Plan now for fire danger

AS major fires rage in New South Wales and Queensland, Tasmanian firefighters are again playing their part on the frontline alongside their interstate colleagues.

Already, as reported in the Sunday Tasmanian, Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service firefighters have been commended for their bravery in assisting a severely injured woman near the township of Wytaliba.

Further reinforcements are on the way. Another group of Tasmanian volunteers left Hobart airport at dawn yesterday to join the battle against the fires in NSW in their time of need.

Tasmanians will not forget that interstate and New Zealand firefighters played such a critical role in assisting our professional and volunteer crews in battling last summer’s fires which caused so much devastation to such large area of Tasmania. It is good that we can return the favour — although it would be better for everyone concerned if the need had not arisen quite so starkly, quite so soon. For all our firefighters, we owe a debt of gratitude for putting themselves in harm’s way to protect lives and property.

Cooperation between the states and territories is essential in the face of natural calamities such as bushfires. As we have learned in recent years, no one state can marshal all of the resources to deal with major disasters on their own. As fire seasons get hotter and dryer, the challenge will become greater and a greater test of resources — particularly when fires burning in more than one state at the same time put a broader strain on resources.

There will presumably also be a greater role for the Federal Government to play as well in supplementing state resources.

AS TOO MANY TASMANIANS LEARNED LAST SUMMER, IT IS MUCH EASIER TO COME UP WITH A GOOD BUSHFIRE PLAN BEFORE THE FLAMES ARE LAPPING AT YOUR DOOR.

The current fires are a timely reminder to us of the dangers. Already this fire season, Tasmania has seen bushfires which have burned out of control. As too many Tasmanians learned last summer, it is much easier to come up with a good bushfire plan before the flames are lapping at your door.

There is a wealth of information available via the Tasmania Fire Service website — information gained through bitter experience and which has been applied to save lives. One of the most critical decisions residents must make is whether to stay and defend their properties or whether to evacuate in advance of fires. Whatever decision is made, it requires careful planning beforehand. For those planning to stay and defend their homes, it is never too early to start preparing. The same applies to those who are planning to leave: it is never too early to come up with a carefully-considered plan. As Tasmanians have learned on multiple occasions, our wild and rugged island is a delightful place to live, but bushfires pose a special challenge so many of us need to plan for.

While we celebrate cooperation, we must also practice self-reliance. We cannot count on a fire truck at the end of every driveway. Every household which might potentially be impacted by fire this summer needs to have a plan that ensures everyone stays safe. All signs are pointing to a long, hot summer ahead.

Responsibility for all editorial comment is taken by the Editor, Chris Jones, Level 1, 2 Salamanca Square, Hobart, TAS, 7000