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The Forum > Article Comments > ‘Bushfires’ Royal Commission – a predictable disappointment > Comments

‘Bushfires’ Royal Commission – a predictable disappointment : Comments

By Mark Poynter, published 11/11/2020

Unfortunately, the RC was not designed to seriously act on the major issues that could more substantially reduce the bushfire threat, such as land management and fire-fighting practices.

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Surely have seen enough costly Royal Commissions to know that they are useless exercises in governmental attempts to appear to be doing something. Pure cynicism.
Posted by ttbn, Wednesday, 11 November 2020 10:40:53 AM
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Mark, re- "However, it somewhat over-emphasises the limited effectiveness of fuel reduction in moderating the behavior of bushfires burning under extreme conditions". The RC got it completely wrong. Half a century of real data from WA shows that the main effects of mild burning are apparent in severe fire seasons, because if half the landscape has been treated in the previous 6 years, you don't get megafires driven by firestorms and embershowers. Have a look at the pic on Howitt Society front page where crownfire on right hand side of track dropped to ground fire on left hand side where recently treated.
The RC swallowed the rubbish manufactured by modelers at Wollongong and Melbourne Unis and ignored the wisdom and experience of land and fire managers. Management is a State responsibility. But the current regime of mismanagement and disaster was set up by COAG in 2004.
Posted by Little, Wednesday, 11 November 2020 11:27:31 AM
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Nothing new here, just a tiger with its fangs extracted in advance?

Fuel load reduction by burning has a very limited season and burns more than fuel, such as the spiders and other friendly bugs and birds that make their homes/nest there.

Consequently, there's an increase in insect predation given the way we keep burning much more than vegetation with each of these, primitive culture, burns, some of which get away. And given climate change, may even take out half or more of a major city? With reservoirs nearly bone dry, high winds and enduring heatwave?

Fuel load reduction can also be done with whipper snippers and grazing animals (goats). Both of which are not limited by the vagaries of the climate, wind speed or temperature.

Creek crossings can be protected with strategically placed dams, concrete pipes/causeways. These infrastructure projects could create millions of hike in and hike out, short term jobs and work for the dole schemes? And materials that cannot be sourced locally, trucked or choppered in.

Lastly, if folk are going to build in the bush they need to completely clear an area around the house and surround it with a colourbond fence. Inside the cleared area ought to be mown grass and popup sprinklers! The roof also needs a sprinkler system.

And if there is only rainwater, ought also include a 2 million litre tank, And a roof large enough to ensure it fills with seasonal rain.
Alan B.
Posted by Alan B., Wednesday, 11 November 2020 1:21:46 PM
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Alan B: Aborigines burnt 24/365 through droughts and flooding rains. They didn't need whippersnippers or old goats to help them maintain a healthy and safe landscape thru 40,000+ years of climate change
Posted by Little, Wednesday, 11 November 2020 1:58:03 PM
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The next Bush fire season is only months away. Are our 'experts" working on solutions or will they become next years hindsight experts AGAIN ?
Let peoplw ho know deal with it !
Posted by individual, Wednesday, 11 November 2020 2:59:41 PM
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Aborigines did not burn in the interest of climate or ecology. Some nong started the myth that they did, and other nongs keep it going. The yarn has as little authenticity as the one about the 'smoking ceremony' and the 'welcome to country' yabber, both invented a few years ago by entrepreneurs who wouldn't be seen dead stomping around in a cloud of smoke.
Posted by ttbn, Wednesday, 11 November 2020 3:00:34 PM
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