify.