Stay Safe Norbs and other Southcoastians

[Santaria]

Got family in the Shoalhaven area which is pretty much on fire... everywhere. Family are currently sitting in the middle of a cleared paddock at the moment waiting for it to pass. Stay safe guys.

[KNAPPO]

Been thinking of Norbs as well since this is almost reached Norwa. Stay safe mate.

[Santaria]

Been thinking of Norbs as well since this is almost reached Norwa. Stay safe mate.

It's already in Nowra. Nowra Hill (Naval base) is already on fire, if not already passed. My family at the moment is in the Wandandian/Sussex area which is well alight.

[durbster]

We're getting a lot of coverage of these fires and it's triggered inevitable debates about why they're so bad.

What are your thoughts?

From what I've read it sounds like bad management exacerbated by climate change but I don't know enough to understand how the management part works, and it's such a fierce debate that it's hard to dig out the reasoned views from the extremists and the propaganda.

[Duke]

It's not good, most of our country is now on fire & the areas that aren't are just as much at risk to light up with more hot weather still to come.

So to all those affected please stay safe... Same to all those fighting nature's fiercest beast as too many have perished already this summer.

[KNAPPO]

It's already in Nowra. Nowra Hill (Naval base) is already on fire, if not already passed. My family at the moment is in the Wandandian/Sussex area which is well alight.

I flicked the boss a sms earlier this Arvo and he sounded like he was ok for now. I hope your family remain safe Santa.

thanks mate. street lights on and dark and smokey, but we are pretty safe here

[richo]

Been thinking of Norbs as well since this is almost reached Norwa. Stay safe mate.

It's already in Nowra. Nowra Hill (Naval base) is already on fire, if not already passed. My family at the moment is in the Wandandian/Sussex area which is well alight.

My son is at Sussex Inlet with his mates for NYE , got a call they are all holed up at the RSL so far so good.

Hoping everything works out for everyone affected .

[Exar Kun]

Canberra is miles away from any fires and in no way under threat but the air quality is still atrocious - can't see the end of the street. I feel so bad for everyone being effected. And unlike times past, whether it was the Canberra fires 17 years ago or the horrible Victorian fires in 2009, these ones just seem to be everywhere.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

[w00dsy]

The supreme leader is ok for now.

[Big Kev]

Stay safe Norbs and the rest of you. It looks horrendous.

[durbster]

An opinion piece that tries to summarise the causes here:
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/ob ... ooks-like/

[Santaria]

We're getting a lot of coverage of these fires and it's triggered inevitable debates about why they're so bad.

What are your thoughts?

From what I've read it sounds like bad management exacerbated by climate change but I don't know enough to understand how the management part works, and it's such a fierce debate that it's hard to dig out the reasoned views from the extremists and the propaganda.

I haven't read the last link you put up durbster, but as a 4th generation person from that area (I do live in QLD now though, but the Shoalhaven area is my stomping grounds) I feel I am able to comment as well as being sort of on the pulse with the current political issues state and federally.

The area has always been known for it's fires. Over a couple of years the fuel builds up, then there's a dry spell, a spark and away it goes. I remember hearing stories from my parents and grandparents about fire fighting in that area, making fire breaks, land clearing laws causing issues etc. The issue now is that it has been an extremely long dry spell. Years in the making. There has always been some sort of plan in place managing the dry fuel whether it be back burning or stick raking etc. Bracken Fern is some AWESOME fuel as it burns hot and fast and it uses fire to germinate and spread when other flora is trying to find it's way back and there's fucking shit loads of it in the Shoalhaven/South Coast area.

As well as climate change bringing hotter drier climate for Australia, funding got the arse cut out of it by the NSW premier which was backed by Scotty from Marketing. So an area that should of had say 30+ rangers, had 5. This meant back burning and forecasting was extremely limited to manage the dry fuel that had built up over the years.

My inlaws were sitting in their cleared out paddock (they used to run cattle) as the fire went around them and ate up most of the Wandandian/Bewong/Sussex area on it's way up north to Nowra while my father inlaw (on holidays from QLD, grew up in the area too) headed out to save as many cattle/horse and other livestock as he could while attempting to make sure the 100yr old house my inlaw grandparents live in didn't spontaneously combust from the heat and embers. It's also headed west to the Southern Tablelands on it's way to Canberra from what I've been keeping up on. I hold Berejiklian responsible for the current state of affairs. I hold Scotty from Marketing responsible for shitty climate change laws. It would have been significantly minimised given the right funding for fuel control etc. There's 2 hashtags getting around for a while: #berejiklianbushfires and #berejikliankoalakiller due to her role in taking funding all but away from the right organisations.

It's currently still burning in the area, but thankfully most of the quick burning fuel is already gone, but with it some houses and lives unfortunately.

Hope this gives a bit of context

[KNAPPO]

#ScottieFromMarketing forcing a bushfire victim to shake his hand then turning his back on her when she asks for help whilst she gets shushed by his cronies.

This sums up the situation pretty fucking well...

[Montey]

An article from November 2018.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/ ... 27069.html

[r8response]

This sums up the situation pretty fucking well...

He's done it a second fucking time with a RFS Volunteer

[durbster]

We're getting a lot of coverage of these fires and it's triggered inevitable debates about why they're so bad.

What are your thoughts?

From what I've read it sounds like bad management exacerbated by climate change but I don't know enough to understand how the management part works, and it's such a fierce debate that it's hard to dig out the reasoned views from the extremists and the propaganda.

...
Hope this gives a bit of context

Absolutely. For the second time in the last few weeks, I can say thank you Santa.

One of our favourite towns was Narooma which is in the firing line. It gives it a bit more context when I recognise the places.

[CLP]

From what I've read it sounds like bad management exacerbated by climate change but I don't know enough to understand how the management part works, and it's such a fierce debate that it's hard to dig out the reasoned views from the extremists and the propaganda.

Here's a a bit of information on the management aspect, which also dives a little into the (false) claims of bad management. There tends to be a window of opportunity in which controlled burns are viable and most importantly, safe. As things become warmer and drier, that window narrows, potentially to the point where it's not feasible.

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-12- ... s/11817336

[Dr. Pain]

A lot of people are failing to realise that the window to burn is very short now days and it's easier to blame the greenies for it, for stopping it. But the other side is the forestry commission is nothing compared to what it use to be here in Victoria. As I've been trying to tell my pig headed family, there isn't one thing to blame but a number combining to create this situation. It's climate change, it's lack of funding, it's failing to clear and back burn.

[norbs]

Thanks everyone for the concern.

I am on alert, waiting to see if the winds shift. We have been extremely lucky today that the winds have stayed NNE to NE most of the day and it has stayed cool.

Considering what is happening elsewhere, we have had no real dramas apart from a few road closures and a lot of ash, well, fucking everywhere!

A couple of things of note to me. I have been pretty crook all this week with a chest cold, so i don't know if that has contributed, but I have been feeling the stress. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have flames licking at your property. I thought I was pretty resilient, but this week has been tough.

Another contributor though, is the local cycling groups Facebook messenger thing. I have had to stop looking, as some of the shit I keep hearing is doing my head in. At one point I went off to do some reading about back burning vs preventative burning, and 2 guys hooked in to me for "not having a comeback". Christ, I was just trying to get some facts together. I finally succumbed and stopped reading the group (a group we all agreed to not make political, especially now) when i was told it was "your fault norbs for voting for the greens".

It is true what they say, times of stress bring out the best and worst in people. The main 2 protagonists where the FIRST 2 to put out their hands when I offered to loan people a couple of my UPS devices if they needed to charge phones etc as an emergency.

So, thanks for the concern guys. So far, so good.

[petey]

Glad to hear you're alright mate. Hang in there.

[Santaria]

We've been listening to the scanner in the Shoalhaven area as we have family there. Where they are has closed in again (Wandandian/Sussex region) and they're just watching it go around for the most part.. The wind shifted to a southerly (as predicted) and basically lit everything back up again with huge intensity. Norbs will no doubt be copping the smoke and thunder/lightning that's heading his way.

Here's a video of about 15-20mins away from norbs (from memory) about 30mins ago:

[Santaria]

The black is where the fires currently are, the red squiggle is the family:

[durbster]

So basically, get in the river.

[Duke]

Crikey Santa... I know how stressful having family involved in bushfires can be. So I hope you're coping OK so far.

@ norbs, thanks for keeping us updated on your situation here or responding to personal sms messages, especially given how tiring & stressful it must be for you & Onz.
Yell out if you need anything mate, even if that's after the fires are no longer a threat.

While my folks are in a fire prone area in Gippsland, they are currently not affected by the blazes here in VIC. Also knowing they have finally decided to leave & not stay & fight provides additional comfort to me. Selfish I know but I've had too many instances in the last 10yrs that caused much anxiety & stress to my sister & I in Melbourne. You can't replace family but as they say houses & material possessions can be rebuilt & replaced.

[w00dsy]

Looks like rain is headed towards Mallacootta, sadly nothing in Norbs' area.