A recent survey revealed that a large number of people in Victoria were ignoring the fire safety warnings issued by the authorities. The reports compiled by Country Fire Authority (CFA), Emergency Services Commissioner (ESC) and RMIT University, showed that almost half of the people in the state’s highest fire risk areas would not leave their home on a catastrophic, or code red, fire danger day. Many of the residents quizzed in the survey were interested to stay and defend their properties despite the leave early warning given by the authorities. The reports further show that only 15 percent of the people had changed their bushfire survival plan. About 25 percent people would stay in their homes on code red days and only leave if they saw fire. About 78 percent of people surveyed who stayed to defend their homes on Black Saturday told that they would do it again.
The internet service around Western Australia was affected today because of a bushfire in and around a major electricity substation. The fire around Cannington Terminal Substation had caused the loss of four transmission lines. This caused about 6000 residents to loss their internet connections temporarily. A spokesman of the Fire and Emergency Services said that the blaze broke out near the corner of Bent and Oaks streets in Cannington.The fire was fairly extensive but later contained. The Western Power spokeswoman Marisa Chapman said that the power was later restored and the authorities were monitoring the fire closely to determine any further damage to the network.
The weather conditions in Victoria are threatening the public and the fire authorities to prepare for the difficult period. About 30000 fire fighters are there in Victoria who see the conditions as great challenge. At the same time threat from Arsonists is another concern that also needs to be dealt with. The police have arrested two suspected arsonists in Melbourne last Friday. They requested an appeal to the people to watch any suspected behavior.
“Conditions are varying in parts of the state from very high to severe to extreme, and Monday will be a challenging day, “said Bruce Esplin,Emergency Services Commissioner,Victoria.Since the first anniversary of the last Black Saturday is just a few weeks ahead, people are more nervous and concerned these days.”It’ll be a challenge for all Victorians because it’s the worst period since Black Saturday,” he said.
The Country Fire Services (CFS) has launched RSS feed services in their website to increase the availability and functionality of bushfire information.
“Alerting the public to potential bushfire risks the day before, and of actual fire threats once a fire has started, is critical to give residents the information they need to take the appropriate action to PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVE.” said Mr.Euan Ferguson, Chief Officer, and Country Fire Services. At present the CFS places total fire ban and fire danger rating information in their website www.cfs.sa.gov.au which the visitors can look.
“Now we have the added benefit of RSS feeds which basically pushes information out to subscribers who can access it more readily on their mobile phones or computers at a frequency which suits their needs. Mr. Ferguson said. To receive RSS feeds you need a feed reader and must subscribe to CFS feeds from the website.
Currently two RSS feeds are active; one contains all active current fire warnings with links to each individual warning message. The second contains all current non-metropolitan incidents and a direct link to the incidents summary page.
The Country Fire Authority has reported on Monday Dec 28th, a small slow moving bushfire near the town Ruffy, about 175 kilometers north of Melbourne. The fire approximately seven hectares in size is slow moving towards northern sides. The residents in the nearby towns of Upton Hill, Creighton, Creightons Creek, Euroa, Gooram, Locksley, Ruffy, and Longwood have been advised to get ready with the bushfire survival plan. The bushfire is currently creating spot fires ahead in a northern direction. Tourists are advised to stay away from the listed twons.Those without a survival plan have been advised to leave the area early if the path to do so is safe.
The people with hearing disabilities are deprived the benefit of the new telephone based fire warning system called emergency alert. Under the new system being introduced, text and voice messages are sent to the mobile phones and land phones in case there is any danger of a bushfire. Many people have hearing disabilities and as such when the telephone rings for an emergency voice call those depending on text telephone services (TTY) or other forms of communication and aids are unable to use the new system because it does not support the features at present.
“As it stands the system has put people with disabilities lives at risk,” said Dean Barton-Smith, a spokesman of the Australian Federation of Disability Organizations.
It was not technically feasible to include TTY in the present emergency alert system. Another problem is that when text messages are sent through mobile phones, elders who have difficulty in reading text messages also face an equal situation when an emergency warning is made. A spokesman of the Deafness Forum Australia commented that every Australian has the right to b warned of these types of emergencies, it should be a warning system for everyone.
The protection of people from a bushfire is a shared responsibility of the fire fighting agencies, community groups, emergency services and the government. The community has an important role in this respect to protect the members and to take necessary action to prepare for a bushfire survival plan. The authorities of Country Fire Authority(CFA) assess certain places as Neighborhood Safer Places as places of last resort for giving shelters to general public in case of a sudden bushfire. In this respect the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission in its interim report suggested three options namely,
- Community Fire Refuges.
- Neighborhood Safer Places.
- Privately Identified Safer Places.
The Commission noted that safer places may increase a person’s chance of survival, but still entail some risk, both in moving to them during a fire and while sheltering in them. They cannot be considered, nor should they be described as, ‘safe’.”
Regular lighting by electric power is not ideal for a fire bunker. During an extreme fire it is unlikely that there would be power supply as normal. If doing electrical work for use in non fire times, the cabling and other electrical works should be done by a qualified person. All materials used for such work should be suited for underground use. During a fire the cables may caught fire which can produce poisonous smoke inside a bunker. Therefore the best reliance is on other lighting sources that do not require cabling and power supply.
Lighting Choices while Using Fire Bunkers:
- Torches are the best reliable lighting source inside a fire bunker. A wind-up torch that does not require batteries may be more useful.
- Using solar powered 12 volts lighting is good but the cabling should not cause short circuit.
- A cheap alternative for outside lighting is a line of solar lights leading to the bunker. This is helpful to locate the bunker during night.
Mr. Steve Whan, the emergency services minister, New South Wales government, has urged the people living in bushfire prone areas to try the Bushfire Household Risk Assessment tool. This is an online service available at the website of Rural Fire Services (RFS) www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, which is a statutory fire service body of the New South Wales government.
“This is an important feature and will assist residents with assessing the level of bush fire risk to their property and help them prepare for bush fire season,” Mr. Whan said.
How the Bushfire Risk is Measured?
The online tool tries to get answers for some comprehensive questionnaires on the preparation for the bushfire. The data on property, house, vegetation, slope and other details are taken from the individuals. The data is then analyzed for a possible risk level to ascertain that a direct threat is there either from a flame, or from a radiant heat. The tool further investigates an individual’s ability to defend fire in case he is not willing to leave the spot. The tool helps to make a written survival plan for the bushfire. The RFS strongly warn the people not to rely completely on the Assessment Tool and advices to leave early especially when an extreme or catastrophic fire warning has been declared.
What is 36 days countdown to the fire season?
The next fire season is fast approaching. CFA is introducing the 36 days countdown to the fire season to assist every person in every environment to understand how to protect themselves form bushfire.
Why should man be concerned?
Victoria is an extremely fire prone area of Australia. Whether you live, work or play here, almost any part of Victoria could come under threat from bushfire at some time. The suburbs, the beach, the forest, the countryside, the mountains – every Victorian resident or visitor in every environment has a role to play in personally protecting themselves from bushfire. Bushfire is not only a threat to those in the bush. If you live in an urban fringe or semi-rural area, you could also be at risk. If you own a holiday house, caravan or shack in a bushfire risk area, you need to be prepared there as well. Every summer brings several high bushfire risk days when temperatures climb, often accompaniened by a hot north wind. These days may be declared as a Total Fire Ban. If your decision is to stay and defend your property, then you need to put your bushfire plan into action. If you have decided to leave the area, then leave before a fire threatens and road travel becomes hazardous.
If you live in a high fire risk area, you need to develop a practical bushfire survival plan and be prepared. Each summer CFA takes it to the streets with a community safety education program targeted to residents in high fire risk areas across Victoria. Interactive community meetings in local halls and street corner meetings are planned across the state with the aim of raising people’s awareness of their bushfire risk, and to work with residents to turn awareness into action.
