Even Queensland Rail has mastered the technology of sending SMS messages to rail users informing them of train delays and cancellations / interruptions to services.

Whatever happened to the good old siren?

When I was a CFA volunteer, I recall our brigade fighting tooth and nail to retain our siren, as they were being steadily removed from towers around the state. Apparently some residents were being disturbed by the siren sounding at the odd hours that fires actually occur.

Mobile phone networks fail, or people just switch their phones off. Not everyone has a computer and email, and not everyone who does checks them more than once or twice a day. People are not always near a TV or radio.

But a siren sounding on a Total Fire Ban day is a clear and ominous warning.

Yes the CFA needs to use sirens because although Early Warning Networks work well, they don't work when the mobile tower burns down, the house might be outside mobile phone range, the power and telephone lines get burnt and the internet sites get overwhelmed by the number of people trying to access the interactive fire maps from all over the world.

If the advice of people like David Packham as submitted after the 2003 fires to COAG was taken notice of these things wouldn't happen in the first place.

See http://www.coagbushfireenquiry.gov.au/subs_pdf/44_packham_sub.pdf

http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/bushfires/inquiry/subs/sub395.pdf

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25031389-7583,00.html

People who were living in places like Kinglake were in a fool's paradise. We will have a similar firestorm in the Dandenongs within the next five years. We were lucky it didn't happen on the three consecutive hot days the week before.

David

David I have to agree that the traditional methods of fuel reduction burning aren't occurring in areas where houses are built in the bush. I remember that fuel reduction burning used to occur in the crown land adjoining our farm through September. The land is now bush retreats and the new owners don't want fires lapping at their bush homes.

I don't agree with people buying a bush block then clearing a fire break to protect their house when the block is in the middle of a planned green belt. see http://www.theage.com.au/national/fined-for-illegal-clearing-family-now-feel-vindicated-20090211-84sw.html
This family should have bought a suburban or cleared rural block. We need to retain our remaining forests and bush areas, and that might mean that people are encouraged to live in compact, defendable settlements rather than scattered through the bush.

In the 2006 fires the CFA told the inhabitants of Gaffneys Creek and A1 Mine Settlement that their community was undefendable.

From what I can gather, the inhabitants of Kinglake and other areas were surprised at the speed of the fire and were taken unawares.

Reports from CFA volunteers say that embers were sucked into airconditioning units making houses unfire proof. Airconditioning units have straw inside them.

Billie et al, those who wish to engage in a reasoned discussion on the subject could profitably read

http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/aftermath/ktolhurst.htm
also Some evidence from the Royal Commission into the 1939 fires,
http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/royalcommission/extracts_graziers_wilmot.htm

There is a list of other authors who have also made major contributions. Remember that this was written in 2003, well before the current events. Put those names into Google and read their collective wisdom. These blokes are not armchair environmentalists, they are scientists.

My particular concern is the Dandenongs. As I recall, we had a significant fire back in the sixties and a lot of people have moved there since. It only wants a good fire to start at Montrose on a day like Saturday and WHAMMO.

There is more hot weather coming next week, so be prepared.

David