[SOC] Re: Bushfires

[Ian C. Purdie]

Timothy-Allen Albertson-KG6IRH wrote:

> We've had some problems with them the San Francisco Bay Area in wildfires.
> They were imported not being indigenous.

Yes, if I'm correct in your thinking Tim, you're 100% correct. At the time it
was quite a surprise to the "locals", the affect of eucalypts, planted I believe
in the 1920-30's.

Actually, many of us in Australia now believe this is also a prelude to the
northern hemisphere summer. Time will tell. At least US fire fighters here have
gained valuable experience, not so Europe [as far as I know].

Interestingly, in the "early" post mortems about the current Canberra tragedy,
one salient point has already emerged. The "sap" of eucalypts has a much higher
boiling point than imported pines [a problem last Saturday] or other introduced
species.

That means, the last to explode is the eucalypt.

[FACTS}

Early post mortems from friends and close acquaintances:

Unbelievingly, the close proximity [<1 Km] of pine forests wasn't a factor - OK
shot down every theory I had - the combination of a number of factors came into
play - this is early days and totally unofficial.

SCENARIO:

N.S.W.. My State has a bush fire in progress, literally about a week ago last
Wednesday, several Km's [miles] from Canberra. No undue concerns, it's a fire,
so what? At the time Australia had around 300+ individual fires.

The fire [is miles away] because of wind conditions, it gets a head of steam and
"olliver sudden" becomes a problem.

Independently the "Weather Bureau", already blooded two years before, because of
the Sydney-to-Hobart yachting race fiasco and bringing to bear every
technological marvel known to man, "including real Australian technology to
predict weather an hour from now in your backyard", go full on and predict
basically that "Canberra is in deep, deep SH**" in the next few days [Friday and
weekend].

Fact well publicised because Weather Bureau ain't carrying the "can" for any
more stuff ups beyond their control.

The NSW fires proceed according to wind direction and speed. These are
unstoppable.

"Oliver Sudden" - again

They hit, Saturday morning or late Friday, Canberra's beautiful Pine
Plantations. They [the fires] "rage" through. Unstoppable.

In Canberra - Stoppable: - all modern technology is in place, no worries.

Local ground temperatures are increasing toward 45C, wind speeds are picking up
to a predicted 100 km/h without the affects of a huge fire which raises speed to
Hurricane/Cyclone proportions.

An unsuspecting City waits.

Out of the pine plantations, fireballs on a 35 Km front rain down, pine burns
easy, worse - the 1 Km or more "grassland", as a natural fire break erupts into
flame and given the now high winds feeding upon itself, propels itself at a
frightening speed toward the outer suburbs.

Closest houses erupt into flames, gas meters explode all around in the intense
heat.

{This is entirely Ian, VK2TIP's professional building speculation from here on].

Every gas meter exploded, one man made valiant efforts to have the gas totally
turned off as he saw 5M flames from his own gas meter, a fellow at the Gas
Company whom he finally contacted as all disintegrated around him said: "I'm in
Sydney mate, Piss Off"

Sad, but TRUE

IMHO a very significant factor.

The outer suburbs were never hit by fire as we conventionally know it. They were
hit by a rain of burning embers, fireballs from the super-heated aftermath of
pine plantations, burning grass from the fire breaks, *ALL* propelled along by
high winds, most of it self feeding as in the "Fire-Bombing of Dresden".

Fire never hit Canberra in the conventional sense. A rain of burning embers
[firestorm] in cyclone wind conditions "raining down" everywhere.

Don't minimise it, 100's of photo's and video's of heroic folks living and
fighting within literal "wall of flames". All imported on "hurricane winds of
fire".

The unconventional did the unthinkable.

A number of deaths, well and truly 500+ houses lost, and that will climb as they
realise some houses simply can't be re-claimed.

I'll offer my technical services and professional expertise, prolly be rebuffed
as a stupid "old bugger" past his time.

Oh well...


72/73's

Ian C. Purdie
Budgewoi N.S.W. Australia - Co-ords S33�14', E151�34'
VK2TIP "I'll give ya the TIP mate" QRP-L #1978. SOC #171 FP#91
http://www.electronics-tutorials.com/