<OT> To all New Zealand SxS members

[Keith Antoine]

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 09:27 am, Collins Richey wrote:
 SNIP

> 1) People like to build in areas that look pretty and green without any
> thought given to what might happen when it's all ablaze.  In the case of
> towns, the decisions were made decades or centuries ago.
>
> 2) Environmentalists are usually opposed to any efforts to thin the
> forests and remove dead fuel in aging forests near populated areas.  The
> standard argument: Forest management is just clearcutting, but if
> nature is doing the "clearing," that's aok.  People who might suffer
> aren't extremely important.
>
> 3) All of the above leaves the way open for arsonists and/or careless
> people to trigger a disaster.
>
> A few of the people who live in the foothills communities west of Denver
> are now starting to prepare themselves by clearing around their homes
> and removing excess downed timber.

This is very much what happens in OZ. There are certain places on this earth 
where fire is a natural environmental rejuvinator; there are trees and shrubs 
here that need fire to germinate. So Oz is a place where big fires can and do 
occur. Yet if there is no fire for a while its DEVELOPED, and people start 
living there: short term memory is naon existant.

Last but not least are the pollies and of course the greenies and arsonists.

-- 
Keith Antoine (GANDALF) aka 'SKIPPY'
18 Arkana St, The Gap, Queensland 4061, Australia:: PH:61733002161
Practising Geriatric, Retired Electronics Engineer, Knowall, Brain in storage