Bushfires 2019/2020!

[JohnM]

Another view on prescribed burns: Ask any firefighter: Prescribed burning mitigates bushfire losses

Thanks for that link.

Brilliant stuff - clear and articulate.

Neil and my old 1969/70 student summer at Manjimup flatmate Rick are extremely experienced, practical people who have very long experience in forest management.

I also know Byron...

Over to you @drron...

 

[Drakecula]

I was a little worried I'd go to bed and wake up to find we were missing some of Tuggeranong. Glad it's back to 'watch and act', but with the high temperatures the next few days, anything could happen. The smoke is particularly irritating this morning, my eyes won't stop watering and I wasn't outside very long.

 

[RooFlyer]

Another view on prescribed burns: Ask any firefighter: Prescribed burning mitigates bushfire losses

Yes, it’s sad that some people are so wedded to a ‘we are doomed’ scenario that this is sometimes nay-said.

Pile of 100 tyres. Potential for large fire. Take away 60 by ‘hazard reduction’ and the danger diminishes quite a bit. Not eliminated, as it’s ‘hazard reduction’ not hazard elimination.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I was a little worried I'd go to bed and wake up to find we were missing some of Tuggeranong. Glad it's back to 'watch and act', but with the high temperatures the next few days, anything could happen. The smoke is particularly irritating this morning, my eyes won't stop watering and I wasn't outside very long.

Yes with very high temperatures over the next four days it’s looking scary. are you wearing a mask? Not that that helps with eyes.

 

[Drakecula]

Yes with very high temperatures over the next four days it’s looking scary. are you wearing a mask? Not that that helps with eyes.

Yep, I've got a mask, didn't have it on this morning though as it was a quick drop off by MrD from the car straight into the building. Could just be the dry dry air too, that doesn't help.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Yep, I've got a mask, didn't have it on this morning though as it was a quick drop off by MrD from the car straight into the building. Could just be the dry dry air too, that doesn't help.

That’s true could be dryness

 

[rogerkambah]

I was a little worried I'd go to bed and wake up to find we were missing some of Tuggeranong. Glad it's back to 'watch and act', but with the high temperatures the next few days, anything could happen. The smoke is particularly irritating this morning, my eyes won't stop watering and I wasn't outside very long.

When I went to bed at 1am the fire was down to Watch and Act, and we couldn't see any red. The air was still in Kambah (Heights) which is a pleasant change from the winds blowing for months.
The DC10 is parked at CBR, probably taking on supplies.

 

[Himeno]

The warning went down to Watch at 1130 last night. Lowered again to Advice at 1pm. I'd expect the warning levels to increase again when the wind changes direction.

The smoke reached Belconnen this afternoon
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EPa6kBIU4AA-nYZ.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EPa6kqBVUAAFZM2.jpg

 

[Flying mermaid]

The warning went down to Watch at 1130 last night. Lowered again to Advice at 1pm. I'd expect the warning levels to increase again when the wind changes direction.

The smoke reached Belconnen this afternoon
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EPa6kBIU4AA-nYZ.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EPa6kqBVUAAFZM2.jpg

It’s not just direction - winds are very calm at the moment. We have been getting really bad winds for months but it’s almost still currently.

and yes - light has gone that nasty gold colour, but at least it’s not orange like the beginning of January. PM2.5 not too bad at the moment.

 

[Moody]

Another view on prescribed burns: Ask any firefighter: Prescribed burning mitigates bushfire losses

Good link - but more for the educated comments than the article itself.

 

[Moody]

Thanks for that link.

Brilliant stuff - clear and articulate.

Important to read the original opinion piece by Lamont & He, and also the comments.

 

[drron]

OK Moody what actions to counteract climate change will reduce the severity of next seasons bushfires?
My answer would be none.

Whereas hazard reduction-not just burns that Lamont goes on about-can and have been shown to reduce the severity of bushfires when properly done as in WA.

And as to that Lamont article they say that prescribed burning will not stop a lighted cigarette or lightening strike from starting a fire.For goodness sake hazard reduction is not about stopping bushfires but about reducing the intensity.Really Lamont demonstrates that he has no practical knowledge of properly conducted hazard reduction.

 

[dajop]

Whereas hazard reduction-not just burns that Lamont goes on about

Yes, it seems that other elements of hazard reduction are forgotten, everyone is focussing on the burns.

Even if you accept (as some are arguing) that hazard reduction burns would have done little to prevent the magnitude of losses this season - due to extraordinary dry and heat this year - does that also mean hazard reduction burns are not useful when facing more regular summer conditions?

Seems to be many agendas being pushed, and as usual media needs to stir up controversy to generate clicks and advertising revenue, precluding a rational, but probably infinitely more boring debate.

 

[Moody]

Even if you accept (as some are arguing) that hazard reduction burns would have done little to prevent the magnitude of losses this season - due to extraordinary dry and heat this year - does that also mean hazard reduction burns are not useful when facing more regular summer conditions?

There's the rub - there are some (including ScoMo) who think that more HRBs are the answer to the extreme fire conditions we have witnessed this season. Burrows and Sneeuwjagt are also firmly in that camp, once you filter out the near vitriolic hatred they have for Lamont and He.

I prefer to take the advice from the heads of the state firefighting organisations - that in a hotter and drier environment HRBs are becoming a less effective tool in controlling bushfires.

 

[OATEK]

There's the rub - there are some (including ScoMo) who think that more HRBs are the answer to the extreme fire conditions we have witnessed this season. Burrows and Sneeuwjagt are also firmly in that camp, once you filter out the near vitriolic hatred they have for Lamont and He.

I prefer to take the advice from the heads of the state firefighting organisations - that in a hotter and drier environment HRBs are becoming a less effective tool in controlling bushfires.

Oh dear, really!

 

[Moody]

Oh dear, really!

Yes really. Their language is quite inflammatory (pardon the pun) :-

Their baseless and inhumane opinions .... utter lack of understanding .... demonstrably untrue ... dangerously wrong .... have no understanding .... factually incorrect and demonstrates a significant ignorance ... dangerous and inhumane.

"Academics like Professor Lamont and Dr He disdain the experience of bushmen and experienced firefighters, seemingly preferring computer models developed on a green, leafy campus."

The above is an example of disdain. I picked up none in the Lamont & He opinion piece.

And if you read the comments section, you get some very interesting feedback on this rebuttal.

 

[drron]

As many in the Rural fire brigades are saying the recently retired and current Fire Commissioners are covering their butts as it is on their watch that massive fuel loads have built up.

And once again for Moody's sake.Only Western Australia has conducted anything like true hazard reduction-not just HRBs.The evidence is clear.
.

Really very simple as the area subject to hazard reduction goes up the area burnt by bushfires goes down.As the area subject to hazard reduction goes down the area burnt by bushfires goes up.And Western Australia has a manual of the correct hazard reduction plan for each different environment with an overriding authority to coordinate hazard reduction in national Parks,state forests,other public lands and private lands.
No other State has even gone close to adequate hazard reduction despite the numerous Inqiries and Bushfire science research for over 60 years.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Slight injuries when a tree fell on a fire truck at the Orroral (Namadgi) fire. Looks like an OK day again today, but tomorrow and Saturday on the key days. Tharwa still hanging in there!

 

[Flying mermaid]

Apparently various endangered species are being readied for evacuation from Tidbinbilla “in case”. Brush-tailed rock wallabies, Bettongs and Northern Corroboree Frogs

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes really. Their language is quite inflammatory (pardon the pun) :-

Their baseless and inhumane opinions .... utter lack of understanding .... demonstrably untrue ... dangerously wrong .... have no understanding .... factually incorrect and demonstrates a significant ignorance ... dangerous and inhumane.

"Academics like Professor Lamont and Dr He disdain the experience of bushmen and experienced firefighters, seemingly preferring computer models developed on a green, leafy campus."

The above is an example of disdain. I picked up none in the Lamont & He opinion piece.

And if you read the comments section, you get some very interesting feedback on this rebuttal.

Oh, my goodness!! Where else have I read disdain, hate, name-calling and all the rest?

The hectoring by ex the fire guys is no different from former politicians in general (Prime Ministers, in particular). "Oh, you should do this, this and that! (Ahem ... not that we did it while we were in charge ... but anyway ...) "