Dear Mr Bibby (pictured),
CEO –CFA,

I have been a ‘Volunteer’ member of the CFA for the past 31 years (Trida) and prior to that a member of the Mt Gwynne brigade in NSW. If you look in my house my CFA bag is packed and ready to go. I have been proud to belong to the CFA.

Recently, however, I have begun to wonder if my willingness and enthusiasm are misplaced and if the CFA is becoming part of an international fire- fighting “industry”. You are quoted as saying (Herald Sun, Jan 25, p11) “CFA chief Neil Bibby said it was made clear that overseas firefighters would be paid because they had specialised skills.” What specialised skills do they have? Prior to Christmas I recall that the only firefighters who have been caught and injured by a blaze were from New Zealand. None of the local volunteers did that, maybe they knew more about fire fighting in Australian conditions than you give them credit for. Or maybe you value people only by what they cost?

“Mr. Bibby said CFA volunteers had not asked to be paid….. The volunteers have continually told us they don’t want money.”

This volunteer has never been asked! If I had been I would have been happy to see money put into supporting local brigades, rather than asking them to raise funds locally, whilst the hierarchy squanders funds on inviting overseas firefighters here for short term work experience, a cosy arrangement which is undoubtedly reciprocal- join the “Paid CFA” and see the world!!

It disappoints me to see money readily available for such purposes whilst CFA members “volunteer” who wish to have First Aid training (for the benefit of CFA) are expected to cover the cost of it themselves.

Fairly obviously volunteers are only valued by how much they cost. Possibly you are wishing for the CFA to become entirely a paid workforce? I don’t know. I do know that the upper echelons have not shown any support for incentives to volunteering such as reduced motor vehicle registration or fire levy when suggested by politicians. All volunteers have out of pocket expenses incurred when attending meetings, training, call outs etc. In a time of drought and low incomes it would be nice to know that the financial sacrifices made by people who often can’t afford them were appreciated.

Whilst I am ready and available to do CFA work in my local area, I remain to be convinced that I would be appreciated and/or valued if I “volunteered” to go to major fires elsewhere as I do not have the glamour tags of “paid” or “overseas”.

I Am,

Yours Sincerely
Ron Ettery

Victoria's recent fires were like 2,000 Hiroshima bombs according to bushfire scientist, David Packham.

This is a most conservative estimate of energy released, he said.

"During the month of burning, fire spread really rapidly over three days. Rapid burning means intense heat levels. I call it cremation.

"This is when fire can be compared to a hotted up version of Hiroshima."

Another way to look at it, he said, is that Victoria's rapid spread days put out the heat of about 2.3 billion one-bar radiators.

Wildfires or intense fires can reach temperatures of 1,600 deg C.

No one knows the exact size of the areas of intense burning, to get a closer estimate of the damage he said.

About 30,000,000 tonnes of fuel burnt over 1.2 million hectares in total over the month.

"If you walk over ground that has had a successful hazard reduction to lower fuel loads and fire intensity, you will see insects and other animals looking dazed but alive and able to carry on ok.

Animals stand little chance of surviving areas of intense burning. Intense fires leave charred remains and the high temperatures destroy much of the evidence of death.

Rainstorms often follow wildfires and wash fire debris into rivers, as is happening Victoria as you read.

No one knows how much damage will occur in Victoria, but Canberra's 2003 fire destroyed water supplies. Like Victoria, heavy rain followed fire and this state's current water crisis will most likely seriously worsen.

With new developments and more problems, the costs are mounting, so final figures of damage in Victoria are a log way off.

According to Mr Packham, research needs to be done to fix the bushfire and water catchment problem.

"Although millions are spent on investigations of bushfires, no one is researching how to solve these problems. Funded research is on areas peripheral to stopping the devastation.

"We need a really accurate risk analysis of the fire threat. We need a good understanding of fire behaviour that reaches the sophisticated level attained in other areas of science. We also need a forensic study of every aspect of the impact of bushfires… In particular we need to better understand the way fires of different intensities move and the damage they do."

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