A Day Too Long

When is a day too long,its when after weeks of atrociously hot days and everyone is exhausted from temperature trauma a nd readting ones home against possible fire storm. It happens and has happened in the state of Victoria on the Seventh of February 2009, a Saturday.

There were warnings of course and I guess most were prepared for the catastrophe that was about tofall from the sky on that fateful day.
The final tally of people killed is now reassessed as just under 200 , some 800 homes and or buildings. Of the animal population, domestic and wild, it will run into thousands.

At this day people are beginning to be allowed to return to their home,properties and businesses to assess their loss to come to terms with what lies ahead in their lives and of course to mourne those who did not survive the disaster

As the world knows, there were memorial services and visits to the area affected , by people in high places including HRH Princess Ann on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth. The World also knows and seen the images of Firefighters; State Emergency Services; Ambulance; Police et al. An incredibly effient and dedicated people they were shown to be. Brave to the extent of their training, even so cicunstances were too much and a number gave the ultimate sacifice.

The whole thing was the result of Fire Balls rising above the tree canopy, then with all the ground fuel , simply flew over and onto the towns; villiages; farms ; homes , a kind of hell from the sky. Where did all these Fire Balls come from and why, has been the avoided question by media politians and even enviromentalists. As a forest dweller, it is clear to me , it was from the National Parks opf Victoria the state in question, with Melbourne as its state capital.

ry Departments . Maybe they dont like getting their and boots dirty; are busy putting up barriers, closing fire trails and of course making and putting up signs keep them busy when they are not applying for ever more money to carry on their light duties.

Parks come under the department of the enviroment and sustainability which in its turn are report able to the State government of Victoria and its Premier.

It is clear to me that the very enviroment of fauna and flora, which they are supposed to protect,the N ational Parks neglected to the extent where disasters such as happened iin Victoria February seventh occur and animals both wild and domestic burn to death. Of the human side of things they have a lot to answer for and to the date are getting away with it . Hopefully the Royal Commission will raise the issue in due course.

Well now, having said that as my opinion, what about mliving in State Forest, yes a forest run by the NSW Forestry, this one known as the Shallow Crossing State Forest, a place where logging has taken place from time to time, hazard reduct by scrub clearance by fire and mechanical means plus all fire tracks kept open with no barriers, yes I can hear the contractor as I write this blog, dirty boots worn by very very hard working men both contractors and forestry personnel.

OK, during the Victoria disaster, we had a forest fire locally, about fire kilometres away over three hills . We were kept informed by local radio and of course the hazy sky and change of sunlight. Forestry simply controlled the logged area and hazard reduced (valley) until it was out - end of story.
As you know Patricia and I live here with our Great Dane Binx , Burmese cat Coco, Wombats ; Roo's ; Wallabies and assorted forest creatures, sorry must not omit Mr P our old Peacock once the head lad of a family of up to 11 birds, all moved on to the grest tree in the sky or new homes.

We have hazard reduced in the past and are always prepared for bush fires, here is what we do.

1. If we are in we stay in and if we are out we stay out.
2. Vehicles stay in open ground and all sun sails are removed.
3. As we we are on a river . The fire pump is there, always fully fueled; oiled and run regularly as it suplies our water.
4. The supply pipes are under ground .
5. The fire hose is always ready and is capable of reaching the whole house.
6. All areas around the house and buildings are mowed plus the underground pipe areas.
7. Our vehicle a Nissan Patrol is equiped with a fire blanket ( actually a bomb blabket from my business past).
8. Water tank on this property is steel, no plstic tanks on this proerty.

We must all fully appreciate , that to light a fire , there must be fuel and iit is clear to me that there was mssive amounts of ground fuel to cause the fire balls that occurred. In my opinion the reson for that was a lack of proper and continued Hazard reduction burns and general clearing, in the Victorian National Parks, through incompetant management and equally State Government Department of enviroment and sustainability or whatever its called.

Anyone wanting to know how to manage Woodlands and flora should check out the Forests department, the ones with the dirty boots. A bad month for Victoria.

I send my thoughts of healing ,to all those families affected by this disaster of 'A Day Too Long).

Sincerely

Malcolm E Mason