Comments on: How to Prevent Bushfire Deaths? http://4x4galore.com/2009/02/how-to-prevent-bushfire-deaths/ The 4WD Internet Adventure Site Tue, 22 May 2012 15:04:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: voltscommissar http://4x4galore.com/2009/02/how-to-prevent-bushfire-deaths/#comment-21 voltscommissar Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:21:12 +0000 http://4x4galore.com/?p=119#comment-21 Hooray! I don't have a 4x4 and in fact drive around in a beat-up mazda Capella diesel running on 100% unwashed biodiesel, but I thoroughly agree with you about dugouts. My sister invited me into the flame zone on a ridge south of Ballarat on 6th Feb, and I wimped out saying " I'd come if you had a dugout." Well blow me, she's now put one in, but sadly it's only got enough air for one person. Her house would need six fit young adults to defend the perimeter, I reckon. Anyway at least it's a survival wombat hole if a fire appears suddenly without timely warning. Further research led me to official Forests Commission dugout plans at the National Library of Australia. A copy is on my web site here: http://www.voltscommissar.net/docs/dugout_plans.jpg (WARNING, its a big image) If you're a small community in the bush, "get digging" to have a safe refuge while all the lawyers and bureaucrats and politicians continue to generate hot air in some stuffy (but VERY fire-resistant) skyscraper in the city. To see the explanation of the dugout, go to the appendix of another document here: http://www.voltscommissar.net/docs/VBRC_voltscommissar_submission.pdf (that is my submission to the Bushfires Royal Commission) ...have a nice one! Hooray! I don’t have a 4x4 and in fact drive around in a beat-up mazda Capella diesel running on 100% unwashed biodiesel, but I thoroughly agree with you about dugouts. My sister invited me into the flame zone on a ridge south of Ballarat on 6th Feb, and I wimped out saying ” I’d come if you had a dugout.” Well blow me, she’s now put one in, but sadly it’s only got enough air for one person. Her house would need six fit young adults to defend the perimeter, I reckon. Anyway at least it’s a survival wombat hole if a fire appears suddenly without timely warning.

Further research led me to official Forests Commission dugout plans at the National Library of Australia. A copy is on my web site here:

http://www.voltscommissar.net/docs/dugout_plans.jpg

(WARNING, its a big image) If you’re a small community in the bush, “get digging” to have a safe refuge while all the lawyers and bureaucrats and politicians continue to generate hot air in some stuffy (but VERY fire-resistant) skyscraper in the city.

To see the explanation of the dugout, go to the appendix of another document here:

http://www.voltscommissar.net/docs/VBRC_voltscommissar_submission.pdf

(that is my submission to the Bushfires Royal Commission)
…have a nice one!

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