AFAC’s CEO Stuart Ellis, in a well balanced piece, corrects a number of ex-APAC CEO Greg Mullins incorrect statements on hazard reduction and climate change.
It is most refreshing to see such clarity of view on the importance proper land management and effective fuel reduction has to play in managing the environment for climate change.
Thank you Mr Ellis!
I am writing to support the NSW Farmers proposal for grazing to be re-introduced into Crown Lands including National Parks.
I believe this need only be applied in marginal areas around National Parks which cannot be protected from fire by graded fire breaks. Many National Parks boundaries are on very steep and inaccessible areas thereby making fire and stock control very difficult.
Our first News Roundup for the year features some defence force photos of the fire their helicopter started un the Orroral Valley. One of many stories from around the state.
On Saturday 23 December 2021 a memorial was held at Peak View for the American air crew of ‘Bomber-134’
The day marked the one-year anniversary since the water bomber flown by Captain Ian McBeth, first officer Paul Hudson and flight engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr crashed while fighting a bushfire at Peak View, north-east of Cooma
The Peak View Bushfire Memorial Poem was written and delivered on the day by Peak View RFS member Ernie Constance.
The people who lived through the fires are confronted with their changed landscape every day – but they would also like the rest of Australia to remember those traumatic events.
People are still recovering and rebuilding, people who haven’t even started rebuilding yet.
People are still living in tents.
Two stories on Victor Steffensen feature in our News Roundup this week. Really hope you have enjoyed this series this year. We’ll be back again in 2021.
Roger Underwood’s outstanding article on the Bushfire Royal Commission’s complete failure to address the root cause of the problem … prpoer fuel management.
It was lucky this car was parked outside the house when it exploded. Happily the house was saved but it was a near run thing. VFFA Secretary Greg Godde reports from Tibbuc.
Defence’s record of starting major fires was again highlighted by the ABC this week in a report that the fire that destroyed 80% of the Namadgi National Park was started by a Defence helicopter. Its failure to report the fire for 45 minutes ensured that the RFS lost the opportunity to contain the fire. This is one of a number of news stories from around the state in this weeks News Roundup.
President of The Volunteer Fire Fighters Association Mick Holton says Australians “haven’t learnt” from last summer’s devastating bushfires as people are quick to blame climate change when really fuel has built up from decades of land neglect. See the full interview on the Paul Murray Show on Sly News.