European bushfires spark prevention talks
A Federal Opposition MP wants Australia to adopt before the next fire season a new automated bushfire detection system that uses technology developed to map the surface of Mars.
Fran Bailey, whose Victorian electorate McEwen was devastated on Black Saturday in February, says the system automatically detects small plumes of smoke.
Ms Bailey has been touring several European countries to study bushfire prevention, at the same time as tens of thousands of hectares were devastated by bushfires in Italy, Spain, France and Greece. Eight people have been killed – including six fire-fighters in Spain – and the insurance bill is likely to run into the hundreds of millions of euros.
She says she was shown the detection system in Germany. “I will be asking Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to provide partial funding for a trial of the Firewatch system developed by the German Aerospace Institute.”
Ms Bailey told insuranceNEWS.com.au some prevention methods were simply logical. For example, in Portugal and Germany 10 metres of vegetation is cut back on each side of the road and undergrowth is kept to a minimum. Officials were “wide-eyed” when she told them Australians haven’t been allowed to clear around their homes.
“European countries make saving lives the top priority in their forest fire strategies.”
According to The Age, the Victorian Government will announce new planning rules before the Bushfires Royal Commission delivers its interim report on August 17. The rules will allow property owners in regional areas to remove trees and vegetation within 10 metres of their homes without a permit and shrubs and scrub to 30 metres.
Fran Bailey, whose Victorian electorate McEwen was devastated on Black Saturday in February, says the system automatically detects small plumes of smoke.
Ms Bailey has been touring several European countries to study bushfire prevention, at the same time as tens of thousands of hectares were devastated by bushfires in Italy, Spain, France and Greece. Eight people have been killed – including six fire-fighters in Spain – and the insurance bill is likely to run into the hundreds of millions of euros.
She says she was shown the detection system in Germany. “I will be asking Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to provide partial funding for a trial of the Firewatch system developed by the German Aerospace Institute.”
Ms Bailey told insuranceNEWS.com.au some prevention methods were simply logical. For example, in Portugal and Germany 10 metres of vegetation is cut back on each side of the road and undergrowth is kept to a minimum. Officials were “wide-eyed” when she told them Australians haven’t been allowed to clear around their homes.
“European countries make saving lives the top priority in their forest fire strategies.”
According to The Age, the Victorian Government will announce new planning rules before the Bushfires Royal Commission delivers its interim report on August 17. The rules will allow property owners in regional areas to remove trees and vegetation within 10 metres of their homes without a permit and shrubs and scrub to 30 metres.