Risks to communities
During the coarse of a bush fire there are many risks to communities. The risks of loosing homes, valuables, loved ones, animals, properties and lively hood.
During the 2013 bush fires that spread across a large amount of NSW many schools were evacuated including Wimmalee High School, Springwood high school, and St Columbas high school. All of these high schools were evacuated mid-exam this wasnt a worry as the first priority was to ensure that all students were safe.
On October 23rd every school in the Blue Mountains was closed to make it easier for emergency services and also to encourage residents to leave the mountains that day for their own safety.
This is an example of a case study that was written by my uncle as he was affected by the 2013 NSW Bush fires.
"Our home is in Mt Riverview in the lower Blue Mountains and we back onto the bush at the rear and side of our property. My family love living so close to the bush with lizards, wallabies, possums and parrots regular visitors around our house.
Living in the Australian bush also has its dangers and we regularly see some of the worlds most venomous snakes and spiders. However, the most threatening thing we face is the risk of bush fire and we have installed water tanks, pumps and fire retardant fly screens and gutters.
Last year on Thursday 17 October 2013 the threat of bush fire became real. I remember the few weeks before being very hot and bush fires had ignited all over NSW.
In particular, a fire had started in Linksview Road, Springwood by some downed power lines and the fire had quickly spread through the bush around Winmalee.
I had gone to work that day and had kept a close watch on the spread of the fire on the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website. In the afternoon I picked up my son from pre- school and was on my way home when I got a call from my wife who informed me that Mt Riverview was being evacuated, that my daughters Primary School had been evacuated and that my daughter was safe with some friends and parents.
Soon after I received a text message from the RFS telling me to get ready to make a decision – leave now or stay and defend? The Linksview fire was out of control and was lapping at the boundaries to homes in Mt Riverview only three streets away from our house. Also, the State Mine fire had spread and was ravaging homes in Yellow Rock, which is only a few kilometres from our house.
I dropped my son off at his grandparents in Blaxland and continued on my way home to assess the situation. As I drove down my street I could see the dull yellow glow of the fire to the north west and hear the roar of the wind and helicopters overhead. It sounded like a volcano was erupting and heading my way.
I entered my house and the phone rang. It was a recorded message from the RFS telling me to immediately evacuate or take cover as the fire front was approaching.
I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed the external hard drive from the computer, as it has all our photos in it, got in my car and drove out of Mt Riverview.
I spent the next few hours at the local bowling club my family and lots of other evacuees watching the progress of the fire fighting effort on the news.
Lots of people rang to see how we were going, which lifted our spirits immensely.
Due to the efforts of the fire fighters and some favourable weather conditions the fire threatening Mt Riverview was contained and we were, thankfully, allowed to go home.
However, over a few days the fires would ultimately destroy 193 homes and damage approximately 100 others in Yellow Rock, Springwood and Winmalee. It’s a miracle no one was killed.
I have no plans to move from the bush. However, we have re-determined our bush fire management plan to always ‘leave early’ and never ‘stay and defend’ – our lives are worth more than the value of our house."
During the 2013 bush fires that spread across a large amount of NSW many schools were evacuated including Wimmalee High School, Springwood high school, and St Columbas high school. All of these high schools were evacuated mid-exam this wasnt a worry as the first priority was to ensure that all students were safe.
On October 23rd every school in the Blue Mountains was closed to make it easier for emergency services and also to encourage residents to leave the mountains that day for their own safety.
This is an example of a case study that was written by my uncle as he was affected by the 2013 NSW Bush fires.
"Our home is in Mt Riverview in the lower Blue Mountains and we back onto the bush at the rear and side of our property. My family love living so close to the bush with lizards, wallabies, possums and parrots regular visitors around our house.
Living in the Australian bush also has its dangers and we regularly see some of the worlds most venomous snakes and spiders. However, the most threatening thing we face is the risk of bush fire and we have installed water tanks, pumps and fire retardant fly screens and gutters.
Last year on Thursday 17 October 2013 the threat of bush fire became real. I remember the few weeks before being very hot and bush fires had ignited all over NSW.
In particular, a fire had started in Linksview Road, Springwood by some downed power lines and the fire had quickly spread through the bush around Winmalee.
I had gone to work that day and had kept a close watch on the spread of the fire on the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website. In the afternoon I picked up my son from pre- school and was on my way home when I got a call from my wife who informed me that Mt Riverview was being evacuated, that my daughters Primary School had been evacuated and that my daughter was safe with some friends and parents.
Soon after I received a text message from the RFS telling me to get ready to make a decision – leave now or stay and defend? The Linksview fire was out of control and was lapping at the boundaries to homes in Mt Riverview only three streets away from our house. Also, the State Mine fire had spread and was ravaging homes in Yellow Rock, which is only a few kilometres from our house.
I dropped my son off at his grandparents in Blaxland and continued on my way home to assess the situation. As I drove down my street I could see the dull yellow glow of the fire to the north west and hear the roar of the wind and helicopters overhead. It sounded like a volcano was erupting and heading my way.
I entered my house and the phone rang. It was a recorded message from the RFS telling me to immediately evacuate or take cover as the fire front was approaching.
I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed the external hard drive from the computer, as it has all our photos in it, got in my car and drove out of Mt Riverview.
I spent the next few hours at the local bowling club my family and lots of other evacuees watching the progress of the fire fighting effort on the news.
Lots of people rang to see how we were going, which lifted our spirits immensely.
Due to the efforts of the fire fighters and some favourable weather conditions the fire threatening Mt Riverview was contained and we were, thankfully, allowed to go home.
However, over a few days the fires would ultimately destroy 193 homes and damage approximately 100 others in Yellow Rock, Springwood and Winmalee. It’s a miracle no one was killed.
I have no plans to move from the bush. However, we have re-determined our bush fire management plan to always ‘leave early’ and never ‘stay and defend’ – our lives are worth more than the value of our house."
This image on the left shows the areas that were in risk of being affected
by the bush fires on the 20th of October 2013.
by the bush fires on the 20th of October 2013.