tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181149887921253584.post3181339003474551107..comments2023-03-31T21:58:14.224+10:00Comments on Two Tree Hill: Cool but frighteningBlithehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07920133262015868474noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181149887921253584.post-49181425308703531392011-02-02T15:23:56.433+10:002011-02-02T15:23:56.433+10:00Years ago I saw a lecture by a high-ranking Austra...Years ago I saw a lecture by a high-ranking Australian fire marshall (or whatever his title is down under) about wildfires and survival rates and How It Is Done Down Under. <br /><br />He said the primary difference between Australian and USA approaches to containing wildfires is that the Australian way leaves most of the foundational work to the individuals living in the path of the wildfire. The officials train, and provide (hoses, sandbags) and warn people to leave when they must, but don't actually do much fire-fighting at the level of preserving individual's homes (they are more concerned with containing the fires generally). In America, huge resources are spent protecting individual homes, and evacuating individuals (who, I'll interject, were stupid enough not to get out of the way earlier). Firemen are the ones who soak the roofs, not the home-owners, for instance, as is required (if you want to save your home) in Australia.<br /><br />The survival rates -- of humans and of property -- are much higher in Australia than USA (I can't remember if that's in a ratio per fire, or overall -- more wildfires in Australia).<br /><br />Anyway, I am reminded of that approach in your news brief about the approaching cyclone.<br /><br />Stay safe and as dry as possible! It's been a wet start to your year, certainly.Vivihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10475433990354514332noreply@blogger.com