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I love a sun burnt country - A land of sweeping plains
So forth writes Dorothea MacKellar of our wonderfully
marvelous country.
These words were coined long before
the devastating bushfires we have recently endured.
Back when I first
wrote
this article the horrific bushfires of January 2003 were burning around
the nation's capital, Canberra where untold properties were destroyed and at
least 4 people confirmed dead. Kosciusko National Park had to be evacuated and
many alpine areas were burnt in Victoria.
These fires occurred less than 10 weeks after devastating bushfires around Sydney and
Newcastle and many other areas in NSW alone.
I also remember the horrific fires around the Sydney and South Coast 12 months
earlier where we were first introduced to the amazing "Elvis" our water
bombing helicopter that did so much to help our heroic bush fire brigades
and many others over the years.
So what can we do to reduce the impact of
bushfires in and around our homes?
- Clear dry
timber, vegetation and rubbish well away from the house and keep
grass around the house short and green, a well-watered lawn can
act as a firebreak
- Clear a fuel break between your property boundary and the adjoining bush if you
adjoin any type of bush or nature reserve.
- Clear undergrowth from in & around fences, remove any overhanging branches
- All gutters are to be cleared of leaves, bark and twigs.
- Remove flammable items from around the house, such as woodpile, paper, boxes,
crates, hanging baskets and wooden furniture and store flammable liquids well
away from the house.
- Close in open eaves and the space under the house and fit wire screens to
windows doors and vents.
- Consider water supplies and fire fighting equipment and hoses attached to taps
need to be long enough to reach all sides of the house.
- Check
your water pump is working.
During
a Total Fire Ban:
- No fire may be lit in the open, including incinerators and barbecues, which
burn solid fuel, such as wood or charcoal.
- Gas and electric barbecues can be used but only if they are on a residential
property within 20 metres of the house or dwelling , or in an area with Council
approval. They must be under the control of an adult and the ground within
three metres of the barbecues must be cleared of all flammable materials.
- A continuous supply of water must be available as well.
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