Scare ahead of heat

ANOTHER day another fright and nervous watch for the residents of Lara as we approach what will be a long, hot, nervous summer.

A generator fire on site at the so-called C & D Recycling facility was contained yesterday without flames spreading to the 350,000 cubic metres of debris spread across the site.

Authorities have pledged security will monitor the site to seek to curb the firebug risk.

We can only hope this strategy works sufficiently to keep everyone safe.

But as yesterday showed, even though crisis was averted, a fire threat on the potentially toxic site could come from multiple origins.

On a windy summer day sparks and embers from other fires could also travel airborne onto the site.

C & D’s bankrupt director David McAuliffe has pleaded guilty to charges relating to his poor running of the dump which appears to have done lots of stockpiling but not very much recycling.

He will face his penalty next year. But whatever it is it will not undo the mess that has been left behind.

As reported, fire experts have previously estimated an out-ofcontrol blaze would burn for up to a month, forcing homes and businesses to be evacuated and causing widespread contamination.

The owners of the land are now tasked with sorting, recyling and putting into landfill the items comprising the large mountains of rubbish.

This process is estimated to take up to 12 months.

With summer closing in, the focus of the land owners and authorities has been on ensuring a fire on site can be fought and contained.

Once the risk has been realised — and spurred on no doubt by media coverage of the potential disaster — authorities have taken it seriously.

But the whole episode could be an industry textbook case of how our systems - including the role of courts and tribunals - are too slow to react.

Meanwhile, Lara residents will anxiously watch the sky for any sign of smoke.