A pyric epic …Come on baby light my fire

The Doors mightn’t have been thinking about asset protection when they wrote their very famous song but somehow it seems very relevant to the Hazard Reduction Burn planned for the reserve off Stansfield Close.

The time to hesitate is through…

The long awaited burn may happen in the next month, possibly even next week depending on the rain.

No time to wallow in the mire….
We’ve been trying to dry out the moist weed infested gullies so that optimum burn temperatures can be reached for ignition. The large woody weeds have been treated and felled.

Try now we can only lose…
Additional hands from LMCC’s Landcare Bush Regenerators & the Fire Mitigation team as well as Trees In Newcastle’s bush regenerators and volunteers have been helping Coal Point landcarers prepare the burn area by cutting a containment line, refreshing the Asset Protection Zone and treating weeds to make sure we do all we can for a good environmental burn.

And our love become a funeral pyre…
Our much loved bushland will arise from a seedbank that needs heat to geminate whilst the asparagus fern will burn and hopefully be pyrically thwarted.

Come on baby light my fire…

The RFS and Fire & Rescue advise there are a few things that you might want to do if you start smelling smoke in the air.

As the prescribed burn will generate smoke, hot embers and heat, it is important that you consider undertaking the following actions:

• Keep doors and windows closed to prevent smoke entering buildings
• Cover outdoor furniture to prevent ember damage
• Retract plastic or synthetic pool covers to prevent ember damage
• Remove washing from clothes lines
• Ensure any outdoor pets have a sheltered area
• If you have asthma or a lung condition, reduce outdoor activities
• If smoke levels are high and if shortness of breath or coughing develops, take your reliever medicine or seek medical advice
• If you are driving a vehicle, slow down, keep windows up and turn headlights on

It is normal for smoke to be visible up to 24 hours after the prescribed burn

For your safety, neighbours adjoining the area are requested to remain away from, and not enter the burnt ground to aid post-fire restoration.

Homes and habitat

As the smoke wafts through the air are you wondering how to find a happy balance between lifestyle choices and habitat values for wildlife? A publication from the Nature Conservation Council- Creating bird-friendly gardens in bush fire prone areas can provide an answer. Here’s an excerpt.

Many people live near the bush to see and hear native birds and other wildlife. Having them visit makes a garden more interesting and habitat gardens help wildlife by providing stepping-stones to bushland. 

However, living near the bush can also bring the risk of bush fire. One of the main ways to reduce the risk is a well-designed and maintained garden that acts as an Asset Protection Zone (APZ). An APZ is a fuel-reduced area surrounding a built asset such as a house or shed. It is a key element in reducing the impact of bush fire along with house and property maintenance and a Bush Fire Survival Plan. 

An APZ can also provide habitat and offer food, shelter and water for native animals. This fact sheet is a guide to creating an APZ that attracts birds and other wildlife and helps protect your home from bush fire. 

A local resource is Landcare Fact Sheet 9- Fire Retardant Plants . It contains plants suitable for our area. You can pick up a copy at the Landcare Office or download it. 

A visit to the demonstration garden at the Toronto Fire Station is also inspirational to view the Fire Retardant Garden.

Asset Protection Burn possibly this Winter

And thinking about things that burn… The Asset Protection Burn for Stansfield Reserve is being proposed for August this year. This will be an exciting opportunity to see 1st hand the impacts of fire on the local bushland and the recovery of native species. It will also provide an opportunity to attempt to gain the ascendency on the Asparagus Fern.