The Forestry Forum

Hearing so much about the fires.  I just hope for the best for everyone in one of my favorite countries.  Special thoughts for all of our posters in upside down land.  If you can spend your whole life standing upside down on a ball I guess the fires won't keep your spirits low for too long.  Stay safe and best wishes!

Very gracious of you Nativewolf.  We in Canada send our best to them as well.  It's pretty unimaginable.

My thoughts are with all of you as well, I have experienced forest fires and they are devastating. Above all, stay safe.

Me too, I've been watching it on the news.  Devastating situation.  I've visited Adelaide, it's a beautiful place.  Great people.  

You know it's bad when you get visible smoke haze over 1,000 miles downwind...  :(

Houses can be rebuilt. Forest can regrow. Humans cant.

I wish people would prepare more in the future for any catastrophe. Many don't though..."It would never happen to me".

Pictures taken in Auckland today. That's over 1,300 miles downwind. 

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/01/auckland-goes-yellow-smoke-from-the-australia-bushfires-covers-auckland.html (https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/01/auckland-goes-yellow-smoke-from-the-australia-bushfires-covers-auckland.html)

Canadian fire fighters have been on rotation to Australia, to give support. My eldest daughter's friend, Jon, will ship out in ten days. He's been a 'sky dog' for many years in Canada's Northwest Territories, coordinating air and ground efforts.
He's one of our best. 
Best wishes to all that are part of Australia's fire fighting and evacuation efforts!

Yes it was only yesterday I was thinking of longtime lurker and how he was fearing out with all the destruction. We have firefighters from Newfoundland and Labrador sent down under as well. Godspeed to you all!

Yes prayers sent for the safety of all.

It's always bad/sad to see fires of that size.

Like @Bruno of NH (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=26349) prayers sent for everyone's safety

D

Can't help but think about Australia's fires and of course our friend double L. Pray they get rain.

I heard the estimated number of animals killed due to the fires, on the news today, it was incredible.  Many, many millions.  During our visit there, it was very obvious that Australians take great pride in their wildlife.  They even had specially designed undercuts and tunnels under the roads called "Koala Bear Crossings" to limit road kills.  These fires are devastating to the flora and fauna.     

I'm not sure what the end run will be?  How do you put out so many fires all over the county?  Let them burn to the nearest coastline?  Wait and hold you own until rains come?  Seems overwhelming.     

I'm good guys, and thanks for the thoughts.

So about 10% of Australia is currently on fire.... which is normal for us at this time of year. Gets hot and dry before the rains come and a lot of our vegetation actually needs fire to crack seed pods to germinate etc. There's fires on the ranges behind me but those are normal seasonal fires.

The fires down south - about 2000 miles from me - are not so normal. So at last check about 12 million acres - an area the size of Belgium, or Vermont and New Hampshire combined - have so far been burnt and a lot of that is total devastation. I was talking with a friend down there the other day, he's a logging contractor and out on the fireline pushing breaks - and basically livestock and wildlife are cooked, and it'll take a generation for the forest to recover.

The fire is being carried on high winds, its burning through the treetops a couple mile in front of the actual ground fire and cinders are starting spot fires miles in front of that.... its a total inferno. 

They can't put it out.... too big, too fast, and too hot. What they're doing is evacuating people out the way of the thing and its going to take a weather change to stop it.

Good news is theres a Cyclone/hurricane forming in the Indian Ocean and after pummelling the West Coast it'll come across the continent as a rain depression and fix the problem. Hopefully. Things are bad when you're praying for a hurricane... but thats how it is. 

It's bad down there, really really bad. So far loss of life has been minimal but forest / farms/ towns/ animals.... just gone. 

One of Lil's good friends works at a Snowy Mts ski field that got burnt up. She was renting, but she now basically has the clothes she's wearing and her car. She is OK, but her rental house and her work are gone. 

She flew from Aussie to Rarotonga for our wedding, so a good friend, that likes to party.  :D

I could repost a picture of her favorite coffee mug ( that got burnt), but I'd have to send myself to the Woodshed. All the words start with "F" 

There is a 'friends of forestry' FB page that has pics of the aussie logging contractors (with the usual large converted cat excavators and cat skidders, cat dozer with home made grapple etc) that have been bought in to clear roads and take down hazardous burnt trees that are still standing next to public roads. Fire can burn the centre of the trees to leave a charcoal standing pipe. 

There has been a bit of rain in some places but fires are still burning.

Wollemi pines saved by firefighters.

Long link fixed by admin (https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/incredible-secret-firefighting-mission-saves-famous-dinosaur-trees-20200115-p53rom.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2ZeQESG-wOQyGny_2jlzC5ELIdMxWwIFhtUakz0qI1riQcdPbCj4IMBgM#Echobox=1579066524)

(there is a good article online on how these trees were initially 'found' etc )

3000 miles of road are lined with fire damaged trees. Lots of charred plantation forest. Hopes to cut charred timber and put under water sprinkler storage etc.

Agricultural reporter talks to Aus Forest Products chief Ross Hampton (9 minutes)
https://www.4bc.com.au/podcast/forestry-sector-warns-industry-will-take-years-to-recover-from-fires/?fbclid=IwAR2eYaGL4LBcatZb0VPgsgLltM-qBtaum5uMhifq7PUkmXhGwDiZGjlmJis (https://www.4bc.com.au/podcast/forestry-sector-warns-industry-will-take-years-to-recover-from-fires/?fbclid=IwAR2eYaGL4LBcatZb0VPgsgLltM-qBtaum5uMhifq7PUkmXhGwDiZGjlmJis)

Aus Timber re-scheduled till november 2020
https://www.afca.asn.au/www-austimber-org-au?fbclid=IwAR03BHpG5z720nZjAl33T3vSy-PPLnae4-jOgvYud-mUXBbLlqmfdW4g62g (https://www.afca.asn.au/www-austimber-org-au?fbclid=IwAR03BHpG5z720nZjAl33T3vSy-PPLnae4-jOgvYud-mUXBbLlqmfdW4g62g)

Thanks for the interesting links @Riwaka (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=27844) .

Hope some rain has dampened some of the worst of it.

Another very bad day on the fire grounds. Fire fighting plane crew and plane lost on fire fighting duties in Australia.
Condolences to the relatives/ families of those associated.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-23/nsw-rfs-air-tanker-crashes-near-numeralla-bushfire/11893554?pfmredir=sm (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-23/nsw-rfs-air-tanker-crashes-near-numeralla-bushfire/11893554?pfmredir=sm)

WOW!  very sad.  I have great respect for the folks that put them selves out there.

Likely an American crew that went down. It was a C130 flown in from the US to help out.  :'(

Yes, three American crew members in a Canadian C130 configured as a bomber. I worked in the helicopter industry, it is very dangerous work on the firelines. I knew people that were lost. :'(

 usflag

My heart stopped when I saw the headline on BBC - a son-in-law pilots a RCAF C130, and my other SIL is air attack coordinator on duty in W Aus. for the past week. 
It strikes close to home when the details overlay like that! 

Sincere condolences to the friends and families of the three American crew that lost their lives.

I see the Coulson crews are back flying in Australia, Some big fires around Canberra in recent days.
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Extended video of the Nowra (Australian Airforce base with F-18s?)  forest fire incident. Urban (town) specification fire trucks sent to a rural area and get caught in burning high timber. Brakes? lock on in the heat of 2 of the trucks. Urban trucks also lack the external water spray, falling tree protection of the modern spec rural fire trucks. 

 https://www.smh.com.au/national/investigation-launched-into-near-death-experience-of-eight-firefighters-stranded-in-nowra-inferno-20200203-p53xei.html (https://www.smh.com.au/national/investigation-launched-into-near-death-experience-of-eight-firefighters-stranded-in-nowra-inferno-20200203-p53xei.html)

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New Zealand logging crews benched for the summer. (So much of the logging is log exports to China).
Fire risk is getting up too.
Notice the headline title from the weevil words nz media.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/119236860/coronavirus-strikes-logging-crews-across-new-zealand (https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/119236860/coronavirus-strikes-logging-crews-across-new-zealand)

Dennis Neilson of Dana report on China situation.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/dennis-nielson-coronavirus-affecting-new-zealands-logging-industry/?fbclid=IwAR3cBr_gT8O3zIf9OofWp-G0wcS9SsOPhxmUiHykfRwR9ddFBSGDciRH434 (https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/dennis-nielson-coronavirus-affecting-new-zealands-logging-industry/?fbclid=IwAR3cBr_gT8O3zIf9OofWp-G0wcS9SsOPhxmUiHykfRwR9ddFBSGDciRH434)

Gisborne port to feel effects of chinese slow down

http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/frontpage-featured/20200204/the-perfect-storm-exporters-stop-buying-wood/?fbclid=IwAR218LRIxNQrYEnoUwwXg6qaw1nWVII4o1nTwB7hpGHH4v2aKRH3U9FEsnc (http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/frontpage-featured/20200204/the-perfect-storm-exporters-stop-buying-wood/?fbclid=IwAR218LRIxNQrYEnoUwwXg6qaw1nWVII4o1nTwB7hpGHH4v2aKRH3U9FEsnc)

Coulson crew repatriated

https://7news.com.au/news/bushfires/nsw-fires-us-airmen-given-heroes-farewell-at-sydney-airport-c-682108?fbclid=IwAR37X5rs2rWAGPbvIz8nlhWRux5cYxKit63UaJ1H7e1U5db71MqCadxS9Kg (https://7news.com.au/news/bushfires/nsw-fires-us-airmen-given-heroes-farewell-at-sydney-airport-c-682108?fbclid=IwAR37X5rs2rWAGPbvIz8nlhWRux5cYxKit63UaJ1H7e1U5db71MqCadxS9Kg)

I read today that heavy rains have knocked down a number of the fires. Hope that gives them some breathing space.

It appears about 1/3 of the fires are out, but flooding is now an issue in some areas.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-51409551 (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-51409551)

But as others have stated, the lose of wildlife and property will have a lasting effect on the country.

BLM Idaho staff member reflects on time in Australia

Magic Valley BLM firefighter first in area to return from Australia | Bureau of Land Management (https://www.blm.gov/press-release/magic-valley-blm-firefighter-first-area-return-australia?fbclid=IwAR1YndrCgUGRBZYT7uABiYZQFSYXOepMLDgrRD9DzuRxWY_BGU_UsPk2xns)