of the dangerous journey this morning. I want sympathy - and am unlikely to get it. I do detest going to the dentist.
I am not going to sympathise with the fools in the hills behind us. Yes, there are still people up there who have not cleared their properties in accordance with the requests of the Country Fire Service or the councils involved. I find that extraordinary. If you live in a bushfire risk zone then you risk losing everything for the sake of a bit of cleaning up.
I have been told by more than one person that they do not want to clean up. They like it the way that it is. It is 'natural' and they are 'prepared to take the risk'. They are? What about everyone else?
We have friends who live in the heart of the bushfire risk zone. They have had fire through their property twice. One year they lost the decking on the house. They did not lose the house. They were prepared. They have a dam. It is strictly for fire use. It has a petrol generated pump. The pump is checked and started at the same time every week. The petrol supply is properly stored and monitored. Their land is cleared of all dead undergrowth. Gutters are cleared. There is a fire-sprinkler system. They have done all the right things. People are sometimes sent to see what they have done. With all that they still know they live in a high risk zone and that they have to be vigilant.
Further down the road from them however there are people who have done nothing. There was a photograph on the front page of this morning's paper. The weeds would come well above my waist -and they are weeds. It is not beautiful. It is not natural. It endangers everyone. These people are fools not environmentalists.
There is also something else that bothers me. The undergrowth is beloved by snakes. I do not think I will go visiting.
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3 comments:
You have my deepest sympathy on the repeat performance, but the fools on the hill won't when they get burnt out.
After Ash Wednesday I went to Rundle Mall, and while the Lord Mayors appeal was being pledged thousands, people were walking around a singed fire truck and a dirty member of the CFS trying to get some money together to replace the truck, equipment and uniforms, not to mention some new volunteers to replace those lost.
What's the bet those fools in the hills put out their hand for a handout, and will get it, despite taking no precautuions and probably having no insurance either.
Judy B
Too true. (Yes, I survived the dentist.)
Are you coming to the Quilt and Craft Fair next week? If so, please make yourself known. I'll be on the Handknitters' Guild stall each day - or helping out elsewhere.
What an attitude to have, that they were "prepared to risk it" - without a thought for the poor beggers (fire service) risking their lives being called out to save them...maddening!
Snakes are not only to be found in the grass!
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