a reply to:
Kandinsky
Yes, there are controlled burns during the winter months. This year some have got away. The wife and I do controlled burns on our lot during winter
as its generally dry.
This year and last year they cut short the season by a month. To burn I had to have a Brigade Captain come out to inspect the area where I intended
to reduce hazards this month.
He was obliging seeing as I had already cleared a lot away, had adequate water, pumps and hoses. In saying that we didn't use it this month as the
danger from our North West progressed.
Touching on the aboriginal methodology of burning. I spent a fair bit of time on communities is vast areas. Learnt a lot. Not an expert on the
coastal communities but in living in the center of Australia I understood even less than a century ago the various tribes moved seasonally between
water holes. And there are some out it places you couldn't imagine. Upon arriving a a location the immediate camp site was burnt and settled upon.
Inhabited for that season. Upon leaving it was burnt again. Everything being biodegradable back then. Animals returned, plant growth flourished and
so the cycle continued.
I follow that experience on this selection. Try to burn off twice in the season.
Now this all may sound a bit airy fairy to some but the result is. I have a safe habitat for the family. Native animals and birds abound on my block
and in the event of a bushfire have a safe area to ride the out the fire and smoke. The burning off has killed off the introduced plant life and the
natives trees and shrubs abound. In saying that most of the land is naturally timbered.
In the event of a fire I also have a safe entry and egress for the emergency services and a reasonable fire survival plan hence I'm not too stressed
over events like this.
The area around the house gets visited each day by roos, potaroos, wallabies, all manner of native birds and as you imagine, reptiles. The goannas
are a fair size and during the hotter days raid the coops. Pythons live in the roof and around the block and also get active taking the small chicks
and goslings but thats nature. It's the poisoness snakes that can be a worry and I've had blacks and browns around infrequently. A black took my
dogs life a little while back and not long before I got here a python from in the roof got hold of one of their cats.
It's been interesting for me watching this cycle of life. Pythons clean the roof out of any mice, rats or possums. My geese and chooks clean out the
underneath of the house. Dogs try to keep the goannas at bay by chasing them up trees. Roos keep the grass down, eels and yabbies keep the dams
reasonably clean. The birds rip into my fruit trees and vege patch but I have to wear that. In seeing all this I guess that's why aboriginals burnt
off. Easier to see and walk. Safer, and the strongs trees survive. Little known fact, some species of Australian trees and shrubs thrive on a good
burn.
Rambled on a bit didn't I. Just my thoughts now were safe.
Thanks for asking.
Kind regards, bally
edit on 23-8-2018 by bally001 because: (no reason given)