our fire prevention is all wrong

Fire regulations on rural properties require a 6m wide cleared and slashed strip both sides of a boundary fence. That 12m wide firebreak would not stop a firestorm but it gives access for fire vehicles and will stop a low rate burn in its tracks. Animals can cross the cleared area freely in fact macropods like kangaroos and wallabys are attracted by cleared areas.

I am strongly against deliberate "controlled" burning of bush because it's only a temporary fix, it causes unnecessary air degradation and contrary to many claims, not all bushland benefits from fire causing regrowth. I just passed through the Coffs Harbour area six months after a big fire where the eucalypts are sprouting all down their trunks and all other less fireproof foliage is destroyed and must regrow from seed if at all.

Firebreaks and open land around housing developments should be required by law and performed by councils. Instead councils enforce bush protection and tree protection close to houses.

Keep trees and gardens by all means but enforce a wide cleared zone between the houses and the bush and DONT BURN THE BUSH - clear it, grind it up and use the pulp for wood products and the rest as mulch to improve our parks and gardens. That's what is done when highways are built and it works a treat. The only way to protect the bush from fire is to build wide firebreaks.