Fires.

There's a lot of good opinions and comments here. Much of it makes sense. Our old man used to work as a lowly paid repairer with Vic Rail. As an aside, with ten kids, we were a poor family. With his gang they used to chip, with a shovel, miles of fire breaks, four feet wide, along the tracks when coal fired locos used to start a few fires. Those fire breaks worked as fire breaks always have. Many fires were stopped while small. Stop creating fire breaks, be it plowing, back burning or whatever, is giving fires a head start.
I'm with the criticism of the enormous areas now committed to Nat Parks. Feral animals are allowed in but people are often not. Like Diesel, I'm a conservationist but will never be a ridiculous 'preservationist' as in radical greenie.
Our area is a classic example of the idiocy of building houses in the bush.
On a local front, many small communities on the south coast have their houses hidden in the bush and they think they are just so clever to be living with nature. Most of these places have but one road in and out. When a fire gets in there, all will be lost. It's difficult terrain for fire fighting too.
I have twice (in one day) been run over by fire when it went through the trees above us. I was new to this area at the time and simply prayed the tanker driver knew where we were as I had no idea. One guy admitted to peeing his pants and I'm sure I went close. It was not fun.
The fire affecting the Kings Hwy is still a problem. The highway remains closed, along with other minor roads. Things like fuel are in short supply at times but we are still OK.
There is a fear that two fires in there will join. Then it will come south toward us. It's still 60kms away but if it goes south it will be in steep parts of the Great Divide and impossible to stop. Our entire town is situated on a headland but is fairly well protected with a couple of kms of cleared farm land on the only road in.
Noel.

 

It's hard to get exact info from the RFS maps on the internet because of the enormous scale needed, but it seems the fire has well and truly crossed the Kings Hwy near the Mongarlow River as well as on a large front closer to Batemans Bay. The map also suggests Bawly point is surrounded with fire reaching the coast to both north and south of it. Kialoa and Pebbly beach could be in trouble. It must be very close to Durras (north and south) which are only a few kms from Batemans Bay.
the map indicates it's now 43kms from here and provided the wind stays from the south, all should be well. Regardless, people are making preliminary arrangements just to be sure.
Smoke has been extremely heavy most of today.

 

Thx Noel looks like I am not leaving to go anywhere, too risky would hate be stranded on some highway somewhere.

 

We hope so for your sake too Jim

 

Lyn and I hope you have very quiet shift. Take care.

 

We are in a sense, surrounded by several fires from the north, west and now a couple of new ones from the south. The nearest is 6km away but is only small and being controlled we believe. The most serious is still a distance away but is working its way south, which is toward here. Still believe we will have no major problems but getting a fair bit of smoke at times.

 

Your fish are well protected then Noel if i had have come down I would have been for a long stay! and given tuross a thorough fishing. Still smokey around here just hope no westerlys spring up.

 

Apparently heavy showers are heading our way. I hope the firey's are getting some rain, are not getting the gusty winds we are.

 

I know the firey's need all the help they can get and substantial rain would be a game changer, but the flip side to heavy rain whilst a fire is still burning or soon after is that the runoff will cause damaging contamination to creeks and rivers. There was widespread 'blackwater' events after the Vic fires from memory, killed everything in the waterways.

Jeff

 

G'day Fellas,

I just got home from Bemm River after our trip was cut short due to the fires. We left on Boxing day and were meant to be there for a week but decided to leave early this morning after hearing all the warnings we decided last night that we would stay but after the siren went off at 2.30am this morning and hearing that we could be trapped in there for up to 2 weeks if the roads were closed that it was best to leave like many other people were. I was disappointed to leave as the first 3 days we had fantastic fishing but we still brought home plenty of fish I will post a report later. I wish everyone out there to stay safe and I can't talk highly enough of all the Firies they are the best.

 

You made a wise decision Dickson. I've never been into Bemm River (on the wishlist), but from what I can see on the map, only one road in and out. Not the place to be with the ferocity of the fires that are occurring.

Jeff

 

Yes it's a magnificent place but it's one of the last places you want to be if there is a fire. Correct it only has 1 road in and it's all big dry gum trees.

 

I would like to be trapped there Its a good fishing spot! would hate(not) to have to ring the boss "sorry I am trapped in a large clear camping area on edge of a river next to boat ramp and shop and club I cant make it to work for a month"

 

All good in theory Blair but this morning I got the last bag of ice from the general store before we left and at the meeting last night they said that the power and phone lines would probably go out. There isn't much else in town No Fuel and the pub apparently has enough food and diesel for the generator for a 10 days. Mate when I was younger I would've loved it but when you have a wife and kids you get the **** out of there.

 

yes I agree when the familys there unless they are all hard core fishers and campers and you have the supplies and there is no danger. My wife is not a camper if anyone knows how to turn the wife into a camper let me know.

 

When we lived in Orbost, the Bemm was a 'go to' place. It was known as the bream capital of Australia and the last time there, in the car topper on my own I boated at least fifty bream and luderick. kept two after cutting off about 40 hooks for releases.
One day I'll tell the story of a 'wild west' visit to the Bemm pub.
Great little spot.
Noel.

 

What a way to start the day.
Bega and Batemans Bay are around 150km apart. An emergency notice has been sent (we have one) for all coastal people between those towns to move to larger places like Moruya. Tuross is not specifically mentioned but is still in that area. Have to go now and ascertain whether or not we have to evacuate.
Will try to update asasp.
Noel and Boss

 

Sometimes you're just better off leaving things as they are, my friend. My wife likes caravanning, but not real keen on tents and swags. That suits me just fine when I want some time away on my own whether it be fishing or prospecting, chuck the swag in the truck and she gives me that look that means 'don't ask me if I want to go' - okay, no argument.

Jeff