Bushfires in Australia

[Richard Farrant]

We have a good few forum members in Australia and my thoughts are with them at present regarding the devastating bushfires out there. I have many friends in the military vehicle scene around that country and hope they keep safe and do not suffer any loss of life or property.
While we are enjoying the festive season many of them are out there fighting fires or keeping watch.
Just to put the size of it into perspective for those of us in the UK, the major fire area in New South Wales over the Blue Mountains and surrounding area is over 4,100 square miles, this is equal to the size of Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Greater London combined.
Only wish they could have some of our rain!

best regards,
Richard

[Ganmain Tony]

I am one of the lucky ones - nothing anywhere near us, however there will be a few guys on here that will be in the thick of it.

Smoke is a as thick as a fog out here but no flames thankfully.

Looking forward to Corowa - Im sure there will be a few hair raising stories.

[Dale Jordan]

Where Ok now . We had packed up ready to go ,
I'm near Wauchope N.S.W all's good up hear now ..

[Tony Smith]

Nope, it's tore through here and we're stuffed. More later.

Photo 1 is 4 months ago, photo 2 is yesterday.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Just to put the size of it into perspective for those of us in the UK, the major fire area in New South Wales over the Blue Mountains and surrounding area is over 4,100 square miles, this is equal to the size of Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Greater London combined.

best regards,
Richard

See the map at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au

The fire that burnt our place is 140Km Nth to Sth, and 125Km east to west, and that is just ONE of the fires currently burning uncontrolled.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Tony, that looks fearsome! Hope you and your loved ones are o.k.

To all other MLU members, my thoughts are with you.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Richard. I have been following this via TV news stories but did not realise such a vast area is affected - it is a quarter of the surface area of the Netherlands

Hanno

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Tony, that looks fearsome!

Hanno

The remarkable thing is that 4 months from now it will all be thick, dense green again and you would never guess the intensity of the fire.

It will only be the condition of the wrecked vehicles that will indicate the heat involved.

A Ferguson TEA20 tractor is likely to be the most common tractor to be found on Australian rural smallholding properties. They are also designed with an aluminium gearbox, of thick enough cross-section that it forms a structural part of the tractor's chassis, or "spine".

The heat of the fire was enough to completely melt the gearbox casing (and there is no magnesium in the alloy!), and break the back of this old Fergy.

[Tony Smith]

And this Suzuki LJ50 has an alloy gearbox and transfer case. These melted in the heat and have pooled beside the vehicle. The heat took all the temper out of the springs, and they have bent inverted and the vehicle's chassis now rests on the axle housings.

[Tony Smith]

We had a timber railway sleeping carriage built in 1912 on our property as guest accomodation. After some years of meticulous restoration work, it was quite a novel and appealing place to stay.

[Tony Smith]

It looks like this now:

[Richard Farrant]

Tony,
The scenes are heartbreaking. The carriage was a wonderful piece of history and workmanship. My sympathy to you and all those who have suffered in the last few weeks.

regards, Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

A Ferguson TEA20 tractor is likely to be the most common tractor to be found on Australian rural smallholding properties. They are also designed with an aluminium gearbox, of thick enough cross-section that it forms a structural part of the tractor's chassis, or "spine".

The heat of the fire was enough to completely melt the gearbox casing (and there is no magnesium in the alloy!), and break the back of this old Fergy.

Tony,
The TE20 gearbox casing was made of Elektron, which was a magnesium alloy, much stronger the cast aluminium.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi To all our Australian friends


You hear about natural disasters like this on the news and it seems unreal, until you hear and see the impact on your friends then it becomes very very real.


Our hope for better conditions.


Cheers Phil

[Harry Moon]

Terrible.
Anything we can do from the topside?

[Tony Smith]

Harry, a dumping of snow for Christmas would be just the ticket, Mate!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Horrific....

Tony, was your house spared at least?

Hanno

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

The remarkable thing is that 4 months from now it will all be thick, dense green again and you would never guess the intensity of the fire.

It will only be the condition of the wrecked vehicles that will indicate the heat involved.

A Ferguson TEA20 tractor is likely to be the most common tractor to be found on Australian rural smallholding properties. They are also designed with an aluminium gearbox, of thick enough cross-section that it forms a structural part of the tractor's chassis, or "spine".

The heat of the fire was enough to completely melt the gearbox casing (and there is no magnesium in the alloy!), and break the back of this old Fergy.

[Tony Smith]

Fortunately, yes. We were luckier than many of our neighbours.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Harry, a dumping of snow for Christmas would be just the ticket, Mate!

I have tried to send snow before, but the post office always seems to bugger it up. All that is ever received is a torn open box with nothing in it. Fortunately, I always insure it to the max.


Sorry to hear about the perils and losses you and your neighbors have faced.

[Mike Cecil]

Tony,

Gut wrenching to see all your hard work gone up in smoke.

Praying for snow!

Not much of a Christmas for you, but you know we are all thinking of you and yours.

Mike & Krystii

[hrpearce]

Most of Yaven Creek has been burnt out with some houses lost. The fire has raced past us one range of hills over and now has turned and heading back towards Batlow. Been on the dozer all morning hoping to protect the new house.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Most of Yaven Creek has been burnt out with some houses lost. The fire has raced past us one range of hills over and now has turned and heading back towards Batlow. Been on the dozer all morning hoping to protect the new house.

I've been thinking about you and your situation. Glad to hear the fight isn't over yet.

[Keith Webb]

Wow, that's really bad - I've been following Vicki's posts on Facebook, glad you and the boys are safe - and hope the firebreaks are effective. Have any of the apple orchards in the area been damaged?

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Most of Yaven Creek has been burnt out with some houses lost. The fire has raced past us one range of hills over and now has turned and heading back towards Batlow. Been on the dozer all morning hoping to protect the new house.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Watching the news, I see the Australian bush fires are all but under control

Here's hoping our MLU members and their families and friends come out of this alright and the damages are "only" material.

Hang in there and let us know if there's anything we can do.

Hanno

[Lynn Eades]

The headlines here say that they expect things to get worse this weekend.
In New Zealand, the Glaciers down south have gone brown and on Wednesday the sun was just a very red orb in the sky for the last 10 minutes before sun set. It was so dull it was easy to look directly at. Yesterday morning was dull and cool like a cold winters overcast day and any sunlight that came through was particularly yellow. We have an elevated view out to sea. It has been hazy for several weeks.
We are hoping the rest of you guys In Australia don't cop it like Tony has.

[hrpearce]

We have been evacuated they say Batlow will be undefendable tomorrow glad we are out of town and have a chance. Taking Mum to Canberra to sit it out.

[Ron King]

South Eastern coast of Australia has multiple large areas burning.
many towns cut of from supplies and many more under threat.
So many people have lost homes and sheds.
everyone is being affected in some way.
The other night at home it became hard to breath because of smoke out side and the fire were at least 5 km away.( how asthmatics get on I don't know)
Traffic and people on X mas holiday trying to get home back to the city after highways have been reopened and then closed again makes traveling difficult
These fires have been so extensive and hot the wild life is gone......they had no where to hide.
Burnt bird feathers rain down with the ash and embers of these fires.
Farmers stock in animals and any stored feed.....gone
In Nowra the other day here at 4.00pm in a summers day , it was pitch black , like night time , because of smoke blocking out the sun light.
I have had to keep a ember watch at my workshop at South Nowra for a few nights as live embers were getting in side though the roof vents.
Many houses lost near by.
I had to leave my home once in west Nowra......Ok now.
Tomorrow going to help a friend to defend his place as it will be most likely under threat.
Roads get closed by fallen trees.(40c plus heat doesn't help working out doors clearing trees or fighting fires)
These fires are making their own lightening storms and clouds which drop a light mist of moisture with embers and ash.
The fire storms also create their own air drafts and feed themselves and become unpredictable and on it goes.
I have seen this first hand
After many years in rural Fire service ( I am now not current) I have never seen any thing like this.
Its so dry, fire breaks are not working and aircraft only are able to stop or slow the fires near threatened homes and property.
Some fires are spotting 20kms away
Its not going to stop until we get a good dump of rain and that's not happening soon.

[Wayne Hingley]

The footage on the news and firsthand accounts told here are devastating. I hope the rain comes soon. Stay safe everyone.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Ron King

After many years in Rural Fire Service..., I have never seen any thing like this.

Almost universally up and down the Eastern States, our hats go off and our hearts go out to the thousands of volunteer firefighters who have been fighting these fires for over 3 months in conditions that are hot work just standing still, and Summer has only just begun.

The volunteers range in age from 18 to some in their 70's. For many of the younger volunteers, this is their first experience of catastrophic fire conditions, and they will be relying heavily on the guidance of more experienced firefighters. For many experienced volunteers, including those with several generations of family members being involved over many decades (you know who I am talking about, Ron ), that guidance can be limited as these fires are unprecedented in their ferocity and extent, and there is no learned knowledge in how to combat them.

It's been said often enough before, but after these fires are over there needs to be a comprehensive reassessment of land management practices in bushland and forested areas to reduce the extent and intensity of future outbreaks. It is hardly "best practice" Conservation strategies if all the native fauna for hundreds of kilometres are incinerated, taking decades to recover, if ever at all.

[Ron King]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

(you know who I am talking about, Ron )

thanks..……..time flys its now 18 years ago

Ron

[hrpearce]

The Dunn's road fire that is in our area was started by lightning hitting a pine block that has been thinned so plenty of branch litter to get it going. Then the wind blew it over containment lines and it made a 40 Km run over night and has been spreading ever since. It has now burnt more than 130000 ha and I just heard it is heading our way tonight, hopefully it gets there before the next wind event.