*Pic: Now two days later – 7th April. A photo from Grindelwald. Launceston is down there somewhere in the stinking smoke.
First published April 8
Every year without fail we are smoked out across Tasmania by deliberate burning.
It doesn’t matter if these particulates go deep into our lungs and stop there.
It doesn’t matter if the smoke is made up of many of the same particulates found in cigarette smoke.
It doesn’t matter if the smoke makes us sick or keeps us locked up inside.
State Government tries to sell it to us through the media: “Autumn is fuel reduction season. Fight fire with fire” So, they are creating all this harmful smoke for us?
Autumn is hell for the young, the elderly and those with lung or cardiac disease and their families. Little mention is made re their smoke-induced sickness lasting until lives are shortened.
It doesn’t matter if the specialized cancer agency (IRAC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) says outdoor air pollution is the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths.
It doesn’t matter if the WHO classified outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). And after thoroughly reviewing the latest available scientific literature, world leading experts convened by the IRAC Monographs Programme concluded that: there is sufficient evidence that exposure to outdoor air pollution causes lung cancer (Group 1).
It doesn’t matter if the WHO also noted a positive association with an increased risk of bladder cancer.
It doesn’t matter that particulate matter, a major component of outdoor air pollution, was evaluated separately and was also classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1 is the highest category) along with: Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene, Azathioprine, Sulphur Mustard, Asbestos, Plutonium, Thorium-232 , Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Radon-222, Radium-224,226 and 228, Silica dust, Cyclosporine, X- and Gamma-Radiation, Tobacco smoke, and so on.
On the 5th April 2017 smoke started to build. This is when burning should have stopped.
Looking towards Exeter from Brady’s Lookout.
What goes up must come down.
Exeter is down there somewhere in the stinking smoke.
The Tamar Valley as far as the eye can see … smoke!
It doesn’t matter if this smoke originated in Tasmania, Victoria or both.
Wind direction from the North. Image courtesy of https://earth.nullschool.net
Smoke from Victoria? Satellite image courtesy of NASA. https://lance-modis.eosdis.nasa.go http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-07/smoky-melbourne-planned-burns-in-victoria-causing-city-haze/8424292
And while this was going on Tasmanian burns kept smoking!!
http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/Show?pageId=colRegisteredBurn
Real-time ambient air quality data. Courtesy of Tas EPA Air division. http://epa.tas.gov.au/epa/air/monitoring-air-pollution/real-time-air-quality-data-for-tasmania
This is what we are forced to breathe!
*Clive Stott worked for the Tasmanian Health Department for almost 15 years in charge of buildings, engineering and biomedical engineering at a district hospital. He also provided home oxygen therapy equipment support to respiratory patients for CIG/BOC Gases. It troubles Clive the Asthma Foundation of Tasmania will not lobby on behalf of its members to stop unnecessary planned burn smoke. Clive also owns the website www.cleanairtas.com
• Lola Moth in Comments: On Tuesday my friends arrived on the ferry with their motorcycle loaded up for a two week holiday in clean, green Tasmania. By Thursday afternoon they had retreated to the coast because they had trouble breathing at my place near Deloraine. Today one of them is flying home to Sydney to get away from the pure air she was promised on the ads. Her partner can’t get back on the ferry for another week. He has had surgery for throat cancer and the hole in his throat he breathes through is running out of filters and the machine he needs to unclog his airways is working overtime. If I can keep him out of hospital he should be able to ride home otherwise he will have to fly home and send the bike by freight. Their well planned holiday has turned into a nightmare.
• Emma Anglesey: Impacts of more “regeneration burns” is unacceptable If the Tasmanian Legislative Council supports the Liberal Government’s plan to open up 356,000ha of reserved forest for clear-felling and burning this week, then we will have to put up with even more “regeneration burns” and cop the unacceptable impacts they have on the climate, our environment, people’s health and our industries for many years to come …
Pete Godfrey
April 7, 2017 at 11:53
Well put together Clive, it does seem that lying to us is the main game.
Fuel reduction burns account for some of the smoke but deliberate land clearing burns, burning off waste that could safely be left to rot down and burning of logging waste is more than likely the main contributor.
The argument that these burns protect communities from out of control wildfires does not hold water.
Tasmania has been burning like this for decades yet we still had massive fires in recent years that threatened the Great Western Tiers and surrounds, the North West and also Dunalley.
Burning is not the answer, rapid action when fires are noticed along with maintained fire breaks is.
lola moth
April 7, 2017 at 12:03
On Tuesday my friends arrived on the ferry with their motorcycle loaded up for a two week holiday in clean, green Tasmania. By Thursday afternoon they had retreated to the coast because they had trouble breathing at my place near Deloraine. Today one of them is flying home to Sydney to get away from the pure air she was promised on the ads. Her partner can’t get back on the ferry for another week. He has had surgery for throat cancer and the hole in his throat he breathes through is running out of filters and the machine he needs to unclog his airways is working overtime. If I can keep him out of hospital he should be able to ride home otherwise he will have to fly home and send the bike by freight. Their well planned holiday has turned into a nightmare.
Robin Charles Halton
April 7, 2017 at 13:22
Burn and burn well my hearties, autumn is action time to reduce the fuel loads in order to reduce the effects of future wildfires.
According to the media some smoke was drifting across from Victorian fuel reduction activities for those who care to take notice!
Those suffering from health ailments should by now be aware of the seasonal conditions and take the necessary action to stay indoors or seek further medical advice!
Fuel reduction is a part of the Tasmanian way of life as it has been for thousands of years, well before the arrival of the grizzlers.
Funny that one never hears of complaints when it is wildfires threaten life, stock and property, it seems it is only a select few that make a coughing noise when fire become a land management tool for controlled burning.
Clive Stott
April 7, 2017 at 15:10
I am disappointed Dr Scott McKeown, Specialist Medical Advisor Public Health Service with your article but this is what I would expect from a government not going by what it claim to stand for: “Public Health Services works to improve and protect the health and wellbeing of all Tasmanians.â€
We have been over and over this misinformation Public Health has been peddling for years.
Let’s address “Staying indoors with windows and doors closed where possible.†While the burners smoke out Tasmania.
This advice is wrong and could very well be dangerous advice you are giving out.
Under FOI release, Dr Fay Johnston wrote the following to Dr Roscoe Taylor on 10/12/2013:
“Protection indoors is hard to generaIise as it varies with the type of house –
for episodes of just a few hours it could be very helpful.
For fine particles indoor air will eventually equilibrate with outdoor air.â€
Dr McKeown you should know wood smoke is made up of these fine particles with a PM2.5 signature; this is why it is so dangerous to our health.
You would know indoor air is 5 times worse on a good day than outdoor air.
You would know that it is impossible to smoke-proof a house otherwise you would die of the lack of air.
You would know outdoor air is drawn into a house through negative pressure.
You would know that this smoke event lasted more than a few hours.
And you would know people can be made ill with it in much less time than that.
You would know these things wouldn’t you?
Roscoe Taylor sent Dr Martin Bechevskis (sp.) to ‘discuss’ these same ‘helpful hints’ with me that you are now going on about back in 2008/9 I think it was. A long time ago anyway.
He left DHHS Public Health soon afterwards. After he found out what was being said by DHHS was not correct.
Dr McKeown has it ever entered your head to stop the smoke at the source?
John hawkins
April 7, 2017 at 15:40
In the awful rag that is the examiner pollution from smoke is put down to wind from fires in Victoria.
This sort of rubbish is not borne out by the pollution indicator shown in the map above as there is no consistency.
We have been down this track before in 2010 when a enormous burn on the Western Tiers smoked out Launceston just before the election this was also put done by the EPA to fires in Victoria.
The Liberal party feed this rubbish to the paper who print it.
Frank again
April 7, 2017 at 19:26
And the media spin unit was running on full throttle. As Leon is on the mainland for a couple of weeks, the replacement just played her role smooth as always. The expert coordinators of the Tasmanian Fire Service, the Tourism Council Executive, the whole show went as expected.
This on one the worse days we had in regarding to air pollution this year, the spin doctoring reporting of the latest resigning of the “Let’s Be Nice To Each Others Businesses” agreement between industries.
The grease was running well.
Q: When will Australia’s managers and people in leadership learn to pick up the biomass and turn the unloved, discarded biomass it into true values that will stand the test of time?
Yes, we now live in a sickening situation in the truest sense Clive.
Jack Lumber
April 7, 2017 at 19:51
Re 1 reports from TFS are that all burning activities by govt agencies had ceased and that the smoke was from Victoria
Where does this factor in this discussion ?
As a result of numerous fire events and independent reviews in Victoria there is a large inter agency fuel reduction
programme .
Fire break maintenance and rapid first respond are part of fire management , but prevention by fuel levels management is seen he preferred option . There are fuel reduction burns in Victoria that are very close to urban areas . Why ? Hazard and risk management
Just like the end of day light saving and the first fog at Launceston airport and the inevitable outrage from many on TT who on suspects also burn firewood for heat in the coming months , the blame game is a regular event
Maybe one day there will be a more balanced attempt
to discuss what is a complex and important topic
Jack Lumber
April 7, 2017 at 21:14
Following on
http://www.igem.vic.gov.au/home/our+work/reviews/review+-+performance+targets+for+bushfire+fuel+management+on+public+land
Have a look and see if fire breaks and quick response are the answer to the exclusion of fuel reduction burns
Public health and community health is also important but the tone of the article suggests it is not considered as part of
Policy and Practice . It is.
Carol Rea
April 7, 2017 at 23:02
If you want to see what is happening now go to http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/Show?pageId=colWhatsBurningNow
Looking at the Derby air quality information this morning I noticed that in the 24 hours previous there was a 121 hectare burn at Pioneer South for Future Potential Production Forest.
Pioneer South (FPPF)
Pioneer South (FPPF)
Name Pioneer South (FPPF)
Area (ha) 121.4
Specific Objective Asset Protection
Contact Number 0429 353 178
Status Complete
Last Updated 2017-04-08 09:17:23
And another one that was a regeneration burn MO111C
MO111C
Name MO111C
Area (ha) 39.9
Specific Objective Regeneration Burning
Contact Number (03) 6235 8249
Status Complete
Last Updated 2017-04-08 09:17:23
They would have contributed to smoke as well.
TGC
April 8, 2017 at 00:04
#2 “Their well planned holiday”
Whilst very sympathetic of their (obviously long standing) illnesses one could question that the holiday was “well planned”
It is well known that in autumnal Tasmania fuel reduction burns are the regular event.Persons who have respiratory difficulties-unrelated to ‘smoke’-
should anticipate in their ‘planning’ of a Tasmanian holiday at this time of the year ‘smoke’ could be an issue.
At least there was “the coast to retreat to”.
max
April 8, 2017 at 01:15
3 # Burn and burn well my hearties, autumn is action time to reduce the fuel loads in order to reduce the effects of future wildfires.
Once again you repeat the mantra that you must have been indoctrinated with. Only a brainwashed person could cheer on a practice that has been proven to seriously effect the health and wellbeing of the general population. There is no safe level of 2.5 particulate but you repeat the stupidity of telling us to take the necessary action to stay indoors or seek further medical advice!
Fuel reduction is a part of the Tasmanian way of life as it has been for thousands of years. No it isn’t. The Tasmanian Aborigines practiced fire stick farming, that is nothing like the present practice and they had the advantage of starting a fire and staying up wind of the smoke.
The present smoke problem is a new abomination that has come into existence because of a change in forestry in 1960. Clear felling and the cheap and nasty clean up is the main cause of the present unacceptable and deplorable smoke problem that you think we should accept and stop grizzling about.
I survived the 1967 fires and no amount of so called hazard reduction would have made any difference. I know it is the present thought bubble to stop wild fires, but I was there in Cygnet prior to and after the 1960 fires and unless the area was burnt as bad as the actual fire, then nothing would would have made a difference. Most wild fires start as grass fires and unless we stop growing the stuff then there is always going to be escape fires.
philll Parsons
April 8, 2017 at 01:54
Passed Barnett as he prattled on to voters outside his office in Deloraine. Shook my head in response to a wan smile from Barnett. He must have mistaken my hat.
I was on my way home so I left town and headed west into the smoke and a landscape of dead and dying trees reminding me of overexploited land I have seen elsewhere.
They clearly cannot see the consequences of their domination theories from behind that blue blindfold they all wear.
abs
April 8, 2017 at 02:39
#8 considered from the fatal second priority position, eh Lumber?
those dollars (maaate..) aint gunna by burn themselves, are they?
Claire Gilmour
April 8, 2017 at 03:24
#3 Robin, If that were true to word there would be no-one adjacent to Forestry that has been burnt out.
The true fact of the matter is Forestry Tasmania burns mega amounts of timber in their coupes, they don’t do it to protect people, they do it because someone higher up is treating them and the public as idiots so the wood can continue to be … cut and cut and cut.
They do NOT to do safety burns, indeed they don’t allow fuel reduction burns close to/next to their coupes.
Forestry Tasmania change the wet landscape to a dry landscape. They suck creeks dry with their new so called forests, and their plantations are so fire prone they cause mega fires!
Not once in 20 years have the government, Forestry Tasmania or even TFS ever done a so-called fuel reduction burn in my area. The only thing that’s destroyed my wet property and beautifully dark red blackwood trees is FT!
I know … cos Forestry Tasmania’s so called ‘worlds best practice, burnt 90% of my property down!
But sorry … you were saying Robin?
Clive Stott
April 8, 2017 at 07:03
Examiner Saturday April 8 Page 2 there is an article on the smoke.
The Manager of the Tasmanian Fire Service Fuel Reduction Unit, Sandra Whight, said a small 15Ha burn near Devonport was conducted on Friday 7th however smoke did not spread from the blaze.â€
This is great news and comforting to know that our fuel reduction unit can now do smokeless burns.
This surely must be a world first!
The article also said, “Launceston and parts of the North East were covered by a blanket of smoke on Friday…â€
Wrong. Have a look at the EPA’s Indicative real-time Tasmanian Air Quality Data in the main article above and even the dumbest of people can see the highly elevated readings in red (because of smoke) stretched from Wynyard to Triabunna. Certainly much more than just Lonny and the N/E!
Sandra Whight also admits to one 15Ha burn being lit on the 7th.
Now that wouldn’t have been the 21Ha Devonfield fuel reduction burn lit on the 7th near Miandetta?
Surely Ms Whight as Manager of the unit should know. Was she downplaying the size, or maybe she really doesn’t know what is going on?
Further, Ms Whight conveniently forgot to mention all her other burns taking place and creating smoke in northern Tasmania on Friday the 7th. See below…
It wasn’t all smoke from the mainland, was it?
Sisters Hills (section 1) – 53.5Ha Asset Protection.
Stubbs Road North – 42.1Ha Fuel Reduction
Grasstree Road – 29.8Ha Fuel Reduction
Sheppards Road – 60Ha Fuel Reduction
Ginn Road – 19.1Ha Fuel Reduction
Beaumauris 11AP – 71Ha Fuel Reduction
Beaumauris 13AP – 27.6Ha Fuel Reduction
Beaumauris 14AP – 43.4Ha Fuel Reduction
Beaumauris 15AP – 64Ha Fuel Reduction
Beaumauris 16AP – 18.7Ha Fuel Reduction
Not good enough Sandra Whight in my opinion.
Mark Temby
April 8, 2017 at 10:56
Gee, I wonder where so much fake news generates! Could it be from politics? “Fuel reduction” is a handle for the media, the gullible, the team flag wavers and the pig ignorant. Sorry, do proceed…
Mark Temby
April 8, 2017 at 11:34
For those seeking further concrete examples of a “handle” there is an excellent article by Lenore Taylor in the Guardian. My apologies to any of those team flag wavers who have unwittingly used the “carbon tax” in their past arguments.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/apr/08/when-politics-is-a-game-of-perception-not-policy-everyone-loses
Lenore states in part, “Take Tony Abbott’s former chief of staff, Peta Credlin, happily conceding on Sky news that she and Abbott always knew a floating carbon price wasn’t really a ‘tax’ and gloating about how their success at making this falsehood ‘stick’ meant Julia Gillard was “goneâ€.
Pete Godfrey
April 8, 2017 at 11:46
#7 and 8.
Jack, thanks for the links. After all these years and all the massive fires such as the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires, the 1967 Hobart fires, the innumerable number of fires on the big island and the Black Saturday fires. The powers that be finally decide that they need to target their fuel reduction burns.
It seems that they move at a glacial pace.
Fire breaks are not just there to stop fires they are there as points where back burns can be lit. If you wait until the fire is definitely coming to that point and until conditions are right. Eg, wind, night time, etc, then light up a back burn then there is a lot less mopping up and much less chance that the back burn will turn into a hazard.
The trouble with fire management and planning is that politicians want to meddle, to put their faces in the news and claim it was all their work to save the towns.
Our own Tasmanian 28,000 ha a year target for fuel reduction burns has very little in the way of planning and adding in forest waste burnoffs doesn’t help.
I too remember the last time that Victoria was blamed for our smoke, I actually photographed a fire that was causing the smoke in Launceston that day. I went out and found where it was. Strangely enough it was not in Victoria at all but it was a Gunns ltd burnoff in the Dublin Plains area. It too got away and burnt outside the planned area, plus torched a beautiful stand of celery top pine.
Our government could also take a stand and ask the Victorian government not to undertake massive burns when there is a Northerly airflow predicted.
That is if we the people are in fact of any value to them.
lola moth
April 8, 2017 at 11:47
#10 TGC The smoke we had in the Deloraine district over the past few days was worse than we had during the bushfires on the Great Western Tiers. We could not see the end of our driveway sometimes and did not see the tiers for three days. I was expecting embers to fall and evacuation orders to be sent. My friends had researched the expected smoke levels for their holiday but they were not prepared for what they actually got. They kept riding until they were clear of the worst of it and ended up in Hobart. The type of cancer my friend had was directly related to welding galvanised steel so he understands the risks of tainted smoke.
If the recent smoke levels were expected by the people who lit it and that amount of poisoning of the populace was planned then the whole lot of them should be sacked.
Barney Rubble
April 8, 2017 at 12:02
Let’s not forget this year was the 50th anniversary of the 67 bush fires. I lived through that hellish day (all be it as a child) and hope nobody has to do the same again. I am happy to suffer some smoke and poor air quality if it reduces the impacts of bushfires.
Some people just run out of things to complain about, toughen up you lot of princesses.
Ted Mead
April 8, 2017 at 12:24
#3 Robin continues to show us that he knows as much about fire and fire history as he does about forest ecology.
Interesting that someone who started off at FT … ended up hooking-up with all the pyros there, and ultimately now claims has deep knowledge about forest management.
No wonder the industry and the TFS is a classic basket case!
$ Millions wasted on this insidious ideology by people who understand nothing about land management!
(edited)
max
April 8, 2017 at 12:48
# 10 TGC. Once again your razor sharp mind has hit the nail on the head, Autumn is the burning season Every Tasmanian knows that and we are told that we should take the appropriate precautions, possibly leave the state if we can. All of Tasmania should shut down, except of cause for the pyromaniacs. Its about time the government got behind our tourist industry and advised the closure of Tasmania for the burn season.
Robin Charles Halton
April 8, 2017 at 15:02
#14 Claire, I reckon you scared them away for good and I am not joking!
Your issue with FT, presumably FT Smithton is something that you should have dealt with earlier!
Did you bother to contact the FT Chief or their Legal Officer at the time, or in fact engage a lawyer on your behalf if your claim was not resolved in a fair and reasonable manner!
Sounds as if you have left yourself with a lifetime problem as you regularly mention it on TT!
FT are not above the law!
William Boeder
April 8, 2017 at 19:48
#23. Robin Charles Halton, your implied statement regarding the losses suffered by Claire are of her own making, then that Forestry Tasmania are exempted from their own negligence, does not have any standing whatsoever.
I will try to demonstrate to you further below in this comment of the snowflake in hell chance of Claire’s success in an action she could initiate against Forestry Tasmania.
The real problem of the smoke dangers upon the people of Tasmania then of its causations are not entirely to be ignored.
The real problem is not the sole belief that this matter rests with GBE of Forestry Tasmania, this being that so many of their statute breaches are either ignored, heavily down-played, lied about, then who is that specific person that ensures the F/T resultant statute breaches (or worse) are correctly followed up by due legal process when the fact is that the non responsible authorities in this State of Tasmania don’t give a damn.
So there will not exist such a person.
Further truth about this matter is that each of the F/T breaches are a product of the Tasmania government themselves as they are the (notated) “responsible authority†that appoints the 2 stakeholder ministers that become the stakeholders that F/T are inevitably beholden thereto.
The State’s treasurer and the often lesser regarded dull-witted and incompetent forests minister are the usual 2 appointed stakeholder ministers, so, were either of these 2 stakeholders to allow an action or try to defend an against any F/T breach or reported incident, they would actually be risking an action being apportioned to themselves which may then enable a decision being handed down against themselves and this State’s government.
(That is if the proper and correct process of law is allowed its influence to act against the State in a case matter of this type, albeit an action against the Crown of Tasmania.)
“Can any single Tasmanian person†appreciate or understand that in their taking an action or commencing a litigation against Forestry Tasmania, “that Tasmanian person†is in all actuality and effect, taking on the Full Monty of the State government, its Justice department, its Judiciary, and not to forget the trembling structure of the Tasmanian State law.
Only when one has researched into the confusion and the full incongruity of the entire structure of the State government GBE of Forestry Tasmania, then each of the other GBE’s, tis only then one will discover that the whole lot of ‘em are beholden unto the government of the day, so look out any person that dares to take an action against any one of Tasmania’s GBE’s.
This kind of structured and installed contradiction upon itself may have been gotten away with in the dark ages, but surely not in the Tasmania of today.
Tis only then when one comes to the realization of just how cocked-up is this whole of State GBE corporate contradiction that is in all its reality, is nought but the crock-pot of shizer that I now describe it to be.
The State of Tasmania itself not being able to escape or sever its attachment or connection away from its statute breaching GBE’s, nor is there the real likelihood that this State of Tasmania would penalize itself under the auspices of the State government agency or business enterprise they represent. (Being each of their GBE’s.)
One can only wonder how the high-level legal functionaries in our State can be rest assured that all is fine and dandy and tight as a drum in Tasmania?
Alison Bleaney
April 8, 2017 at 21:20
#25 Very good points! Not much gentlemen’s parks left now!
TGC
April 8, 2017 at 23:55
#25 “The only places on the Continent which remain healthy, safe and relatively intact are those still owned and managed by Indigenous people.”
Unlikely to be true!.
#19 and #22 smoke from bushfires in Victoria caused serious problems in that State last week- (April 2-9)
It is quite possible there should be a preference for no ‘hazard reduction burns’ at all and we just manage as best we can wild fires in any summer season- including life and property losses.
john hayward
April 9, 2017 at 00:08
It was Lang Hancock who pointed out that mesothelioma was simply one of the prices you had to pay for (his financial) progress.
Similarly, respiratory disease is one of the prices we have to pay, along with huge public subsidies of private and foreign businesses, water pollution, soil erosion, corruption, copious spin, and scenic degradation, for the progress that logging supplies.
John Hayward
Clive Stott
April 9, 2017 at 04:11
#28 Not exactly.
You are locked into the current buzz words “Hazard Reduction Burns” and what you are inferring is if we don’t do these HRBs there will be life and property losses. Scaremongering in fact!
There are other alternatives my friend.
If you are not just trolling go here and be swayed by these alternatives: http://cleanairtas.com/departments/alternative-solutions.htm
Robin Charles Halton
April 9, 2017 at 06:59
#24 Russell, that is a primary school child’s statement when you suggest that FT burn on weekends when the EPA have gone home!
If you have not heard of Burning prescriptions, then do not comment it makes your assumptions of blame totally ridiculous!
#25 I have read parts of Bill Gammages book, it was portraying the “ideal” Australia pre settlement. Some of the content is rather ho hum!
It is likely that certain groups of indigenous people left to their own devices still successfully practice traditional burning either for their own purposes or as a part of government sponsored programs where they are paid to perform these tasks to protect “their” land.
As Europeans we had to adapt to burning practices to survive in this country.
Recent years of lapse of burning due to Green inspired mythology have left us in an awkward position as in Victoria and Tasmania has been clearly shown by more recent devastating wildfires
Green politics, no burning does not work so this has left the fire agencies performing extensive “catch up” fuel reduction programs that will go some way for protecting communities against the dire effects of future wild fires.
PHilip Lowe
April 9, 2017 at 08:42
It is a fact that some 40,000 people die of polluted atmosphere disease in the UK every year.It is mostly blamed on diesel fuel.Aircraft emissions and wood burning stoves are ignored.Political?Does Launceston still suffer from appalling pollution in winter?How many people die from atmospheric pollution in Sydney and Melbourne every year.Is it an acceptable sacrifice to the God,’Car’.Are people being fed a
‘Like it or lump it policy’,and what could people do about it anyway?
TGC
April 9, 2017 at 12:40
#33 Well, that may be true!
Shirley Brandie
April 9, 2017 at 14:27
How terrible that residents have to deal with this constant smoke! There must be better ways then to risk the health of so many people.
It is 2017 and yet this practice of forestry burning remains the same? Why?
Clive Stott
April 9, 2017 at 14:41
#31 You have got blinkers on Robin Charles Halton.
Go here:
http://cleanairtas.com/departments/investing-in-bushfire-prevention-strategies.pdf
Do you want me to read it to you?
John Biggs
April 9, 2017 at 15:38
Judicious fuel reduction burns shouldn’t and wouldn’t create this amount of pollution. Something else is going on: FT at their old pyromaniacal tricks again.
Chris
April 9, 2017 at 16:20
Suck it in and Fergie’s Son will open a bed for ya, where and when will depend on the Gut Whiners budget.
TGC
April 9, 2017 at 18:07
#38 “FT at their old pyromaniacal tricks again”
Now, what “tricks” are they?
Pete Godfrey
April 9, 2017 at 20:59
Just wondering if any of those people in favour of Hazard Reduction burns, as opposed to Back Burns can actually name any Towns or Cities that were definitely saved from wildfire by previous Hazard Reduction Burns?
Just curious.
Didn’t work for Canberra, Hobart, Dunalley or any of the towns in Victoria that burnt in the Black Saturday, Ash Wednesday fires.
I would be interested to know of any towns and see any evidence of where the hazard reduction burns definitely worked.
Simon Warriner
April 9, 2017 at 23:04
The use of “hazard reduction burn” and “regeneration burn” seems to confuse some commenting here.
Two entirely different activities in two entirely different environments for two entirely different purposes.
Hazard reduction burns should be taking place in a drier environment burning minimal fuel at a slow rate and should, if properly conducted, not produce the enormous quantities of smoke we see forming the mushroom clouds which collapse and make life hell.
Those clouds come from the so-called regeneration burns which are consuming vast quantities of logging residue, often wind-rowed and still damp, from frequent observation. Quite how it aids regeneration on the cleared, and un-burnt ground is a mystery, of the same order as FT’s inability to make a profit selling logs to Gunn’s and Ta Ann.
Still, we are talking about an industry whose ranks have long included those with an interesting ability to confuse truth with a good story.
TGC
April 10, 2017 at 00:04
#41 may be on the right track- no hazard reduction burns- just let fires destroy as they will.
John Maddock
April 10, 2017 at 00:09
Excellent point, Pete #41.
JV
Ted Mead
April 10, 2017 at 01:26
Clean, Green Tasmania, what an oxymoron this has come to be!
Let’s face it! – The people who run this this state are clueless environmental vandals. They are politicians void of cognitive reality who merely like to play god with nature.
FT & TFS have united in their ignorance subject to plenty of $ being thrown around.
Whilst there are some sound arguments for PWS bio-diversity and habitat management burns, most Fuel Reduction burning outside immediate residential zones appears to be a waste of time and resources, particularly when it come to the hectare-based equation of torching vegetation for the sake of numbers. Similar action in Victoria has shown that fuel load reduction objectives are not being met.
Although many years away. – I can foresee the end of FT’s burning program, but as for fuel-load hazard reduction, every time we witness a large bush fire in the state the government’s response will be an uptake on more burning to follow.
Climate changes are not helping. This is symptomatic to our folly. What we are doing with induced fire is changing the vegetation types, drying out the wetter bush even more, and inviting more fire-conducive environments.
In the case of catastrophic conditions arising, these burns are enhancing the likelihood of more devastating uncontrollable fires.
This is not rocket science, it’s common sense, and common sense has never prevailed in Tasmania.
[email protected]
April 10, 2017 at 11:48
Hi Clive, I have a question for you or for readers. I can see in this article a link to NASA’s MODIS satellite imagery:
https://lance-modis.eosdis.nasa.go#sthash.d20HP2Yu.dpuf
The image is captioned ‘Smoke from Victoria?…’ Unfortunately the link doesn’t work for me. Does anyone know how/where to access satellite images such as the one we see in this article?
I used to have access to MODIS Terra and Aqua images (at the time of the big smoke event some years ago 2010? – mentioned by John Hawkins (#5) and Pete Godfrey (#18). It seems as if that sequence of images is no longer continued. There seems to have been some complete loss of the database for particular terra and aqua satellite images, maybe in 2012.)
If someone could point me in the right direction, I’d very much appreciate it.
Pete Godfrey
April 10, 2017 at 11:59
#43 comment from Troll House. You have not come up with an answer as usual you just throw inane comments and run.
The only way that a hazard reduction burn can protect a town or city is, that it is done not long before a fire comes through and that it is large enough to cover all weather conditions.
-Such as Extreme Heat causing the fire to become a crown fire.
-Strong hot winds doing the same.
-Wind changes that can cause the fire to change direction and come at the town from an unexpected direction.
Basically you would have had to burn right around the town as a hazard reduction burn.
Or go space age and put a fireproof dome over every settlement.
Pulling up all the vegetation and concreting over the earth may work in Longford, but not everyone wants to live that way.
John Biggs
April 10, 2017 at 12:43
#42. Thank you Simon for defining regeneration burns so clearly. They are what I mean by “FT’s pyromaniacal tricks”. Get that #40.
max
April 10, 2017 at 12:58
# 45 Spot on. Clean, Green Tasmania, what an oxymoron this has come to be! I have lived in, walked in, hunted in, observed and enjoyed the Tasmanian bush for over 70 years and you are 100% correct. The first plants to establish after a fire are the very plants that benefit from fire, go to any area where a fire has gone through and in two years you will see the results, grasses, bracken, prickly wattle, all the plants that will burn and create an even worse fire.
For all those that think the present policies of fuel reduction burns are a good idea reread 41, 42 and 45. The trade off for the present fire reduction policies are smoke that kills more people every year than actual fire, a down turn in tourism and bigger and not better fires into the future. Prior to the present clear felling stupidity we had good working forests without the need to burn for regeneration and forestry had a future, along came the short time grab for cash called woodchipping and we have the present forestry disaster.
Jack Lumber
April 10, 2017 at 12:59
re 41 Have a “GOOGLE ” and you will see papers ranging from parliamentary enquiries to personal opinions re burning in Australia and yes its a topic which polarises people .
Like many issues it has been both politicised and “suffered” as a result of madcap media coverage . There is plenty of evidence to confirm that water bombing is a great salve for the masses but spending the money on maintenance of tracks , fuel levels and household/suburb designs would be a better use of $$ . But alas politicians and the people now expect ” Elvis and Co” to be o standby , when in the end there are only a couple of things that stop a fire once it is going BULLDOZERS , PEOPLE and a CHANGE in the weather .( that’s another topic that should be considered as we all agree the climate is changing )
Prevention is better than fighting fires .
It would be unfair to say unless you have have had the misfortune or experience of being in a fire event and campaign ( there is a difference ) as we cant all be part of everything . But i will say it changes how you see things and it changed the way I see fire and why i support planned fuel reduction programmes
Have you read anything by Stephen Pyne ?? I would recommend you read both his books on Australia and if you have time his books on other parts of the world . Australia is not “unique” in the discussion re fire and land management
http://www.theage.com.au/news/book-reviews/the-stillburning-bush/2006/03/24/1143083962612.html
Ahhhh Fuel reduction burns in Hobart and Dunalley ???
re 42 what a first seems an attempt to make sure all understand what are different burn types degenerates into the usual diatribe showing a lack of understanding of a third buring type … windrows post reversion to agriculture
Regeneration burns in natural forest do not involving windrowing .
Where you referring to ENGO sector who are indeed an industry in themselves ?
Somewhat surprised given your usually measured comments which are respected .
re 45 you using the term “commonsense” is as like POTUS45 saying “believe me ” and can you explain this vegetation change theory you have regarding hazard reduction burning
Robin Charles Halton
April 10, 2017 at 17:10
#37 Clive, Most likely lucky that most of the reduction burns in particular those closer to major towns and hamlets have been done before the heavy rains in the north of the state late last week.
Now with a drop in SDI’s due to rainfall with shorter days and colder nights lessening the rate of soil litter drying, the optimum burning conditions have passed.
Slower lower intensity reduction burns from here on unless they Forestry high intensity burns otherwise would generate too much smoke.
Well lit high intensity forestry burns late in the season when there is a window of a few days need to be lit rapidly and that may include a number of burns simultaneously with the higher likely hood of minimal smoke dispersion immediately after burning.
Anyone can pick the timing and method of burning practices to pieces but both Tasmania and Victoria had nasty wildfires in recent years and by now more than gut full of false Green propaganda over the past three decades, the greater majority of the community demand protection, broadcast burning is far more effective than waiting for wildfires and fighting them off firebreaks.
As one of my great fire management mentors often mentioned during our inter agency training sessions breaks over a few beers back in the 70’s before Peg Putt put a stop to Parks fuel reduction burning, ” the black earth policy” is best.
Our mentor, one of FT’s greatest fire management CEO’s of all time was right and that still holds today and will beyond our expected life time!
TGC
April 10, 2017 at 18:47
#17 “…there is an excellent article by Lenore Taylor in the Guardian.”
Another tautology?
TGC
April 10, 2017 at 18:56
#47 “Pulling up all the vegetation and concreting over the earth may work in Longford, but not everyone wants to live that way.”
Too right they don’t- certainly not me! Whereabouts in Longford has this been done?
TGC
April 10, 2017 at 19:03
#4 “8Get that #40.”
Yes!
#49 I can recall large fires around Launceston in the 1950’s- what they were I don’t know- but they produced a lot of smoke. And that was pre-woodchip days.