Koalas make the headlines today with the Nationals ‘pulling out’ of the coalition over their koala policy.
Read Vic Jurskis views on the subject and we’ve included a couple of links to the governments policy documents.
The Great Koala Crisis
Black Summer whitewash – a preview of Armageddon
An excellent article by Vic Jurskis calling for correct attribution of the causes of the Black Summer fires.
National Farmers’ Federation Submission to Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements
This excellent submission by the National Farmers Federation to the Royal Commission makes compelling reading.
NSW Bushfire Enquiry: Signing Off on This Years Scapegoat
Roger Underwood opined in Quadrant Online that the outcomes from the NSW Bushfire Enquiry could be expected to be delivered on true “Yes Minister” lines.
We shouldn’t expect the NSW Enquiry to seriously criticise the performance of its own government. The Royal Commission may produice a better result.
Nightlife: Australia’s Pyrocene future
Were our recent bushfires the equivalent of an ice age? What does this mean for Australia and the rest of the world? Will the after-effects have a prolonged impact on our future?
Nightline’s Philip Clark in conversation with Stephen Pyne, Emeritus Professor at Arizona State University, specializing in environmental history, the history of exploration, and especially the history of fire. Also the author of Burning Bush: A Fire History of Australia.
Resilience
Early in 2019, Vic Jurskis warned on the Volunteer Fire Fighters Association website, that in the event of severe fire weather, all the bush from Bairnsdale to Sydney would be incinerated due to an unprecedented accumulation of three-dimensionally continuous fuel. In extreme weather, such fuel inevitably creates firestorms with long distance ember showers. Firebreaks, fire engines and waterbombers can’t stop them.
In this article, Vic shares his thoughts as the NSW Fire inquiry reviews 1000 submissions.
Fighting Fire with Fire
THe ABC have done a great job with their Australian Story on Victor Steffensen and Aboriginal Burning called “Fighting Fire wiith Fire”.
By following Victor’s teachings we have the potential to properly restore our bushland. The elimination of mega fires is a most welcome by-product.
Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements
The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements was established on 20 February 2020 in response to the extreme bushfire season of 2019-20 which resulted in loss of life, property and wildlife and environmental destruction.
Referred to as the ‘Bushfires Royal Commission’, the Commission will examine coordination, preparedness for, response to and recovery from disasters as well as improving resilience and adapting to changing climatic conditions and mitigating the impact of natural disasters. The inquiry will also consider the legal framework for Commonwealth involvement in responding to national emergencies.
The Commission is now accepting public submissions on the 2019-20 bushfire season from individuals, community groups and the broader community.
Submissions will now close Tuesday 28th April 2020.
The Bushfire Survival Chain
Early detection and suppression have greatly improved the survivability of people and property in an urban firefighting context, so why shouldn’t we adopt the same principles to look after the bush?
Early intervention improves other emergency response scenarios such as a first aid response to cardiac arrest.
Perhaps we should follow a bushfire survival chain.
National Bushfire Recovery Agency
The Australian Government has put measures in place so that families and individuals affected by bushfires can access resources quickly to ease the stress during the recovery phase.