Fire season starts early...

[billrobbo]

It's still two weeks before the start of spring here in Oz and we have already had three major bush fires, the latest is about 30 km from where I live and I could see the smoke plumes.

We are currently in a drought and our water tank, which is used for the toilets and washing machine only, has run dry. Also, the farmers in NSW are being sent hay from WA (West Australia) as they have no feed for their livestock.

 

[tripplej]

I wonder if there is a way to implement preventive measures to prevent fires.. Guess they can't put sprinklers every few miles, assuming water is available...

 

[billrobbo]

Once again...

 

[tripplej]

Has the government done any prep work or there isn't really much they can do?

 

[phillihp23]

Be safe friend.

 

[billrobbo]

Has the government done any prep work or there isn't really much they can do?

Not much they can do, Huge areas of bushland to maintain.
Here in Newcastle it's been smoky for about three weeks now.
This is what Sydney looked like during the week. The light is very eerie.

 

[tripplej]

Wow, hopefully everybody there are wearing masks and advised to stay indoors. Be safe.

 

[tripplej]

Looks like the fires are only getting worse...

from npr,

A pair of massive bushfires in southeastern Australia has merged into a "megafire" engulfing some 2,300 square miles — a single blaze more than three times as large as any known fire in California.
The merged fire, which straddles the country's most populous states of New South Wales and Victoria, measures nearly 1.5 million acres, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. It is just one of some 135 bushfires in Australia's southeast that have claimed the lives of at least 26 people, killed more than a billion animals and damaged or destroyed nearly 3,000 homes.

Praying for rain and lots of help for those affected.

 

[billrobbo]

Looks like the fires are only getting worse...

from npr,

Praying for rain and lots of help for those affected.

Thanks,

Good rain is forecast for next thursday, hopefully it will help.
Here is a view of Newcastle last thursday.

 

[tripplej]

Hopefully lots of rain goes to the region.

I also saw news that some of the fires were not natural, some were actually set by man and that 25 folks were arrested. I can't believe people will actually start fires...

 

[billrobbo]

Hopefully lots of rain goes to the region.

I also saw news that some of the fires were not natural, some were actually set by man and that 25 folks were arrested. I can't believe people will actually start fires...

I have only heard of about four or five people being caught. Still, even that is too many. It's bad enough that embers can travel many kilometers and start new blazes without humans deliberately starting them. The cost to humans, animals, houses etc is staggering. They estimate around 12 billion insects have been destroyed as well.

 

[tripplej]

Just a very sad event. I saw news that international firefighters are either in the area now or flying in to help local authorities. Hopefully the additional resources will help.

 

[tripplej]

from twitter,

 

[tripplej]

Helicopters drop vegetables to help wallabies in wildfires-affected areas of Australia

 

[billrobbo]

The BOM got it right and we have had some rain today, not enough to put out the fires but enough to help contain them and give the firefighters a respite.
We live almost in the middle of the city but have a water tank that supplies the toilets and washing machine and it ran dry three weeks ago, the first time in ten years!
Because we have such a large roof area it is now about 1/4 full again and we can water the plants. (It is 10,000 litres, not sure what that equates to in gallons)

 

[tripplej]

Good you guys got some rain and are able to get some water to contain the fire as well as fill up water tanks, etc.