MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

I've just been reading about the evacuation around Victoria.

Good. They'll be safe.

I was just reading some stats. Between 2001 and 2006, the annual average numbef of bushfires was 56,000 (not a typo) and about half of those were lit by people whether on purpose or accidental.

 

[MaryJanet]

The ABS reports far fewer, but they seem to source their data from the fire services and maybe they're only counting bushfires that are fought.

 

[Ribh]

Australans are very calm about these things. It's sad when homes are lost but those who live in risky areas are well-insured and have already thought carefully about their options and prepared bushfire action plans. There's a lot of government and community support when the worst happens, eg, insurance companies are regulated to ensure they prioritise the claims regarding bushfire losses and the primary industries public servants are on the ground, evaluating agricultural losses the very next day after.

For me, the rural lifestyle is lovely but not worth the risk, so I moved to the suburbs long ago. Everyone makes their choices in the full knowledge that rural landscapes burn from time to time.

MJ: as an ex~Sydney girl I can assure you urban landscapes burn too. I'd left Sydney when Jannali & Como burnt ~ & they are nowhere near rural or bush. We were ~ sort of. I lived out near Cronulla on the Port Hacking river, opposite the Royal National Park, & every summer we went on ember watch in case the fire jumped the river. Jannali was on my train line route to high school & I remember being quite stunned by the footage because Jannali isn't even out in the sticks as we were back in the day. I just think if you live anywhere in Oz you know there is a fire risk. When it is so hot & dry, as it is now, & you know there's all that eucalypt oil ready to ignite, fire is a real possibility wherever you live.

Where I live now isn't particularly prone to fire [we've only had 1 major 1 in 30 years] but the big island opposite us burns every summer & we are still doing ember watch, just in case.

So even though we both know it's unlikely, do take care & stay fire safe.

 

[rjohns39]

MJ: as an ex~Sydney girl I can assure you urban landscapes burn too. I'd left Sydney when Jannali & Como burnt ~ & they are nowhere near rural or bush. We were ~ sort of. I lived out near Cronulla on the Port Hacking river, opposite the Royal National Park, & every summer we went on ember watch in case the fire jumped the river. Jannali was on my train line route to high school & I remember being quite stunned by the footage because Jannali isn't even out in the sticks as we were back in the day. I just think if you live anywhere in Oz you know there is a fire risk. When it is so hot & dry, as it is now, & you know there's all that eucalypt oil ready to ignite, fire is a real possibility wherever you live.

Where I live now isn't particularly prone to fire [we've only had 1 major 1 in 30 years] but the big island opposite us burns every summer & we are still doing ember watch, just in case.

So even though we both know it's unlikely, do take care & stay fire safe.

Folks, just be safe. This scares me to death.

 

[Ribh]

Folks, just be safe. This scares me to death.

Even our volunteer firies are very experienced, Bob. Though they are saying this is the worst they've ever experienced they are doing a marvelous job of keeping people safe & saving properties. They are acting early to keep people safe. They are moving 30,000 out of Victoria's Gippsland just now, before fire closes the roads. What they can't defend will just be left to burn itself out. Only thing to do as so much terrain is inaccessible.

 

[LozzyR]

Hello

Today is another catastrophic bushfire day in South Australia with severe thunderstorms and high temperatures. Hopefully we'll get through it without any loss of life, livestock, or homes. But it's likely some wildlife will perish, poor things, and some crops will go up in smoke.

Stay safe.

 

[MaryJanet]

MJ: as an ex~Sydney girl I can assure you urban landscapes burn too. I'd left Sydney when Jannali & Como burnt ~ & they are nowhere near rural or bush. We were ~ sort of. I lived out near Cronulla on the Port Hacking river, opposite the Royal National Park, & every summer we went on ember watch in case the fire jumped the river. Jannali was on my train line route to high school & I remember being quite stunned by the footage because Jannali isn't even out in the sticks as we were back in the day. I just think if you live anywhere in Oz you know there is a fire risk. When it is so hot & dry, as it is now, & you know there's all that eucalypt oil ready to ignite, fire is a real possibility wherever you live.

Where I live now isn't particularly prone to fire [we've only had 1 major 1 in 30 years] but the big island opposite us burns every summer & we are still doing ember watch, just in case.

So even though we both know it's unlikely, do take care & stay fire safe.

Of course. But a bushfire would have to burn through 25km of housing before reaching us. And i take all necessary domestic fire precautions.

 

[Ribh]

Of course. But a bushfire would have to burn through 25km of housing before reaching us. And i take all necessary domestic fire precautions.

Yes, I'm eyeing my gutters but it's literally impossible to keep them clear.

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[Grammy60]

Good evening everyone