219##1978 A monthly publication forCSIRO staff January 1978 119 Bushfires in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, withll tragieJoss:qflife, have brought home to most people just how serious the situation is this summer.. Coreseareh is therefore highlighting some of CSIRO's research into the predictiIjg of bushfire potential and frequency, and what to do if a fire threaten~you or yoUI' home. In the Canberra Division of with this research program, Mr Victoria and Australia Post which Forest Research for example, Alah Phi! Chcney, has found that the gives some serious: advice .·on McArthur has designed a pocket­ coastal strip from Bairnsdale staying alive if a· bushfire should sized cardboard meter which is in Victoria to Newcastle in threaten your home. the basis for most bushfire warn­ NSW is the most hazardous Entitled 'InCase of Firc',,:the ings on press, radio and tele­ area for fires in Australia. The brochure provides information vision in Australia. zone includes the area west of which may be . of interest to The meter, which is simple, Sydney to the Blue Mountains. CSIRO",:staff and friends and easy to use and can accurately 'The most devastating fires in neighbours. show how quickly a fire will terms of monetary damage and On a day of total fire ban..• spread, is soon to be used by lives lost have been the high­ On .' a.:day of total fire ban; or Mediterranean countries. intensIty forest fires which have A special panel has recommen­ when hush or grass fires are burnt into the suburban fringe burning in your district... ded the testing of the metcr to a Drought conditions have increased the risk of bushfires. developments of the major cities,' · Check that rubbish and other United. Nation's FAO/UNESCO he said. meeting on forest fires in that burnables including leaves, twigs region. 'We expect that the number ot and fallen branches have been The meter works on a series of fire disasters in urban/forest areas cleared from around the house. "'pJYQ,~~,Q_ _~ar<jl>9:~r4, ,discs ~~ __ in~ will not decrease even with the · Check that spouting and roof rtiorc ·efficient fire suppression guttershavEbcen cleaned out. dicate fire danger at low I moder­ atc, high, very high or extreme techniques now being used.' · Check that water supplies ~are level!>. Despite improvements in fire adequate. Its pivoted discs can be rotated control, Phil said, large fires will · Connect hoses to taps, but re­ member that mains pressure 'inqependently and set to. take ac~ still break and burn out of 'control count ot' seasona.l drought, .recent in extremely hot and windy may fail. rainfall, tcmpcntture, relative weather and where there is abun­ · Place pumps and drums of water around the hoose ex­ humidity and wind speed. dant fuel. When the information is fed In pastoral areas,although there terior: makc sure the pumps ace working. into the meter, the fixed outside may.be fewer large fires infunge, · Fill knapsacks and put them disc will indicate the existing fire the damage theydomay.be in convenient, shoulder-high danger and a fire's rate of spread. greater as improved pastures l::ceate positions. Armed with this information fire more fuel. · Keep .axes,shovels, :hoes and controllers at all levels can assess 'When a fire burns ona,pay of rakes handy. the chances of fires startingI how extreme fire danger,'hccon­ · ~ecpladdcrs handy-one for quickly they will spread and how tinued, 'any fire fighting tech­ climbing un .to the roof, and difficult they will be to control. nique will be largely ineffective. another for use inside if it Alan has just finished re­ Life and property can only be becomf.'s necessary to open a designing another meter for grass­ protected if individuals reduce manhole and inspect the ceiling, land areas. The new design is hazardous fuels like gra!>SI scrub, · Keep valuables, including in­ lJblc to take into account differ­ rubbish and firewood from around surance polides, within easy ent pm.ture types. their houses and at strategic areas reach. ~ ~ili~f~?~~~~~!~~~~~:~~!~I~~:::: on their properties.' f;:~j~:£;~c::~;;" ::"·f~"~At "~~AV,,,un Frequency · Move stock to safe areas. 5 '"::: FInE Brochure · Know where the children are I Other staff at the Division have and what they arc doing. ::::. ::'~:::':ia [f:*:::~~'::::: ~::\''' been studying the frequency of In Melbourne, the Division of Building Rt:scareh has produced a \ serious fires in the 30 year,.. to When fires are close by... 1975. brochure with the cooperation of Jf your house is under a cloud of One of the scientists concern\:d the Country Fire Authority of smoke, or if you can detect a strong smell of !>l11okc ... small fires which break out near · Close all doors and window!!. When the fire has passed... · Bring children and pets inside. the house. Stay on burnt ground, drink · Ensure cars arc out of garages . Go inside when fire is very close, water fre(luently. con~ amI on bare ground, away from but continue to watch its If the house has survived, combustible materials such as progress. tinue to chcck that it does not . Keep checking each room for dry gras~. eatch fire from flying sparks. 'spot' fires. · Close car wlndows and leave keys in ignitjon . · Check ceiling periodically. Wait for help... · Fill household sinks and troughs Do not walk or drive over unburnt with wuter. If the house catches fire... country. You will be found more · Leave buckets of water inside If the house catches fire and you easily if you stay with your house the house (along with mops or cannot put it out... or car. garden sprays) for use if curtains · Stay inside near a door which Bc prepared... and othcr furnishings catch fire. leads outside. The house will The smolH: will hurt your eyes, Dress children and adults in long take some time to burn. and it will be difficult to ~ee. trOusers (or jeans) and long · Do not leave tile house until There will be a lot of noise. sleevcd :-;hirts. No shorts, no you can no longer stand the Communication I even by shouting, dresses or skirts which don't smoke and heat. D;'I<l<I,,,,"',,el"t~fir"'hllV""tc,.,,,d will not be easy. ••••r~Jy••" ~",.,;yIOY""" protect the legs. Do not wear · If you are forced to leave pro­ ~~e.ary6Y••" ~e,",Y2()Y""rs thongs-strong shoes arc a must. tect yourself with a blanket: Keep calm... U'\l,h"<l~d "'"01: l"g~ I;,ouccu' al" fr"'l".ncy run to the car and lie on the Do not panic. Your survival in­ g,aal"'U""unco"••ry10ya.u. liH.bo" If you can sec the fire... floor. Cover yourself with the side a house or car is almost · Check for and cxtingui!>h any blanl<;ct. certain. Tony Culnan8 Research takes is newRAO in ACT Tony Culnane has been appointcd ecclesiastical Regional Administrative Officer in Canberra. lIe has been llcting RAO since the retirement of Ken Prowse in Scptember. Tony joined CSIRO in 1965 turn in WA and has held various positions at I-lighett's Division of Building Research, spiritually nudged and Head Office (Melbourne and guided by Perth's Division of Land Resources Management, has Canoerra), the Division of Soils, finally come unto the fold. Ecclesiastical research is on the up and the Division of Entomology and up or (dare we say it) they are now aspiring to higher things. the RAO Canberra. The story began It couple of months ago when Justin Murphy (LRM's Liaison Officer) received a call from the verger of a charm~ ing old ivy-covered sandstone Perth church. All was not well with the earthly structure-paint was blistering and peeling from walls, salt was encrusting 011 the blisters, and rising damp was rising fast. 'Beelzcbub? Mcphistophclcs? Satan?' thought Murphy, sus~ piciously. Probably not, he concluded, and immediately thought of Bob Couper instead, the inscrutable, debonair and at times pontifical roving trouble-shooter from DBR in Melbourne. Murphy knew that Couper would soon be in Perth on a Divisional crusade, so he booked him for an appearance at the clammy cloister. So early one sunny December morning, Couper was to be seen reverently chewing at his sunglasses, minutely inspecting spires, belfries, parapets, Icaulights, flashings, footings and damp courses, breathing incantations all the while. An eerie hush descended as he pondered; the passing rush-hour traffic somehow slowed and became less raucous, and an air of ex­ pectancy spread around. Robins and thrushes gathered in the trees, small creatures emerged from the hedgerows, and everyone waited... And then, a blinding flash, and thus spake Couper... I felt such afuel! 'Grow ivy, much more ivy! It's all happening on the weather wall. Tony Culnane The cruel winter westerly winds of Perth are driving the bleak rains LRM's Justin Murphy, a staunch The car was scarted and He was the liaison officer for constantly at this unfortunate divine structure, and the unprotected practitioner of Murphy's Law Justin pu lied smartly away the transfer of the [<'orestry and western wall is suffering. Thousands of little green leafy umbrellas which states that if a thing can from the bawser. Timber Bureau to CSIRO in 1975 are what we want, and it wouldn't hurt to stuff up some of the go wrong 1t will, was driving a To his surprise, he noticed, and for the recent transfer of the worst cracks in the wall too I' CSIRO vehicle onc wet morn­ in rhe rear view mirror, that Materials Research Laboratory in ing (an event in itself in Perth the bowser was following him.