Great article. I love gum trees, but would never want them near my house. Years ago we saw a eucalypt in the middle of a ploughed paddock explode when a blown ember ignited the volatile oils around it.

We have friends in the 'native' suburbs of Canberra (Cook/Aranda) and the flammability of their area compared to the more 'exotic' suburbs is alarming. Highly flammable trees, leaf litter and eucalypt mulch is a disaster waiting to happen. Incidentally, established exotic gardens and lawns are remarkably drought hardy. My father complies with stringent watering restrictions and has a lovely old fireproof garden and a vegie patch.

How about not living in dangerous areas in the first place?

It is true that the 600 or so different eucalypts are highly flammable; it is also true that we saw avenues of unscathed London Plane trees after the horrific Victorian bush fires last year. Anybody who actually plants eucalypts in their garden are very unwise; not only are eucalypts a fire risk, many of them also drop their boughs without warning, and most of them fill gutters with leaves.

But these trees are a major part of the Australian bush. They are Australia.

The author knows his trees and, ideally, for people who must live in the bush, the planting of non-natives would be helpful. But, what about the water and soil oaks etc need?

Australia has the most nutrient-lacking soils in the world. Plane trees, oaks, all the deciduous trees planted because they remind us of England, are planted only in certain areas where conditions are more or less suitable. Most of Australia does not have the right conditions, nor does it have the water. In South Australia, the driest state, the exotics grow very well in the Adelaide Hills, whereas on the plains, where most of us live, they are spindly and disappointing – if they survive more than one season. But, the Adelaide Hills, looking like ye Olde England most of the time, is the biggest bushfire death trap in the state. The mania for higher populations has pushed ‘civilisation’ to the edge of inaccessible, pure eucalypt forest, which, carrying on as it has for thousands of years bushfires and all, will not be deterred by gardeners planting English trees in Sterling, where many of the ‘beautiful people’ live.

Australia was never meant to be inhabited by civilised, urban man. It’s too late for us to return to our roots, so the only thing we can do is cut population so that we don’t have to spread to the fringes of cities and beyond into the bush which is nice to visit, but not to live in.

The recent spate of fires in Victoria were unusual in that, from 1944 to 1981 there were no comparable fires. For nearly forty years with cool burning in autumn and (to a lesser extent) spring, the fuel load was not so heavy. Interestingly, fire fighting in that period was carried out with a wet sack, rake/hoes and knapsack sprays. Why the change since 1981?
Minister for Conservation Rod MacKenzie instructed his Chief Fire Commissioner Athol Hodgson to stop broad acre cool burning. It would only be tolerated for the timber industry and assett protection.
Records show that manpower under the National Parks Act in Victoria started to decline in 1983. One outdoor worker to 3,600 ha. By 2005 there was one outdoor worker to 8,100 ha.
While finances had risen, the 114 Admin staff of 1981 had risen to 625 in 2005.
Victoria has paid dearly for this financial attitude at the expense of the environment. Around my locality (Gippsland) there are many square kms where, even after three years there are few signs of regrowth. Native flora and fauna habitat has been burned so deep in the ground that wind and rain have eroded the remains of habitat making it impossible for re conolisation to occur.
Erosion has submerged aquatic systems.
Although I can see the sense of fireproof plants around communities that have been established in fire prone areas, I forecast that, by 2020 the State of Victoria will have had so many huge fires that its fauna population will be very close to gone.
Pioneers came to a country that was considered admirable for grazing sheep and cattle. They saw the result of regular cool burns but stopped it. Forests grew unchecked and became explosive.
In 1981 we encouraged the fires that since the Caledonia fires of 1998 have caused a huge change in our bio diversity.
The message is clear. Eucalypt forests are not the same as deciduous forests. It is time that green NGO's understood this and encouraged the preservation of our flora and fauna by using cool fire as an essential tool.

What we could do immediately is discourage the planting of species like eucalyptus in built-up and urban areas. Surprisingly, some councils still persist in supplying such trees as part of their free or subsidised tree program for rate payers.

It is not just the fire risk, these trees are known as 'widow-makers' because even an apparently healthy young tree can drop heavy limbs at any time. The planting of Eucalyptus and other large dangerous species in populated areas destroys house foundations, roofing (sticks and leaves), powerlines and shades the gardens of neighbours.

There is a State primary school near us where a large gum tree overhangs a demountable (read as permanent) school room, while gum trees line (and drop sticks on) play areas. To think that they chainsawed shady, safe American trees to introduce gums which provide no shade and could injure students.

The ideas in this article are not new, but it is good to be reminded occasionally about what home owners can do to reduce the risk of fire.

Much experience in fire fighting has taught me a lot.

Firstly combustionable material has to be removed from near the house. Large trees should go as they are a danger of falling and damaging the house. Pine trees of any sort are a no,no. Australian Casuarina species are also very flamable. Some shrubs are also very flamable. State forestry can advise on species flamability.

Secondly it is better to have a green grassy area close to the home.

Eucalpts are OK as long as there is distance between them. If planting, use the smooth barked species that do not have hanging 'candle bark'.

I live in a high risk area and will stay and defend. But we have made extensive preparations, such as clearing most, but not all, trees up to 60 metres, green surounding area, sprinkler sytem on roof and under verandah, gravity fed water system, sprinklers on yard fence and a pony which keeps the outer area well mown. We also have our own small tanker.

One cannot say all eucalypts are highly flamable as some are more so than others and the density of the trees is another factor. One should also be aware that some species can drop limbs and are best avoided.

The State fire authorities have plenty of material about how to make your house safer from fire

debj,
You are quite correct. The books of Joan Webster are excellant, written in plain english and contains list of fire resistant trees.

I recomend 'The Complete Australian Bushfire Book' by Joan Webster.

It was written after the Ash Wednesday dissaster and is pure common sense. Should be in every rural dwellers bookcase.