BUSHFIRES!!!!!
Newspaper Articles & Reflection
Article 1: Perth Now - https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/disaster-and-emergency/arson-squad-investigates-jandabup-australia-day-bushfire-believed-to-have-started-with-stolen-car-ng-b881086945z
This article is about the Australia Day bushfires and how they are believed to have been deliberately lit when a stolen car was set on fire in bushland north of Perth. This makes me incredibly mad that people can be so careless and irresponsible especially when Australia is at such a risk from bushfires at this time of year.
Article 2: Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-bushfire/record-australian-heat-brings-fire-to-a-scorched-land-idUSKCN1QK018
This article talks about the record breaking heatwave that is happening in Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. It discusses what has caused some of these fires that have broken out and what makes Australia so susceptible to bushfires, as well as the impacts the fires are having on the environment, animals, people and communities.
Our Fire Station Visit
Our visit to the Fire Station was on Tuesday. I really enjoyed the visit because I learnt about the Fire Danger Ratings and Fire Bans and where to find this information daily, and what they mean to us as a community. We are all responsible in keeping our community safe.
(Country Fire Authority, 2018a)
It was interesting to see where our community meeting places were and I was a bit surprised to find it was the bottom sports oval instead of the community hall. However, I do see the relevance of this area because the oval is a large space and clear of trees with 2 evacuation roads should we need to leave in a hurry.
It was really exciting to see the fire trucks and fire equipment and meet the brave firefighters who risk their lives to protect us. It was quite scary listening to some of the fire stories that the firefighters shared with us but I am also very relieved to know that they are really knowledgable, physically prepared and are good at what they do. After this visit I feel much more prepared should we have a bushfire in our area.
Preparing Our School for Bushfires
On Monday we walked around the school to assess what we need to do to prepare our school in the lead up to bushfire season. I found the following risks that need to be rectified:
- Some gutter guards need replacing as they are missing
- Fine fossil fuels close to Grade 1 classrooms need to be cleared up
- Some shrubs near Grade 5 & 6 classrooms need to be clipped
Preparing my home (Omela, n.d.)
for Bushfires
Today I assessed my home using the Bushfire Survival Plan Template.
What needs to be done around my home to prepare for bushfire season?
- Clear gutters of debris
- Store fuels, chemical and LPG bottles away from our house
- Woodpiles are too close to the house
- Rake leaf litter regularly
- Trim branches and small shrubs
- Pack Emergency Kit
Unfortunately we are unable to move the fuels, chemical and LPG bottles anywhere else. They are currently stored inside our garage which is attached to the main house. The woodpiles cannot be moved elsewhere because our yard is quite small and there is nowhere else to move them, however, as winter is over there are minimal blocks of wood there. I have volunteered to rake the leaf litter and my husband and I will trim the branches and small shrubs and prepare the Emergency Kit.
Everyone in our house is aware of the plan, we have a copy on the kitchen noteboard which we can refer to as needed or grab quickly. Should there be a fire, I am responsible for pets, adding last minute things to the emergency kit, clearing the verandah of flammable objects and materials, and closing all windows and doors.
Community Information Posters
What we NOW know about Bushfires
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