The Sunshine State

[Bruce]

I didn't know about that appeal. I reckon the prosecution and the fine were both obscene and the farmer should be given an apology and refunded every cent and paid for the time he has spent on this awful business.

 

 

[old man emu]

It seems that the Queensland grazier did all he could to obtain the correct advice https://www.beefcentral.com/production/qld-clearing-case-highlights-confusion-over-allowed-width-of-fire-breaks/

 

Mr Baker wrote to 32 different Government employees seeking advice on the correct width of fire breaks he could construct to protect his family, property and livestock from future fire events. His legal team says Mr Baker received conflicting advice from employees of several government departments. The responses he received covered a wide spectrum of answers suggesting that fire break widths could be 1.5 metres, 5 metres, 10 metres, 20 metres, 30 metres and 1.5 times the height of the tallest tree.

 

Against this uncertain backdrop, Mr Baker engaged a fire expert to develop a fire management plan, which he submitted to the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. He also wrote a letter to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines explaining his planned system of fire breaks and advising of his intention to start developing the breaks.  DNRM advised Mr Baker in June 2011 that it had no budget to clear a firebreak along his boundary with Dyngie State Forest. Mr Baker’s lawyers said Mr Baker offered to clear and fence the boundary at no cost to the Department. In a responding letter the DNRM agreed to allow Mr Baker to do this at his own expense, but said he could only clear a firebreak 5 metres wide.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Madness.

 

 

[Yenn]

That is just a brief resume of Qld government ability.

 

Who ever heard of a fire break 1.5m wide. Just to have a little rubbish burn in my front yard I am required to have a clear 1.5m all around it. That means 3m would be a minimum.

 

To burn I have to get a permit, that means I have to get the fire warden to come and look at the site, then he will give me a permit, which is a pre printed document, with alternatives to be lined through if they don't apply.

 

Last permit I got had fire not to be lit after 6pm and the not to be lit before 6pm blanked out. A phone call got that sorted out.

 

I did one burn, mainly on my neighbours property, where I had easier access than he did. For that the firies assisted, I carved a break all round the site and we lit it up. The firies couldn't get through the fence, so they were the other side from the fire, but within metres of the fire. I pointed out to the 2IC of the brigade that one of the dead trees close to the fire break was burning. His response was "Do you want me to put it out?" Those are the type of people we hear today are heroes.