marron

Are you a happy clapper seeker? How much does it cost to save your soul these days?

Well I went out anyway and got a bit wet. Of course it was misty as at Evans and heaps of valley cloud so you could barely see - but, joy of joys, it parted just briefly to reveal our favoured camping spot on the floor that looked in pretty good shape. I could see further up towards blue gum at times but not really. Everything east of Junction Rock looked pretty burnt though. Then went across the fire trail back towards town. That was a stark journey. One side green, birds aplenty, the other black as hell and silent. Really, the very edge. Went for a wonder into the fire zone but was very eerie. Still.... some canopy left at least. On my way bumped into some others out and about and had the standard chats sharing info. They were laying food in places for wildlife and had seen a wallaby. They also told me they'd heard blue gum wasn't too bad. Glad I went. Now for anvil rock.....

Yeah it's a pretty amazing contrast we get up here in general but it's been a pretty extreme year. Fair bit of snow (although, not anywhere near as much as used to happen), hottest day on record, fires, now a good week or more of the thickest fog in memory and then drizzle with a couple of storms thrown in. It was a year ago we had really full on hail as well. Was hoping to get out this way today but it's a bit wet, and foggy as well so wouldn't be able to see much into the grose from the evans end... just waiting my chance for it to lighten up. I guess this is what fire trails are for though (not my picture)

My opening there makes it sound stronger than what it was, wasn't having a go at you. I just think - even if it ISN'T real, many of the potential responses are actually prudent. The people for whom they are NOT prudent tend to be billionaires with large investments in fossil fuel OR with an interest in keeping government out of their business. Weirdly, many of the "it's a conspiracy types' believe that it is these very same billionaires who are pushing climate change because apparently they want government control over everything.

I disagree strongly with this. First of all - even the deniers mostly admit that it is happening, it's just they dispute whether it's man made (because they know better than all the scientists, the only explanation for which is that the scientists are ALL involved in a massive conspiracy). Which means - yes, we should do something about it; it doesn't really matter the cause, it's happening, so, what can be done to try and limit the damage, protect people, etc etc. THere are differences of course then in terms of what should be done, but it should be SOMETHING. Then, even for those whackos who think it ISN'T changing and can ignore that we haven't had a year below average in Australia for like 40 years or whatever it is and that natural disasters (like the worst one we've ever had this summer) aren't happening.... even then; Fossil fuels WILL run out so it is smart economically speaking to be ahead of the 8-ball. Living sustainably IS smart because it means we don't have to import as much, which is costly and doesn't do much for our local economies Other places around the world clearly believe it IS happening, so if we can gear our industry towards the kind of technologies and approaches THEY want, it will also be a smart move. Instead these ****heads are so hellbent on not being wrong in a debate they are going to **** us all.

The key is engaging. Like many a troll/red piller/deep webber before them, our mate here will claim to engage without feels and with objectivity and then spout a few mistruths, maybe reel off some rhetorical rebuttals and then disappear. Although our mate doesn't seem to be even at that level yet, it's just the mistruth and disappear stage. In short, no engagement.

Yeah. It's interesting, because the hot burns were on the spurs and escarpments; the valleys were a little wetter I guess. When the fire got out of the valley it really burnt hard. Now I want to know how reflective that is of like 500,000 hectares. Especially as that is the edge of it, and had heavy work by the firies due to proximity etc.

Not sure where to put this, here will do. Rode down to town on an errand today and then bumped in to someone who told me the lookouts were open... so rode out to Govetts. Will aim to do Evans tomorrow and ride across to it via the fire trail through a patch that was pretty burnt. I really want to get out to Perry's - past the rock on the left - to see what state bluegum is in from above but the fire uncovered an asbestos dump up that way plus that area was the worst hit so I suspect it's still closed. Anyway took a couple of snaps. There's a fair bit of green in my end of the Grose - it's patchy, so that's good news for just about my favourite place in the world - so I am buoyed a bit personally by it. We've been lucky up here. All walks are still closed and judging by what I saw will be for some time, I reckon it will take a while to look at damage to railings etc.

Uh, yeah, but then again this polling booth was the leftiest of lefty in the lefty blue mountains, so that's to be expected. Plus lots of people up here involved in national parks etc (including someone I know who lost their job in the funding cuts, one of the things they used to do regularly was fire management stuff....)

Investment in national parks staff to be able to a) assess risk properly b) carry out burns based on the assessment and the ecological needs etc as well Work out ways for the RFS to be able to prepare and contain, whether that be with more equipment or increase in numbers over certain periods. Assessment of food sources at risk and preventative measures there as well. Looking at water management is a big area too. Market forces should sort it out though i should think.

I agree. RIP.

**** I hate that line about "what did you want him to do that could have stopped this". Yeah, well, as others have pointed out, the advice has been there for a long time, so, that would have been nice to you know, actually listen to the people who know about this **** rather than some ******* advertising exec or landed gentry having a guess about it all the ****ers. Thing is, it's not about trying to have stopped just this (this being the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of this continent). It's about trying to stop this happening AGAIN. Which means a leader coming out and saying, "look, this is really bad. Here is the support we are going to give RIGHT NOW to try and assist people and organisations to head off as much as we can. And here is what we will be doing afterwards to start looking at preventing this kind of thing continuing to happen." Not hard, you'd think.

So the arsonists are only in Victoria where there is a labor government to cover it up. Please continue.

It is good. I mean, millions of the plants are growing around the world now, but, it's cool the gorge was saved. Sigh. I'm still dreading what it will look like to go down some of my favourite gorges. I mean, we shouldn't be surprised, that for some people, despite the statements of EXPERTS ON THE GROUND WHOSE JOB IT IS TO ACTUALLY DETERMINE THE CAUSES AND THEN DEAL WITH THEM, it is more likely that a grand conspriracy exists which would have to involve not only the hundreds of arsonists but every single EXPERT ON THE GROUND, who for the most part would not have any reason to engage in such a conspiracy, as well as law enforcement to actually hide the real figures, across state lines and inter-agency, and that the only place which is reporting such things is ONE news agency with a PROVEN RECORD of essentially makings **** up for political ends. Our mate up thread is most likely trolling, but if you are buying this ****, go **** yourself, seriously. The thing is, you don't even need to admit you are wrong about climate change or whatever else. Your blessed ******* market can actually solve this regardless for the betterment of everyone.

We had 14mm the other night, more than the last few months put together I'd say, especially on the back of days of drizzle and mist which are still going.