Fire... Friend or Foe?
By Paul Dion 2007'
I welcomed the opportunity to fly over the recent Snowy Mountains bushfires in a helicopter and take photos
for the Rural Fire Service and local media.
Lifting off from Jindabyne aerodrome, flying along the Thredbo valley and above Mount Kosciuzsko
(2250metres and Australia’s highest peak) it was plain to see the immensity of the National Park.
It’s a wilderness that covers an area almost the size of England and I’m fortunate indeed to see it every day
across the beautiful Lake Jindabyne.
Occasionally the combination of dry conditions, high temperatures and lightening strikes can start a bush fire.
The spectacular and rugged terrain can pose problems for the Rural Fire Service although it has to be said
that fires are now fought from the air and on the ground with a military precision that is a credit to the
professional and volunteer fire fighters.
They were taking no chances with this fire. It was brought under control and fortunately weather conditions
eased allowing for extinguishment of hotspots. (Sometimes tree roots can smoulder underground for days
only to re-ignite when winds pick up).
The Australian bush has amazing regenerative abilities and some species seem to even thrive after a fire.
The heat can trigger germination of seeds that may have been lying around for a several years.
It’s funny to think that just a week before I was camping and swimming only 3kms from the fire zone.
To find out more about the bush fire situation visit www.ABC.net.au/southeastnsw
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