Tasmanian Fires

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dwatsonbb
dwatsonbb's picture
Tasmanian Fires

Some have enquired about how close the fires are to us here at Huonville. Fortunately they are about 100klm east of us, as the crow flies from any danger. We are still affected, I have friends and a colleague who have lost it all. Everyone agrees how fortunate, no loss of life to date.

I also wish all everyone goodluck with fires and other extreme conditions at the moment. We are very aware of the large number of fires in South and East Australia.

Unfortunately a lot of the damage in the current Tasmanian Fires could possibly have been at least lessened, if not prevented, if we (as a state) would encourage more controlled burn offs in favourable weather.

Our environment has survived over thousands of years, and many species, require fire to be able to regenerate.

Although we are so far away, our landscape has been quite eerie on occasions, some photos below, taken from our deck looking South/South West.

Thanks and goodluck to all!

Holly
Holly's picture

So glad you are OK and I hope none of our other BIBY members have been affected - though I am heartbroken whenever I think of how our wildlife must be suffering. A staff member in BirdLife had a fire rage through her property just before Christmas - 60+ firefighters on hand but the house was saved (unfortunately not the 200 acres surrounding it).

 

Despite living in suburbia we got the warning SMS (at 11pm at night) before Tuesday's big scorcher. We decided to have some bags packed and all the gear ready to get our pets out if we needed to go. I initially thought it was a bit of overkill, but when I looked outside and saw just how dry the pastures are that are about 1 km from us - and the pieces of bush and tall Eucs leading up to our place, I thought it wouldn't hurt to be ready just in case.

 

 

Araminta
Araminta's picture

I second everything Holly says, I hope everyone can stay safe.

We were only minutes away from the Black Saturday fires, (although I resent that name, because the fires that claimed houses in Labertouche and burnt through the Bunyip Park burnt two days earlier, but were  forgotten).

I would like to show you what sets houses alight. The clumps of grass in the photo, landed like a burning rockets in our garden, if we wouldn't have been home to put the spots out, the house could easyly burnt down. I have followed a guy from the local brigade to visit homes in our area to help them get fire ready. You wouldn't believe the junk people keep close to their house? Any ambers landing on that, like the one in the photo, would set the house on fire, no doubt. I remove everything from around our house at the start of the season, the one thing we all can do.

Good luck to everyone, stay alert, but don't panic. 

M-L

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