Fire Warning Signs - Replaced and Looking Good

As per this post Sept '09 Signage and this post Nov '09 Signage the signage has NOW BEEN RECTIFIED!

This is one step in the right direction, the final sign was completed in the 23rd December 2010.

I’m happy now that this has been completed. It’s one more step in the right direction for residents, tourists and people travelling through the affected areas.

This is now what the signs should all look like (They do in my neck of the woods)

What about yours?

Please let me know if you have a location, NOT YET taken care of.

I was informed by the CFA that sign replacement was to be completed by September 2010, but remember it’s NOT THE CFA’S responsibility, so they are NOT to blame if the sign switch has not been done.

Refer your local council AND post locations here, Council, suburb/town and street name/number.

Let’s bring this to the forefront of fire awareness.

Stay safe, stay alert,stay prepared and stay safe

Take care out there

The memory of Bushfire

It lives with you forever.

This morning the hot northerly wind was blowing, the only difference to two years ago, was the grass was green and the temperature wasn’t 35’c at 8am in the morning.

The words of my father came back to me “Are you ready?” – he called me at 8.15am the 7th February 2009, he knew, I knew, the CFA knew. It was going to be bad.

Just nobody knew how bad.

I never want anyone to go through what others did on that day – and that is why I keep pushing people, be prepared, be alert, don’t turn your back on the outside world.

Sure an air conditioner is great to keep you cool and closed blinds help with that.

Many people weren’t aware there was problem until the power went out, by then it was too late.

Too late to run, too late to prepare, too late to do anything other than pray.

I want people to realize that the CFA website, can’t keep up with the fires, with fast fires like those of Black Saturday. I remember watching the fire start at 11-11.15am in Kilmore and seeing the smoke. The CFA website didn’t list any problems, until 11.30am from memory, by then it was too late.

I can’t stress enough, be prepared, don’t pretend it won’t/can’t happen to you, 173 people died and many only came through by their shirt tails.

Clear your property now, clear your gutters, clear under the house. Remove overhanging branches.

Please don’t think it won’t happen, don’t let your family, friends and parents find out the hard way.

Take care out there – it may have rained, but that has only increased the amount of undergrowth, and thus the overall fire risk. Don’t become a statistic.

Marysville - Almost 2 years on after the Bushfires of Black Saturday

These are some photos I took last week.

90%, maybe 95% of the trees are dead. They will stand as a reminder of what has happened for generations. Falling as those that remember fall.

Do not let the memory of these trees be in vain. Prepare yourself, your family, your house, your animals.

Remember these trees and remember never to forget that preparation is the key to survival in a bushfire.

Fire Warning Signs - still no change from September 2010

The Good - Kinglake Fire Warning Sign:-


The Bad - Whittlesea Fire Warning Sign:-



The Ugly - Kalkallo Fire Danger Warning Sign:-


Look, call me a looney, call me a fool, call me an idiot for even caring. Not 25km from these signs - 20 people died. Not 90km from these signs nearly 150 people died.

We as residents of the state of Victoria, DESERVE the RIGHT to know what danger the day may bring.

We pay rates, we elect the people into Local Council, into State Goverment, we have a right to be fully informed.

The CFA are NOT responsible for these signs, they are ONLY responsible for ensuring that the arrow points in the right direction - the problem is THERE IS NO ARROW, THERE IS NO WARNING INDICATOR.

I've previously written about this:-
September 2010 - Fire Danger Warning Signs - Are we in Danger?
August 2010 - CFA Road Signage

The last I heard in late September, early October was that new signs were being designed, yet the fire danger period is almost upon us and nothing is being seen to be done.

The CFA are hamstrung, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't say anything. Damned by the Government/Councils for speaking up and making them look bad and damned by the general public for not warning them

Someone needs to pull their finger out and soon - soon enough so that people entering high risk fire areas on days considered high risk, can actually see the risk.

Trees and Power lines

They don’t mix. Nearly everyone knows that, and if they don’t, they have been living under a rock for 20 or more years.

I had a discussion with someone recently about the maiming of trees in suburbia. Unfortunately trees don’t know the difference between the suburbs and bush. Only the people who plant the trees do.

Consequently there are blanket rules in place for suburb and country, considering the results are pretty much the same in regards to power outages and the risk of fires. It’s a pretty good rule. Sure trees can look unsightly as they sprout new growth. But the alternative is only bushes in the suburbs and that would be far worse. Trees provide shade, even if they have been tailored to accommodate power lines. So the trees must stay.

People seem to think that suburb and country should have different rules. It’s not possible. Trees provide shade, they help reduce the temperature in the inner-city when mid-summer is upon us. Would you rather only bushes to provide that shade?

This photo from New Zealand shows what happens to a tree when it comes in contact with power lines. I suppose everyone was lucky that no real problems occurred Proarb.co.nz - notice-board

People also say adjust the planting under power lines, but that will reduce shade in the suburbs, so not a real option. Here are some recommendations from Powercor as to what could be planted under lines if you live in Victoria. PowerCor - Planting Trees Near Powerlines

The Premiers office, also points out that not only are bushfires are danger, but many power outages are caused by trees near lines and causing interference. Premiers Office

In NSW you could be held accountable IF trees near lines cause problems. Refer the Energy Australia Brochure. Energy Australia - Bushfire Safety


Without trees in the suburbs, the suburbs would be hotter, without these trees being trimmed there could be the risk of fire and or blackouts.

So it’s a lose lose. Better to have a tree that has been trimmed harshly than no tree at all.

I know my preference.

Mock Fire Evacuations – My Thoughts

Mock Fire evacuations, (proposed) although in full support, is a vote-buying exercise. Watoday - Mock Bushfire Evacuations planned
SMH - Mock Bushfire Evacuations

I’ve already figured out how to not to participate. But I’ll leave my thoughts until last.

Humans are strange creatures, humans have the ability to think an event won’t happen to them, they think that drink driving doesn’t matter, they won’t get pulled over, they won’t kill anyone. Humans think that risk-taking behaviour is okay for them because they don’t take risks. Don’t worry about the loaded shotgun in the back seat, done it for years, nothing will happen.

Humans are creatures of denial, until it is too late and then they look for someone to blame. It couldn’t possibly be their fault, they weren’t told of the risks, as they are carted off to hospital minus a couple of fingers because they rode a motorcycle without gloves.

Same goes for bushfires, it can’t happen to me, I won’t be home, I’ll mow the lawns that morning, Black Saturday we had three days warning, I’ll just wait until we are given that warning before taking any preventative measures. I knew the fire was coming, so I got a cover note from the insurance company when I heard about the fire (saved heaps of money, cause I haven’t paid insurance for the past 10 years)

I’m sure you are nodding your head in agreement with at least one the above the comments.

Bushfires aren’t something to be toyed with, they aren’t something to be taken lightly, aren’t something that you can climb on the roof and avoid as the flames lick at your front door. Bushfires are an untamed beast, a beast that has been used by the native aborigines to regenerate the forest for generations. Bushfires are a beast that will kill given the right circumstances.

You can’t have a mock evacuation, people will then use the mock example when something does fail, when something goes wrong and will blame the organisers, will blame the government, will blame whoever is nearest at the time.

Mock Fire evacuations make people think that fire is predictable, make people think it’s okay to leave at the last minute, that it’s okay to just go to the nearest safest place.

Mock Fire Evacuations will only give people a false sense of security and this is my greatest fear, people think that they didn’t get enough warning on Black Saturday. The false sense of security instilled by a mock fire evacuation will only create more blame, if something does happen in the future.

The only way to prepare for a fire, as per previous posts is:- slash grass, clear gutters, create a firebreak around your house, make sure wood and junk is not stacked up against or under your house and most importantly prepare a bushfire action plan AND STICK TO IT.

A fire plan could mean evacuation, could mean staying and fighting, could mean getting the children out somewhere safe, long before the fire approaches your front door. A fire plan is tailored to each family, each place of residence – no two fire plans should be the same, other than the preparation.

Fire is not a beast to be fought unless you are fully prepared, both mentally and physically, those that have previously had health problems, you probably need to re-consider staying, although in saying that, a gentleman of 94, managed to save his house without assistance and without town water. So anything is possible, just don’t become a statistic please.

My hat goes off the Liberal State Government for thinking of the idea, but it will only instill false hope, hope that needs to be dashed and replaced with real preparation.

By the way – my method of avoiding such an evacuation? – Just go out for the day.

My preparation has started, I’ve already done round one of the slashing,** next round is cup weekend and then the week before Christmas and then once a month until such time are the risk of fire is over for another season. My children know what to do if they see a fire coming. Black Saturday saw me organise/bully those on the street who couldn’t stay without risk of losing their life, leave the street and head for the suburbs. I grew up in Marysville, I now live an area that is predominantly grassland, but that doesn’t exclude me from the risk of fire and I know that better than anyone.

Thank-you to all the CFA volunteers, thank-you to all volunteers nation-wide, world-wide, the world is a better place because of you. I know it’s a thankless task, but people I know owe their lives to you (not just under the threat of fire) and for that I say thank-you

Please take the time to read my blog, which is both from a personal perspective and possibly helpful to those people who may be affected by bushfires, Remember city or country, bushfires could affect you and your family.

**slashing is not a 2 hour operation, it takes 2 people 4-8 hours to complete, a total of 8-16 hours.

Bushfire Season has arrived – Are You prepared?

Doesn’t matter where you live, be it Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland or New South Wales, the threat of fire is not far away.

Record rains across all states have seen the undergrowth thrive, once the hot weather arrives, that same undergrowth will dry off and pose a major fire risk.

The thought of bushfires is never been far away from the minds of rural folk at the height of summer, but city folk must also pay attention. 2009 saw the suburbs of Melbourne threatened, outskirts of Bendigo burned. 2010 saw the outskirts of Adelaide threatened and 4000 hectares burnt in Tasmania.

So, doesn’t matter city or country – you MUST prepare for the upcoming season, record rains have seen record growth and with the growth comes the likelihood of record bushfires and fatalities.

Don’t become a statistic, prepare for the summer ahead, prepare your land, prepare your house, prepare your family, prepare yourself.

Some things you can do to prepare are slash grass, clear gutters, create a firebreak around your house, make sure wood and junk is not stacked up against or under your house and most importantly prepare a bushfire action plan AND STICK TO IT.

Some previous posts that you should also read:-

Children in the care of others during Code Red Days
Are you prepared to stay and defend?
Loss of power in residential properties
Are you prepared for bushfire?
Be prepared or prepare to die
Fire season and the procrastinator
The threat of bushfire and your family

Clean up before fire cleans up for you!

Remember only you can save you – no-one else knows where the fire is headed, not even the experts.