Hill Dweller
I would like to now see the Greens actively supporting fuel reduction burns this coming winter, indeed actively canvassing for them. This coming winter should see the greatest effort being made for fuel reduction burns in the state’s history or indeed we will again face disaster.
It is interesting to watch the Greens go into damage control in relation to the recent fires.
It is also interesting to note that the education of people takes a long time.
Adelaide in 1983 saw a day described as Ash Wednesday, and speaking from the experience of the day it was as horrific as Scamander.
The key feature of all of these fires was the lack of fuel reduction burns. One specific example was the Cleland conservation park in the Adelaide hills. The Conservation movement fought a long hard battle to stop checkerboard burning in this area. They were successful but the Ash Wednesday fire claimed the park and in some places got so hot it sterilised the soil. No fauna survived. It was destroyed by fire and a lack of understanding.
In the past year we have had the Greens trumpeting about the amount of smoke in the air interfering with tourists in the southern forests. I suppose the amount of smoke in the air in Hobart recently as a result of the Kellevie fire was of no concern. I never saw a comment.
If we as a community, listen to the naysayers in regard to fuel reduction burns and the smoke from them, and stop or reduce these burns, then we will simply be impacting misery apon our fellow citizens on a scale not seen before. We have been lucky.
If a fire starts in Ferntree near Hobart the chances of stopping the fire front before Geeveston are minimal.
I would like to now see the Greens actively supporting fuel reduction burns this coming winter, indeed actively canvassing for them.
This coming winter should see the greatest effort being made for fuel reduction burns in the state’s history or indeed we will again face disaster.
Forests need to be burnt to regenerate. Let’s do this properly and scientifically this coming winter.
