Sunday, February 15, 2009

Tinder Box


In the past two weeks, as you can see, 98% of our undergrowth (mainly bracken) has died and turned to perfect fire fuel. When this happens, it's even easier to see the amount of dead branches, twigs and leaves underneath. Is this dangerous? Absolutely. We'd love nothing more than to find some magic way to get rid of it. But ...
A lot of this bracken is home to small birds like finches, a tonne of lizards and skinks, not to mention all the other invertebrate life that these all feed on. If the solution is burning, what happens to the wildlife? If the result is a huge bushfire, they die anyway.
At times, the dilemma seems so unresolvable, you don't know what to do, other than pray.

1 comment:

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Sheryl
Welcome back.
That dried-off Bracken is scary. I happen to know it burns very quickly.
Obviously you cannot conduct a burn-off now anyway.
Cross your fingers, I think.
I would think it would warrant a burn-off in autumn, as soon as it is legal to do so. Get some local advice, and manpower, if necessary.
Best wishes.
Denis

 
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