Australian bushfires

Ah I didn't realise that the council had the right to trim trees on people's properties over there. IT's a fair point - sounds like a nightmare to be honest. All avoidable, but I guess it's "one of those things" that happens over there :(

AS you say not comfort for those who have lost all their worldly possessions, memories and so on.
 
Evangelion said:
IOne fire was started by foliage too close to power lines, which were sparking in the heat. As I understand it, trimming trees away from power cables is primarily the council's responsibility. I'm not aware of people refusing to cut back after being instructed to do so.
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If Australia made use more of XLPE insulated cable for some of the overhead lines, for transmission of power, & for connecting from the grid to properties, it totally eliminates arcing when two cables touch due to the wind, thus prevent fire starting.
Plus you don't need to cut back the foliage.
 
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Freefaller said:
Ah I didn't realise that the council had the right to trim trees on people's properties over there.
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I don't think they do, but it's a moot point because the council owns the land that the power lines are on, and they have the right to trim any vegetation encroaching on that land—regardless of where its roots are, and particularly if it's interfering with the power lines.

IT's a fair point - sounds like a nightmare to be honest. All avoidable, but I guess it's "one of those things" that happens over there :(

AS you say not comfort for those who have lost all their worldly possessions, memories and so on.
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Quite.

Abraxaz1 said:
Is Australia one of those places that requires fire for the plants to germinate?
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Insofar as they can germinate without it, they don't actually require it. But it's true that the germination of many native Australian plants (though not all) is accelerated in the aftermath of a fire.

Nightglow said:
If Australia made use more of XLPE insulated cable for overhead lines, for transmission of power, & for connecting from the grid to properties, it totally eliminates arcing when two cables touch due to the wind.
Plus you don't need to cut back the foliage.
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That's brilliant. Unfortunately I suspect nobody wants to spend the extra money. My suburb is fortunate: we have underground power.
 
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Evangelion said:
That's brilliant. Unfortunately I suspect nobody wants to spend the extra money. My suburb is fortunate: we have underground power.
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Would cheaper to install those cables where possible, than having several hundred houses destroyed, as result of the old cables arcing & causing numerous fires.

It happens every year, bare cables starting fires, same thing happened with hurricane Sandy Queen's district,,USA, started numerous fires.

External wires to one house shorted, this started a fire, which spread & that destroyed 31 nearby buildings, same thing is happening in Australia.
 
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