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Category: My Dry Tropics Garden | Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:08 am

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Only a couple of days left in this mid-Winter month of July and the weather continues to be sunny and mild.


Mid-Winter Sky (July) ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden )

In the last couple of weeks there have been some controlled burn-offs around our city, including one that was set at the base of the ranges that surround my home. These controlled burn-offs are a common sight here in winter, especially after a long and intense wet season. They are deliberately lit by council workers and our Fire Service, who work together in an effort to reduce the risk of wildfires and maintain fire breaks around our city.

This year's wet season created a lot of huge amount of grass growing on the hill slopes, and after the cyclones we experienced as well, there was also a lot of debris laying on the ground from broken branches and fallen trees. Now that we are in our drier months, the risk of bushfire is quite high. Summertime is not the only time of year here when there is danger of fire.

As I left work during the week I could see the burn-off in the distance in the outlying ranges where I live. So here's the view as I travel the 30 kilometres towards my home from my workplace.

Just left work ... and I'm heading towards my home in those hills in the distance.


Heading home looking at burn-off ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden )

A bit further on now ... and I'm on the highway going south.


Heading home down the highway watching the plume of smoke ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden )

I've turned off the highway now and I'm heading into my outlying rural suburb that sits at the foot of this extensive system of ranges.


Heading into our suburb and getting nearer to the burn-off ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden )

The fire is actually a few kilometres away from our suburb here in the foothills and will not reach us.


Getting closer to my home and that plume of smoke looks huge ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden )

It will continue to burn for a couple weeks as it makes its way through the mountain ranges in the background. Luckily for us, the prevailing wind is blowing in the other direction.

When I reach my home in amongst the foothills to the right of the photo above, I can no longer actually see the bushfire from my property. There was however a tinge of red over the landscape as the sun set.


Sunset in mid-Winter ( photo / image / picture from Bernieh's Garden )






Last edited: Tue Aug 02, 2011 2:41 am

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cherylad wrote on Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:41 am:

So happy to see that it was a controlled burn! They are so very important. Beautiful scenery you have on your drive to/from work!

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Bernieh wrote on Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:05 am:

These controlled burn-offs are vitally important in areas like ours. Uncontrolled bushfires would cause a lot of devastation and destruction, so thankfully our city council's burn-off program serves us well.

I do have quite a nice drive home after work and I'm so pleased to be living out of the city centre up in the foothills. It's a very peaceful and serene spot.

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