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Commencing on the evening of Friday 21 August 2009 Ripley Valley began quite a large hazard reduction burn in bushland at Springfield bordering on Orion, Polaris and the University.

With approx 600 hectares to burn the planning had been going for weeks and approximately 18km’s of fire breaks prepared using a dozer. A lot of work had been put in by senior members of the brigade in assessing the burn and getting everything ready.

I must say I think our guys did an extremely professional job.

And back for some more punishment

Each year Rural Fire Brigades across Queensland conduct hazard reduction burns as part of a fuel management strategies. Fuel management can include grazing, slashing, ploughing of fire breaks, physical removal or burn offs. This is done in consultation with, or at the request of, the landholder.

For some of the newer members this was their first exposure to a real fireground and these types of activities deliver a range of training benefits to all firefighters. They provide a controlled environment for such things as equipment familiarisation with drip torches, radios, pumps, branches etc, all under “live fire” conditions. Live fire also allows for better understanding of fire behaviour and how different types of fuels and fuel loads will react under different circumstances, wind conditions, temperature, humidity etc, risk analysis etc.

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Geoff and John demonstrating how to create a quick bare earth fire break using industrial leaf blowers around burning log piles.