12012013

Tasmania Bushfires, lack of hazard reduction burns to blame

Miranda Devine has just published an article concerning the fires in Tasmania and how the lack of back burning and hazard reduction burns have in fact contributed massively to the intensity of the fires and that it is NOT caused by climate change.

She has also done a radio interview on the matter.

To be honest, what she says make a lot of sense. If gum leaves, bark, etc are left to accumulate you quickly have a 'fuel load' so high that it is not possible to be managed in the event of a fire. As someone who has pile burnt leaves, sticks, etc to keep my place tidy, there is a very clear reason why you do not pile it all up too high, rather than being a controllable fire it soon turns into an absolute fireball of intense heat. All those oils in the wood create a 'perfect storm' of conditions in high fuel load to create something that is uncontrollable.

The question perhaps should be: what disaster will it take to change people's minds on this situation? A few hundred dead from being trapped by fire? A school burning down?

As regards that climate change has caused it - bull. We have had several wet years in a row - this has caused a massive amount of growth which has become fuel for the fires. Climate Change has had nothing to do with it as: a) it has stopped for the last 16 years and b) the time it takes to accumulate dangerous levels of fuel load is so short global climate literally does not have the time to factor into it.

So what are you going to do about this? Remember the lack of hazard reduction burning is not something 'special' to Tasmania, this lack of controlled burning is across the whole of Australia. Your house could be next in line to get burnt to the ground. The thoughtless Green's need to be sent a clear message on this point and it is this: 'Do not fiddle with things you clearly do not understand, let the professionals make the calls and do not interfere, as literally you are putting many lives in danger.'. Also they need to remember they were elected to represent the people FIRST and so should listen to them and act accordingly.