[LINK] Summary - Bush Fire Speeds (was Re: home emergencies)

[Tom Koltai]

Folks - This thread started as No cash for phone alert system started by
Bernard.
In reference to
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25060102-15306,00.html

We have had recommendations of education (possibly nullified by speed of
firefront)
Leave the area early
Lock up valuables in a fire safe
We have discussed Broadcast Radio Devices that turn on receivers that
are in standbye mode.
And that alarm tones need to be varied  and multi frequency to be
effective.
There has been discusion on the amateurish nature of CB radio. But I
dare say - identical to the telephone party-line system of the fities
and early sixties - everyone eventually agrees to the forces of majority
rules and common sense will prevail.
Example - Titanic sinking and the orchestra playing. 

The current consensus appears to be:
The temperature is hotter and Eucalyptus fumes may accelerate the speed
of fire - which may redefine the question of "safety buffer distance"
and require areas to be evacuated earlier.

There have been several suggestions from loud analogue siren systems
individualy (community implemented via wireless (3G Relstra or Unwired)
to walkie talkies [CB].

Therefore I think that the only workable solution Australias Social
Experiment Think Tank has arrived at lies somewhere between: 

That the Alarm system needs to be radio based either (AM via the ABC
National AM/SSB broadcast network) with TA flag operative or CB Radio
with Telemetry alarms able to be activated by CFS, SES, Police and
Neighbours. Or a combination of both.

Any others ?

Disclaimer: I lost a house (a weekender) in the NT from Bushfire. The
house was 400 metres from the nearest (eucalyptus) vegetation. The front
was 80 km wide and the speed was 7 kph. Over 250 volunteers fought the
Batchelor fires for 6 days. It was at the end of the "dry season" but
with high humidity. The house had a roof sprinkler system for embers -
Plastic soaker hose - melted and failed) The house was there in the
morning when I left to fight fires - and gone when I came home - I left
the pump running with 260 litres of fuel in the tank when I left - it
was still running when I came home. The pump was 200 metres from the
house - feeding the house with water through 1 inch pvc pipe. I
should've stayed at home to fight the fire - but felt that my duty was
to save the town of Bachelor; and I was convinced that a 400 metre
radius green lawn (mowed by wallabies) was a sufficient fire break.

Tom
P.S. We and NTCFS all used CB Radios to co-ordinate efforts and
evacuations.

















We have Fast Fires

> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman1.anu.edu.au 
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman1.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of 
> Marghanita da Cruz
> Sent: Friday, 20 February 2009 1:28 PM
> To: Pilcher, Fred
> Cc: link at anu.edu.au
> Subject: Re: [LINK] Bush Fire Speeds (was Re: home emergencies)
> 
> 
> Pilcher, Fred wrote:
> > Was it on LINK or somehwere else where someone noted that 
> the ambient 
> > 50 degree temp was above the flash point of the volatile eucalyptus 
> > oils and that pockets of the fuel/air mixture were 
> exploding ahead of 
> > the fire front?
> > 
> > If that's right, the front could advance much faster than the wind.
> > 
> <snip>
> I heard mention of Mountain Ash, but the ignition qualities 
> of Wattle, White Cypress Pine and Radiata Pine are also rated 
> as "excellent".
> 
> See the discussion and comparison here: 
> <http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nreninf.nsf/childdocs/13D5A7912
B73B5F9CA256F17000AF544?Open&Layout=DPI+Site~Printer+Friendly>

Marghanita
-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://www.ramin.com.au
Phone: (+61)0414 869202


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