FIRE DANGER SEASON

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (15:24): I will be talking about the fire danger season but first I want to acknowledge that it is National State Emergency Services Week. I thank the many SES volunteers and staff who have put in endless hours throughout the year providing assistance to homeowners during storms, helping police conduct searches and even clearing our roads of fallen trees. It is noteworthy that one of the important services they recently provided was to establish the base camps for CFS volunteers and other services fighting the fires over on Eyre Peninsula which the member for Flinders, shadow minister for emergency services, was just talking about. No matter what the incident or whatever the service, it seems the SES is always willing to step in and help out, and I thank them for this.

The Eyre Peninsula fires themselves started just after 11am on 11 November. The minute silence to remember those who have fallen whilst serving our country was the proverbial quiet before the storm. While there were a number of fires being fought, the main one was outside the township of Tulka. Many would remember the 2005 Port Lincoln fires which occurred in January of that year and the devastation they caused. Indeed, the member for Flinders was involved in fighting those fires in 2005, and I recognise his service at that time.

Perhaps due to a combination of it being earlier in the fire season and slightly better conditions this year, the fires have been less destructive than on that occasion. We heard before that two homes, 14 cabins, a caravan, a campervan, several sheds and four cars have been lost and an estimated 300 sheep and a number of native animals have perished, and 1,800 hectares of thick scrubland has been burnt. However, most importantly, there have been no serious injuries and no fatalities.

Morialta, for my part, is a divided electorate as far as fire safety goes in terms of awareness. We have western areas in the suburbs of Athelstone and Rostrevor, along with Newton and Paradise, which fall completely within the Adelaide metropolitan fire district. These homeowners would need to be extremely unfortunate to lose their properties in a bushfire. Then we have foothills suburbs of Teringie and Woodforde and parts of Athelstone and Rostrevor whose homeowners fall within the Mount Lofty Ranges fire district and who may or may not be aware of fire danger as they feel they live within the suburbs of metropolitan Adelaide.

From the maps available on the CFS website, it is clear that the Mount Lofty Ranges fire district begins just on the other side of Gorge Road near my house in Athelstone. It is certainly something I am mindful of. Then the Morialta hills are made up of townships from Ashton in the south, Cherryville in the west and Montacute in the north. We will soon be gaining Cudlee Creek, Chain of Ponds, Paracombe and parts of Inglewood and Millbrook. All of these areas are unique with different threats from fire.

As has been reported, the Tulka fire acts as a reminder to the rest of the state not to be complacent. Bushfires happen and homeowners cannot expect a fire truck in their driveway every time things turn sour. On catastrophic days when the fire danger index is over 100, fires can start over 20 kilometres in front of the fire front. Many homeowners would not realise that they do not need to see the fire for it to burn down their house. We have seen the ads talking about ember attack whereby wind carries embers kilometres in advance and starts new fires. These new fires could very well be in a homeowner's gutters should they not be properly prepared.

The Mount Lofty Ranges fire district moves into the fire danger season on 1 December. After this date homeowners will require fire permits from the council or the CFS to burn off any vegetation. The hills are a mixed blessing for those living among them. The beauty of the hills can quickly become a nightmare in bushfire situations where winding roads become death traps as we have seen in Victoria. It is also a fact that for every 10º of inclination a fire will double in speed. I do not know whether other members have had a chance to visit areas around Montacute and Cherryville but I am certain that parts of those areas must be pushing 80º in inclination. In the hills it takes longer for vegetation to dry out, so there tends to be a delay in the fires but the hills also spawn some of the densest vegetation in the state. It is a powder keg.

The thinking about fires has changed in recent years with councils now able to go onto individuals' properties to clean up excessive fuel loads and then charge the owners for the service. People should be mindful that with just two weeks left before the fire danger season begins they need to make the most of their time to reduce their fuel loads. I know that most homeowners do the right thing and tidy their properties, clean out their gutters, dust the cobwebs off their firefighting equipment, but all should be aware of the need, especially those new to the hills and foothills areas. People need to take it upon themselves to be familiar with their fire risk and what they can do to address local fire safety. I encourage all people living in this area to access the CFS website at www.cfs.sa.gov.au which can be used to develop their bushfire action plans for their own properties. In tough times tough decisions need to be made, so everyone in the Mount Lofty Ranges fire district should know what they will do in a bushfire situation and be bushfire ready.