Lives on the line

SURELY there isn’t anything much more terrifying than facing a firefront bearing down on your home.

I can’t even begin to think what it might feel like finding out there is an out-of-control bushfire nearby and it’s too late to leave.

Too late to leave when you’ve just heard about the imminent danger? Utterly and overwhelmingly terrifying.

Bushfires are alienating. And that’s not just because communications are often down.

They’re alienating because no one can quite relate unless they’ve been through them personally.

Unless it’s a lived experience, people can’t relate to the noise, the smell, the unpredictability and the anxiety about neighbours and animals.

And instead of those commenting on the crisis trying to bridge the gap between us on the outside and those going through hell, all we get is lip service about a specific agenda.

Most notably we’ve got Israel Folau (surely we can now all agree he is short of a few brain cells?) blaming same-sex marriage and abortion laws for the wrath of a vengeful god.

You’re entitled to your concerns, Israel, but is now really the time to be lecturing on the matter of sex and unwanted pregnancy when people are dying and losing their livelihoods?

Then we’ve got Barnaby Joyce suggesting the people who died in the fires most likely voted for the Greens. They didn’t.

And what does it matter anyway?

Please let’s not forget our fearless leader Scott Morrison sending endless thoughts and prayers.

Thanks, Scomo, you big dunce, that’s exactly what the fire victims need. It’s also certainly something the 3000 to 4000 firefighters on rotation at the fire grounds need as well.

In a previously unhelpful move, in this year’s state Budget the Berejiklian Government cut funding to Fire and Rescue NSW by $12.9 million to $774.3 million, resulting in fire station closures.

That’s a decision that has certainly come to bite her.

Seriously, if the Libs are going to refuse to put climate adaptation on the agenda they can’t expect much more than a country ravaged by fire, drought and flood, especially if they slash funding or let unsavoury corporations destroy the land and natural water resources.

There are about 300,000 firefighters around Australia and about 85 per cent are volunteers who are often harder to mobilise for interstate emergencies.

There have been reports that some firefighters have been forced to rack up expenses with their own money because their allocated credit cards haven’t been working.

Surely these issues shouldn’t be happening in one of the most bushfire-prone countries in the world?

One of my mates is a career firefighter who went up to NSW yesterday. It doesn’t matter that it was his birthday. This is his life.

He spends all summer fighting fires, so it simply means his busy season has started earlier than expected.

For the next four months his home will be one fire ground or another. He will eat food provided by tireless communities and he will sleep when others in his team are rested.

He may see his beloved partner in Melbourne once a week but likely it will be once a fortnight.

He doesn’t want sympathy. This is his job.

But I know he would like everyone to spare a thought for the thousands of other firefighters doing the same thing. Risking life and limb to save people, properties, livestock and pets.

I’d like to say thanks to all our firefighters, whether they be from fire or parks authorities, local, interstate or international, volunteers or otherwise. You are true heroes.

Thank you for putting your lives on the line to protect other lives.

Thank you for working through sheer exhaustion to defend properties often far from your own.

Thank you for helping ease the fear and anxiety that comes from living through such painful experiences. Thank you for being our army against such a destructive and unpredictable invader.

We know from the experience of the 2015 Otways fire, and subsequent Christmas Day Lorne evacuation, that communities can be at risk at any time.

We need to remain vigilant. We must reduce fire hazards and have a fire plan.

I live near bush. My fire plan is to bundle up my dogs and bail.

Call me a Prepper but I’m putting together a bushfire bug-out bag — complete with dog-related essentials — so I’m ready if the day arises.