Fraser island

travelyounger · Guru

Fraser island

the rocket · Guru

Did you write to them and tell them this?

travelyounger · Guru

the rocket wrote:
Did you write to them and tell them this?

No I did not write to them should have I written to them.

Tony LEE · Guru

Not sure what your complaint is. Can you elaborate on how your observation relates to the current situation

Teo · Senior Member

You sure it was national parks that pulled the trees down?

TheHeaths · Guru

Sorry John, but the National Parks did not do this.

It was the ignorant know it all who lit the illegal camp fire! Unfortunately you cant legislate for stupid!

Fallen timber may help it burn, but lets put the blame where it belongs. Hes the one who has badly damaged a National Treasure.

-- Edited by TheHeaths on Wednesday 2nd of December 2020 05:56:24 PM

dabbler · Guru

A responsible camper shouldn't need to be constantly harassed on any topic let alone lighting fires where none are permitted. I'm seeing a mate who is former NPWS with 35 years experience for coffee tomorrow. He'll get a real giggle from the idea they are destroying national treasures.

travelyounger · Guru

Tony LEE wrote:
Not sure what your complaint is. Can you elaborate on how your observation relates to the current situation

I am not blaming national parks for the fire or condoning ignorant campers lighting fires in areas where fires are not permitted . I am wondering why national parks have been in control of this island for such a long time and is it lack of maintenance or bad management not to mention the lack of backburning like in last years fires from NE Victoria up to Qld border .

Maybe another inquiry will get to the bottom of it

cheers

Tony LEE · Guru

Actually there is some justification for accusing national parks of environmental "vandalism" Nearly all of the forests around Bulahdelah were run by Forestry since forever. Trails were kept open, campgrounds maintained, regular burns kept the fuel load under control. They did such a good job that national parks demanded they take control. So fire trails not properly maintained, campgrounds let go, no maintenance and no control burning and of course no forestry jobs and sawmills have shut down.

Rob Driver · Guru

Without going into the politics of fighting fires in this country, I find it hard to believe that many fires are attempted to be controlled by the local fire services until the situation becomes uncontrollable.

It appears only then are the bigger guns called in, metaphorically speaking.
Fraser island is just that, an island, and of any fire situation, fighting a fire on a land mass surrounded by water would be made a lot easier than in an area with no water.

I heard on the news the other day that NSW had made quite drastic increases to their fire fighting equipment with the purchase of several large aircraft appliances.
This makes me wonder about the resources available in Qld.

We have all seen the effect of ELVIS type appliances and their efficiency on bush fires.
I just wish that all the states would equip themselves with this type of appliance and put these fires out WHEN THEY FIRST START rather then trying to fight them on the ground until the situation goes beyond the ground crews ability to bring these outbreaks under control.

The Fraser Island current fire has been burning for SEVEN WEEKS.

This type of equipment is money well spent, I would think.

Regards

Rob

Bicyclecamper · Guru

To get to a fire that is small deep in a forest, by a helicopter and bucket of water is the sensible thing to do. But Fire services are constrained by not having th funds to do it. They wait until the fire is in an area where they can get Cat 9 strikers and an Cat 7 or Cat 1 tankers in with volunteers. In these cases most fires get out of hand. This is where current firefighting control of, is shortsighted. I reported a fire some years back, caused by a lightning strike, in thick forest. It was no more then an acre in size at the time. I gave the exact GPS co-ordinates to it. I was a member of the local Volunteer Fire Service at the time. We had a rather strong southwesterly due later that day. This did not concern them. What Happened: The fire, eventually burned 150000 hectares, and destroyed many farms and killed a lot of stock, and wildlife. It was the last straw for me, and I resigned, seeing similar fires getting out of hand when they could have been dealt with very easily. Idiots at the helm of most organisations still 2 years down the track.

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Thursday 3rd of December 2020 12:44:38 PM

-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Thursday 3rd of December 2020 12:59:05 PM

Trevor 57 · Senior Member

We were there about 4 years ago and are planning to go again about this time next year. It is such a shame what has happened, regardless of the cause, it is just a shame

-- Edited by Trevor 57 on Thursday 3rd of December 2020 12:35:16 PM

rgren2 · Guru

Had to close the house up last night to keep the smoke out, went fishing this morning and there is a lot of charred leaves in the water and on the beaches here in Hervey Bay.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

We gave away our camp oven, etc because the NPWS do not encourage the lighting of fires in parks.

Fraser Island is about to be destroyed due to an alleged "illegal camp fire" unless something different is done. I wonder if they have done anything about saving the dingoes - recognised as being amongst the purest of the breed left in the wild.

I've said this before that in northern QLD, the service is that far understaffed that it's not funny any more. The service expects one ranger to supervise anything up to 3 parks & they are not close together either. There are too many bureaucrats based in the Kingdom of the SE Corner to worry about the greater areas of QLD.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Fuel on the ground again !!

outlaw40 · Guru

Who is to blame for the fire on Fraser I dont think matters at the moment The biggest problem will be the time it takes to recover . Currently the number 1 tool for trying to stop this fire is water . they have already poured nearly 2 million litres of SALT water on it . gunna take a long time to recover from that . aerial bombing is about there only defence as the fire front is mostly in inaccessible areas .

Whenarewethere · Guru

Queensland have a Canadian Conair Q400MR simply sitting on the runway ready to use since August. A $15m 5 year lease to fight bushfires.

One would have thought this would be the ideal water bomber to send this fire a message!

But no, all that the politicians can manage is photo opportunities in front of the water bomber.

Actually using it on a fire..... they have missed the point!

Whenarewethere · Guru

Warren-Pat_01 wrote:
There are too many bureaucrats based in the Kingdom of the SE Corner to worry about the greater areas of QLD.

When I was a kid. Too many chiefs and not enough indians!

Brodie Allen · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Fuel on the ground again !!

"Fuel" on the ground is an important environmental asset for so much wildlife.

What happens to the

koalas, goannas, frillies . . . . when they deliberately set fire to the undergrowth?

environmental irresponsibility. Instead of spending time and money deliberately

setting fire to the place, educate people about fire control in bushlands - start in

kindergarten with the kids!!

Consider the difference in fire damage if fires were reduced by 85%!

That's the figure relating to fires started by humans!!

Time for a total ban of fires outdoors - bring the gas cooker. So often I see an Rv pull up,

the occupants jump out and ravage nearby trees etc and light a fire for no reason

whatsoever, then go inside to eat and sleep.

Otherwise, put up with the devastation either deliberate "reduction" or irresponsible lighting of fires.

I have been bushing it for 40 years 6 months of the year and have never seen the need to light

a fire to stand and look at it.

outlaw40 · Guru

Brodie Allen wrote:
Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Fuel on the ground again !!
"Fuel" on the ground is an important environmental asset for so much wildlife.
What happens to the
koalas, goannas, frillies . . . . when they deliberately set fire to the undergrowth?
environmental irresponsibility. Instead of spending time and money deliberately
setting fire to the place, educate people about fire control in bushlands - start in
kindergarten with the kids!!
Consider the difference in fire damage if fires were reduced by 85%!
That's the figure relating to fires started by humans!!
Time for a total ban of fires outdoors - bring the gas cooker. So often I see an Rv pull up,
the occupants jump out and ravage nearby trees etc and light a fire for no reason
whatsoever, then go inside to eat and sleep.
Otherwise, put up with the devastation either deliberate "reduction" or irresponsible lighting of fires.
I have been bushing it for 40 years 6 months of the year and have never seen the need to light
a fire to stand and look at it.

Anybody that says controlled burns do damage to the environment is nothing more than a pitt st greenie and have no idea about how a controlled burn works . My property gets burned every couple of years and the fire get no hotter than your bbq and flame get no more than a metre or so high and i can tell you the native wildlife on my place are doing very well . controlled burns ( which are not bush fires ) are necessary and beneficial in the Australian environment just ask any aboriginal elder .

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yep the fuel on the ground sure helped the wildlife the last 12 months !! What a load of rubbish . Fire doesnt burn without fuel !

msg · Guru

Fires burning out of control supports climate change theory.

outlaw40 · Guru

All fires burning out of control supports is the lack of management ie control fuel load burn off in the cooler months. nothing to do with climate change . Aboriginals have been using controlled burns for centuries to protect there environment . the American Indians did the same but the controlling bodies of our national parks and the over reaching egotistical environmental lobby have decided they are smarter , the blame lies squarely at there feet

yobarr · Guru

outlaw40 wrote:
All fires burning out of control supports is the lack of management ie control fuel load burn off in the cooler months. nothing to do with climate change . Aboriginals have been using controlled burns for centuries to protect there environment . the American Indians did the same but the controlling bodies of our national parks and the over reaching egotistical environmental lobby have decided they are smarter , the blame lies squarely at there feet

Absolutely true,Steve,but it seems that,for some,there is too much thinking involved here? Greenies seem not to understand that,if there is no fuel, there is no fire.It is beyond my comprehension that these clowns can even think that they know more than do the Aboriginals of Australia,and the American Indians,who have,for many thousands of years, used backburns to successfully manage,and protect,their environment.It is likely that these "greenies" have never even left major cities,and the associated suburban areas,with their latte-sipping residents.Cheers

yobarr · Guru

msg wrote:
Fires burning out of control supports climate change theory.

Surely you jest?

outlaw40 · Guru

To add insult to injury the damage being done here because of the lack of fuel load reduction in the cooler months is 2 fold ,number 1 the heat being generated is so great that the cells within the trees actually heats up and explodes within the timber killing the trees . And 2 the muppets that though it would be good idea to dump millions of litres of SALT yes salt water on it to try and stop it . This mismanagement of the island will take many decades to repair and is solely because of the lack of controlled fuel load reduction . Before anyone bleets yes national parks does do some controlled burning on fraser each year, about .01% of the island to be exact .

Tony LEE · Guru

"Consider the difference in fire damage if fires were reduced by 85%! That's the figure relating to fires started by humans!!" This seems to have jumped from folklore to fact. Last season it was reported that only 2% of bushfires were started by humans, and this exactly agrees with figures quoted by rangers in a national park in Canada.

Mike Harding · Guru

Brodie Allen wrote:
educate people about fire control in bushlands - start in kindergarten with the kids!!

How would you educate lightning?

rgren2 · Guru

outlaw40 wrote:

And 2 the muppets that though it would be good idea to dump millions of litres of SALT yes salt water on it to try and stop it .

You do realise that every day the winds dump salt spray on the Island and has been doing so since the formation of the Island. I doubt that the few plane loads will have any impact.

Plain Truth · Guru

Tony LEE wrote:
"Consider the difference in fire damage if fires were reduced by 85%! That's the figure relating to fires started by humans!!" This seems to have jumped from folklore to fact. Last season it was reported that only 2% of bushfires were started by humans, and this exactly agrees with figures quoted by rangers in a national park in Canada.

Can you show us where you get this figure.