Author Archives: fobif

Fire 1: here we go again. Will controlled burning solve our bushfire problem?

Serious bushfires still burning in NSW have brought out some familiar discussion themes. Like this one: if only there had been more fuel reduction burns, these fires wouldn’t be so bad. And: the reason we don’t have enough reduction burns … Continue reading

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Meanwhile, on the ground: fuel reduction at Spring Gully

DELWP conducted a fuel reduction burn in the area south of Jacobs track, along the Vaughan Chewton road in the week beginning November 18.  The fire was lit on the 18th before the dire weather forecast for the following Thursday … Continue reading

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Fuel reduction: a bit of ancient history

On the subject of fire safety and ecological health, here’s a look at the past: “In 1970 the Australian Conservation Foundation released a reasoned manifesto on ‘bushfire control and conservation’ that encapsulated the sentiments and logic of environmental critics (of … Continue reading

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It’s a miracle! Scott Morrison was right! And wrong! At the same time!

The early start to the bushfire season has generated a debate about the connection between climate change and bushfires. This is another debate we can expect to sputter on over summer. It’s important to be clear about what the argument … Continue reading

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So: how’s the climate here?

The Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO have released a series of local climate guides summing up the changes in the last few decades around Australia. The guide for North Central Victoria can be found here. It reveals that average … Continue reading

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