While it’s hard for grey nomads getting very wet at the moment to imagine, there are many authorities growing increasingly concerned about the imminent danger of bushfires.
While, sadly, some bushfires are deliberately started, many others are the result of negligence, recklessness, or sheer stupidity … and South Australia Police are launching ‘Operation Nomad’ to target this sort of dangerous behaviour.
Patrols will be deployed on total fire ban days (this includes severe, extreme and catastrophic fire danger ratings) throughout the season. And police say these patrols will not only be proactively detecting risky and deliberate behaviour they are also a source of education for the community to reduce the risk of a bushfire.
Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Vincent Tarzia, said SES personnel had once again boosted SAPOL’s resources for Operation Nomad, and there would be as many eyes as possible are watching firebugs over summer.
“People who intentionally light fires are scumbags … we know how devastating bushfires can be in South Australia and must do everything in our power to keep the community safe,” Minister Tarzia said. “Whether bushfires are deliberately lit or accidental, we all have a responsibility to protect lives and property.”
Last year, there were 526 Operation Nomad fire incidents; 46 were determined to be deliberately lit first, and 61 suspicious. Eleven people were arrested for Nomad related fire offences and 14 people were reported and 33 fines were issued.
Fines mostly related to the lighting or maintaining a fire during the fire danger season and or cause bushfire intentionally or recklessly.
CFS State Duty Commander Brett Loughlin said it was everyone’s responsibility to know their obligations to keep themselves and their communities safe.
“With the entire state commencing the fire danger season from tomorrow, we need to be mindful of the rules and regulations that come into effect,” he said. “Bushfire risk may not be as high this summer as in some years, but bushfires happen every summer in Australia and even short periods of hot and windy weather will raise the fire risk especially in areas that have seen a lot of vegetation growth during spring. It takes the slightest spark to start a catastrophic bushfire.”
One of the most spectacular examples of the damage that can be done when people are careless with campfires came late last year when a vast swathe of Queensland’s Fraser Island was devastated. Several men were later charged and fined.
There also needs consideration across Australia to extinguishing cooking and campfires before people leave their campsites during the day and in the morning of their departure. I put our several fires left smouldering in QLD and WA by grey and other coloured nomads and families from all states during a recent 4 month trip. A few were on windy days too!. I asked one campground in the Pilbira to add this to their trek notes across their property.
Hi Bob.Dead right ,people just use there head a bit.
Get advice from the local volunteer fire fighter group so as to understand local conditions. My role when at home in fire season is to issue fire permits to local residents and I am pleasantly surprised nowadays at the positive responses I receive when I offer advice.
Just ban camp fires completely. They damage the ground they are lit on, damage the bush
due to cutting and collecting firewood to burn and collecting stones for fire ringd, destroy animal and insect habitat, smoke up campers rigs and invariably ending up burning household rubbish as well
If you are desperate for a bit of ambience then use a propane camp fire. Much more responsible
Best Ambience and a Safe Fire is the OZpig or similar contained units. We bring our own wood or purchase bags along the way from small towns.
And I suppose the roads you drive on and the camps you stay in do not contribute to this?