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FFFers near fires

Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 7:11 pm
by Matt Flynn
Got ronje at Rocky and Sullo at Prossie possibly affected by these Qld fires. Anyone else copping it?

No longer a fan of summer where I live, too dry and windy.

Re: FFFers near fires

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:52 pm
by Sullo
cyclone next week might bring some rain,fingers crossed

Re: FFFers near fires

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:12 am
by Matt Flynn
Think harmsey was caught up in it all too.

Re: FFFers near fires

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 10:09 am
by ronje
Burn was coming from the north and n/w of Rocky. Nowhere near me at moment.

Harmsey lives on a block along Emu Park road E of Rocky so only vulnerable if somebody lit the mountain ranges to the north of him or something local. He's ok but ask us tomorrow when 43 is predicted again.

Sullo's right about the low from NG. Expected to head for coast around Mackay then turn back along the coast and head for Townsville (right past Prossie).

Looks like we'll both get some welcome rain out of it.

See that a young bloke has died trying to set up a firebreak near a front.

These 2 young guys fronting up to court here for lighting fires are starting to realise what they're headed for. Not sure that jail (mandatory jail term for that now once an emergency declaration has been made I'm told) will be a safer place than outside.

Re: FFFers near fires

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 10:27 am
by Sullo
Sullo's right about the low from NG. Expected to head for coast around Mackay then turn back along the coast and head for Townsville (right past Prossie).

Looks like we'll both get some welcome rain out of it.
Sure hope so Ron

Re: FFFers near fires

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 8:26 am
by jeffish
Just can't believe the mentality of an Arsonist very very sick in the head , hope they give it to em good .

Stay safe guys

Re: FFFers near fires

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:27 am
by Matt Flynn
If it's not arsonists its Euro backpackers having a campfire during a fire ban and then walking away.

Last year we had fires started here by a dry lightning storm, the firies were onto it fast.

Some brilliant fire work here, they have big dozers clanking up into the steep hills clearing breaks as the fires burn, is impressive to watch.

Re: FFFers near fires

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 5:12 am
by ronje
One of the significant fire starters are timber higher voltage power lines. Wood is an insulator but if the pole hardware is loose then it arcs at the loose point. The timber shrinks and the hardware becomes loose and starts to arc (minute sparks) across the gaps.

Eventually that small arc gradually burns its way through the cross-arm and embers drop off onto the ground along with the hv line if the pole is on a "outside" change of line direction. Found that had happened at Tin Can Bay once. With the pole being on the outside of a change of direction, it meant that when the inside hv line burnt its way through the wooden xarm and came down, it came all the way down...…………..dropped 11,000 volts onto a local shop roof. S..t was trumps in TCB that day.

Noted that all power poles I saw in the territory were actually lengths of railway lines because of termite risk presumably. If hardware is loose they'll still arc but won't burn through and drop embers etc. Can't remember if cross-arms were timber but I don't think so.

Re: FFFers near fires

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:42 pm
by ronje
Got a good storm this arvo at 3.30pm. Small hail, plenty of wind. Street lights thought is was nigt-time and switched on.

Good heavy rain but not torrential. Won't be many fires around tomorrow. We got 35 mm in about 2 hrs.

Haven't heard green frogs going off like they did for quite a while.