1 October 2014

Bushfire season starts today

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With bushfire season starting today Canberrans should consider how best to prepare for the months ahead, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Simon Corbell, said today.

Mr Corbell joined representatives of the ACT’s fire services at Wybalena Grove in Cook to officially launch bushfire season in the ACT.

“With the warmer weather returning, it is time for the community to have the risk of bushfire in their minds and to prepare themselves and their property,” Mr Corbell said.

“Once again, there will be occasions when hot and windy days over the summer period will heighten fire danger across the territory. The Bureau of Meteorology suggests a higher than average bushfire risk for southern Australia.”

In the lead up to summer, the ACT Emergency Services Agency will engage with residents to educate on how they can prepare, including:

  • A residential face-to-face door knock initiative in Bushfire Prone Areas (BPA).
  • Asking residents to view the ESA website (www.esa.act.gov.au) and assess their level of risk and identify if they live in a BPA.
  • A new app currently being developed, ‘My Fire Plan’ to download a bushfire survival plan.
  • Engagement at open days for the ACT Rural Fire Service and ACT Fire & Rescue Community Fire Units.

“One of the outcomes of the new Strategic Bushfire Management Plan launched last week was the need for residents to have more face-to-face engagement on how to be bushfire ready. A new campaign will encourage all residents to get their homes bushfire ready and register their involvement in the CBR Bushfire Ready weekend next month. Homes in Bushfire Prone Areas, which are clearly identified on the ESA website, specifically will be targeted.

“Our fire services are also ready for the bushfire season and today I have launched two new fire tankers for the Rural Fire Service, whose volunteer ranks currently stand at 512. In addition, Community Fire Units have now grown to more than 1,100 volunteers. With our fire services and the community working together, we can be bushfire ready.”

Unless conditions warrant an extension, the ACT bushfire season will conclude on 31 March, 2015.

(Simon Corbell Media Release)

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John Moulis said :

dungfungus said :

According to some bloke named Will Steffan, who writes in the CT today, we are all doomed by bushfires wherever we live.
Something to do with climate change?

Someone had to mention you know what. I have a front page of the Daily Telegraph dated 2 February 1977 and the front page banner headline is FIERCE 40s FIRE HAVOC. So we were getting 40+ degree days and bushfires 40 years ago. Don’t tell Al Gore.

The same Will Steffen was saying on TV last night that climate change makes bushfires “burn longer”.
Well, in the past 100 years, bushfires passing through and originating in the ACT have burned all the way to the south coast.
I don’t recall this happening since man made climate change was invented.

wildturkeycanoe said :

Heard something on the radio this evening with someone from ESA? saying that a there is a bushfire safety plan available for phones, it is an app based application. That last bit had me giggling all the way home.

An “app based application”?
That sounds like a “new initiative”; even “almost unique”

HiddenDragon7:21 pm 01 Oct 14

If the door knockers come with authority to lop and/or remove protected trees which present a serious fire risk, they will be welcome. Absent that, this will look like a rather hollow gesture – which cynics might see as backside covering – “house burned down (because of unnecessary constraints on fuel load reduction)? – ah, but we did warn you…”.

wildturkeycanoe7:00 pm 01 Oct 14

Heard something on the radio this evening with someone from ESA? saying that a there is a bushfire safety plan available for phones, it is an app based application. That last bit had me giggling all the way home.

dungfungus said :

According to some bloke named Will Steffan, who writes in the CT today, we are all doomed by bushfires wherever we live.
Something to do with climate change?

Someone had to mention you know what. I have a front page of the Daily Telegraph dated 2 February 1977 and the front page banner headline is FIERCE 40s FIRE HAVOC. So we were getting 40+ degree days and bushfires 40 years ago. Don’t tell Al Gore.

According to some bloke named Will Steffan, who writes in the CT today, we are all doomed by bushfires wherever we live.
Something to do with climate change?

Homes in Bushfire Prone Areas, which are clearly identified on the ESA website, specifically will be targeted.

WHERE??

Do they mean the “Strategic Bushfire Management Plan – Regional Bushfire Prone Areas” article, which I couldn’t find a link to from the main site, that still says DRAFT?

The ACT Government disclaims liability to any person who acts in reliance on the information provided on this site or contained within the reports or plans on it whether that liability is in negligence or on any other legal basis.

Dafuq?

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