Ever Since Black Thursday…

Bushfire Safety in Victoria

Podcast: Victoria’s Burning

On 6 February 1851, the most extensive bushfire in Victoria’s recorded history ripped through the colony. Five million hectares, a quarter of the colony, was burned and dozens of homes and farms were destroyed. One million sheep and thousands of cattle perished in the blaze, along with countless native wildlife which could be found “ready roasted all over the bush.”¹ At least twelve people lost their lives, including six children. The low death toll was due to the small population of the colony at the time; around 69,000 people lived in Victoria in 1851, and most lived in Melbourne. Thankfully the fires never reached the city, although they could be seen for miles by the residents, and those who had to brave the roads between Melbourne and Sydney, such as coach drivers, reported that it was like travelling through hell. There was even a push to ban smoking on these journeys, to reduce the risk of fires, although the idea was so unpopular that the Legislative Councils of both colonies refused to even consider it.² The fire eventually stopped after a southerly breeze pushed the blaze back into areas already burned, depriving it of fuel, and an unexpected summer rainstorm finally put it out. 

William Strutt. Black Thursday, 6 February 1851. Oil on canvas, 1864.

Black Thursday remains Victoria’s most extensive bushfire; not until the Black Friday bushfires of 1938 – 39, which burned two million hectares, did we even come close to seeing that level of devastation again. In terms of lives lost, however, Black Thursday is on the lower end of the scale. Victoria’s deadliest bushfires were those of Black Saturday in 2009, where 173 people lost their lives attempting to fight or flee from what became one of Australia’s worst natural disasters. The majority of victims, 140, died in or near their homes while attempting to fight the fire. 16 people died in their vehicles or on roadways as they tried to flee, and another 11 were found in their garages or near their vehicles: they had most likely become overwhelmed by smoke or flames as they were trying to escape. The other victims were found in various locations around their properties, and 4 died in hospital while being treated for burns, smoke inhalation, and other fire related injuries.³ 27 of the dead were children aged under 17; 100 of the victims were male, while 73 were female. In many tragic cases, whole families were found in their homes or cars. The high number of casualties was mostly attributed to a lack of preparation by those who chose to stay and defend their properties. The conditions on Black Saturday were some of the worst Victoria had ever seen, and even those people who were familiar with bushfire safety and had defended their properties before were unprepared for the intensity of the fire.

Bunyip State Forest bushfires near the township of Tonimbuk, Saturday, Feb.07, 2009. Source: AAP

Bushfires: Then and Now

Bushfires have always been part of Australia, and the evidence of them on this continent predates human settlement by millions of years. Some of our native plants have adapted to propagate by fire, and as a result are highly flammable: it is in their interest to burn so they can reproduce. When Indigenous people arrived on the continent and began to spread out around 65,000 years ago, they used fire as a land management tool which reduced the severity of the bushfires by removing fuel. It also helped those plants which needed fire to regenerate to grow, and flushed out animals, which aided with hunting. These fire management strategies were used successfully until Europeans arrived in 1788, and they began suppressing Indigenous culture. As Indigenous people were no longer able to practice their fire management strategies, and as the colonists inexpertly cleared the land for grazing sheep and cattle, the severity of bushfires began to increase again.⁴ 

In the nineteenth century, firefighting was rudimentary at best. Equipment mostly consisted of buckets and hand-held pumps, and early water tankers were small and not always reliable. The primary strategy for fighting fires at this time was to create a firebreak, but this strategy is less effective when fighting a bushfire than a house- or city fire, because bushfires are infamous for their ability to jump firebreaks. Of course, all fires have the potential to do this, but it’s much harder to create a firebreak when fighting a bushfire, even today, than it is to do so when fighting a fire in a city. In a bushfire like Black Thursday, all the firefighters of the time could do was retreat and pray. Today, our firefighting services are better equipped. Water bombers, tanker trucks, and hoses which can draw water from just about anywhere are always on stand-by during bushfire season. Firefighters have fire-resistant gear, breathing apparatuses, and are trained for numerous situations, from small housefires to raging bushfires. There is also better community understanding of bushfires, and information on how to protect yourself and your family can easily be found online and in multiple languages. The Country Fire Authority website is the best place to start if you’re looking for fire safety advice, whether you’re wanting to know how to reduce the risk of damage to your property during a bushfire, or where to install smoke alarms in your house, the CFA is a treasure-trove of information.

Bunyip State Forest bushfires near the township of Tonimbuk, Saturday, Feb.07, 2009. Source: AAP

Bushfire Safety 101

Bushfires continue to be a threat in Victoria today, but there are some simple steps you and your loved ones can take to reduce the risk to yourselves, your property, and your community. Sadly, the colonists in 1851 had no idea just how devastating a bushfire could be, or that taking simple steps could have reduced the chances of their homes, properties and livelihoods being destroyed. Fortunately for you, these tips are freely available and simple to action. I got this information from the CFA website, so make sure to check them out for further advice.

Before a Bushfire

1. Have a bushfire plan – Make sure everyone in your household is aware of your plan and practice carrying it out. Ensure you plan for what to do to protect everyone in your household, including pets and livestock. 

2. Leave early – The safest place you can be during a bushfire is out of the bushfire area. Know where you’ll go and plan several routes to get there, in case any are blocked. Don’t wait until you can see/smell smoke or fire to evacuate; by then it’s already too late.

3. Know what to take with you – Ensure you know what you will take in your emergency kit. Ideally this should be pre-packed, but otherwise practice packing it so you know what to do in an emergency.

4. Keep woollen blankets in your vehicle – If you live in a bushfire prone area, keep woollen blankets in your car. You will need them if you ever become trapped in your vehicle during a bushfire.

5. Keep foliage away from your home – Regularly clear trees, shrubs and other flora away from your house, to reduce the risk of fire spreading to your property if it reaches nearby foliage.

6. If you have a garden, consider FIREWISE landscaping – The CFA has some great resources on how to create a beautiful garden which will also reduce the risk to your property in a bushfire.

7. Keep your property fire safe – Regular maintenance on areas such as gutters, decking and roofs reduces the risk of flammable leaf litter and other material building up. Staying on top of these jobs reduces the risk to your property during a bushfire.

8. Locate your Neighbourhood Safer Place – This is a place of last resort, which may provide some protection from direct heat and flame when all other bushfire plans have failed. DO NOT rely on this area as part of your primary bushfire plan.

During a Bushfire

1. Leave early – Yes, again. Get the hell out of there! The safest place you can be during a bushfire is out of the bushfire area. Know where you’ll go and plan several routes to get there, in case any are blocked. Don’t wait until you can see/smell smoke or fire to evacuate; by then it’s already too late.

2. To reduce the risk to your property, do the following before you leave:
   1. Close all windows and doors.
   2. Move doormats and outdoor furniture away from the house.
   3. Blockdown pipes and partially fill the gutters with water.
   4. Move livestock or other large animals into paddocks with short grass.
   5. Turn off the gas supply.
   6. Leave the front gate open.

3. Drive carefully – If you are unable to leave the area, try and avoid driving during a bushfire. Reduced visibility increases the risk of car accidents, and emergency services may not be able to get to you if you are injured. Only drive if you urgently need to. 

4. If you become trapped in your car during a bushfire, do the following:
   1. Cover up with woollen blankets and get down below the window level – This is your highest priority!
   2. Park away from the bush, try and find a clearing if you can.
   3. If possible, park behind a barrier, such as a wall or rocky outcrop.
   4. Face your vehicle towards the oncoming fire front.
   5. Park off the roadway and turn your hazard lights on.
   6. Stay in your vehicle and tightly close windows and doors.
   7. Drink water and try to stay hydrated.
   8. Turn off your air-conditioning and shut all vents when you become aware that a fire front is close by.
   9. Turn off your engine.

5. Get to your Neighbourhood Safer Place – If you can’t leave or become trapped while trying to leave, your Neighbourhood Safer Place, sometimes known as a Bushfire Place of Last Resort, may provide some protection. Remember these are places of last resort and your safety is not guaranteed.

The CFA and Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) recommend leaving early in all circumstances to protect yourself and your loved ones, including pets, from a bushfire. If you choose to stay and defend your property you are putting yourself at risk of serious physical and psychological injury, and death. If you wish to find out more, information about staying and defending can be found here.

A note of my own here, the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009 found that the majority of people who died were killed because they tried to defend their homes. Your property is not worth your life! Please always leave early.

After a bushfire

1. Do not return until advised by emergency services that it is safe to do so.

2. If your home has been damaged and/or possession destroyed or lost, contact your insurance company to begin the process of replacing these items. Don’t throw anything out unless instructed to do so by your insurer. 

3. Be aware of your health. Surviving a bushfire is traumatic, as is returning to a destroyed home or property. There are many services who can assist after a bushfire, so don’t be afraid to reach out. It is also a good idea to reach out to your GP or health care provider for a physical check up, especially if you have been exposed to fire or smoke.

Need Help? The following organisations may be able to assist

Final Thoughts

Bushfires are always going to be a part of life in Victoria, but by taking simple steps we can reduce the risk bushfires pose to individuals. It’s also important that we support our fire-fighters, affectionately known as ‘fireys’ in Australian slang, and the best way you can do that is by:

1. Leaving early – It’s much easier for the fireys to deal with a bushfire if they don’t have to rescue you. Get out of the way of a bushfire and let them do their job without worrying about you.

2. Make a donation to the CFA – You can make a donation to your local brigade, the CFA public fund, or the Volunteer Welfare Fund by clicking on the link. 

So stay safe this bushfire season. Have a bushfire plan, leave early, and support your local CFA. 

Sources

1. “The Late Bushfires.” The Argus. 10 Feb 1851. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4776100. ↩︎
2. “Black Thursday Bushfires.” Defining Moments. The National Museum of Australia. https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/black-thursday-bushfires. ↩︎
3. “Black Saturday data reveals where victims died.” The Age. 28 May 2009. https://www.theage.com.au/national/black-saturday-data-reveals-where-victims-died-20090528-borp.html. ↩︎
4. Rob Collins. “The First Inventors.” 10Play. https://10play.com.au/the-first-inventors. ↩︎