ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

All the best, Marty. Hard to relax at this time of year. We're currently down on the Great Ocean Road, where the Ash Wednesday fires hit in 1983, and when the hot northerly blows (41 degrees a week ago) everyone's on the alert and downright scared. We left the area for the day, although the tourist buses still headed west into the danger zone. Unbelievable!

David

It sounds touch and go. Hang in there Marty. I heard there is a predicted wind change maybe to-morrow, will that help or make it worse ?

Martyboy wrote:.Still cannot believe that even after all the radio reports kept saying DON'T USE SLASHERS , grinders, welders etc that some moron decided a day of about 40 degrees with gusty wind was a good day to slash his paddocks.

After 30 odd years of dealing with people who think that the requirements might apply to everyone else but their needs make them an exception....I believe it.

Oh Marty, you poor darlings. We can only keep you in our (my.. ) prayers. If we could do more we would, but it sounds like you are being well watched over by a team of true angels. Stay strong...& good luck!
xx Glenny

Not sure if you have connections with your local rural fire brigade Marty but if so this might be worth querying with them as to the practicability for future episodes re saving houses and paddocks in rural situations.

Because we used to have one of the mop up units stationed at our old property and were encouraged to use it to make sure it was always in working order, at bushfire season we used to spray our fence line and posts with a fire retardent and also the area around the house. It wont of course help much with flying embers but will stop/slow a grass fire and reading the specs on it I think it would also be safe to spray onto homes as well. We never did that as our place was in the middle of a 100 acre cleared paddock but we always did the perimeters.

http://www.phos-chek.com.au/retardant/phos-chek-259

I realize not everyone has a mop up unit with a big spray tank on board, but the Stanthorpe council also used to hire out to locals their spray rigs (when they were not using them) for a nominal cost to allow people to do weed eradication along roadside verges and fencelines.

Can't remember what the cost factor of the retardent was and suspect it would only be viable if bought throught the firies, or even perhaps through your local council, but what price do you put on stock loss, and replacing fences.. Might be something that could be approached and actioned on a community basis

Just a thought

Cheers

Maureen

Sorry to hear you aren't out of the woods yet Marty, fingers crossed for you and everyone else who is facing this. What a country, we're either underwater or burning a lot of the time, but we love it anyway. All the best mate.