February March 2013 - Page 11
All Ablaze
T
he nightmare that no horse owner ever wants to experience has been raging across Australia
in January, with literally hundreds of bushfires in New South Wales, Victoria, SA, Qld and
Tasmania. Hot days, high winds and tinder dry bushlands combined to warrant a `Catastrophic'
fire warning in many areas, still in force as the magazine went to press.
The heatwave, which had besieged the western half of the country over the holiday period, moved
eastward early in January, leading to a new record for Australia's hottest day. January 7th saw a
nationwide average maximum temperature of 40.3°C and The Bureau of Meteorology were forced to
add to the scale used to forecast temperatures with two new colours to represent the extremes.
The first state to be affected by bushfires, and arguably the hardest hit, was Tasmania. A state generally
known for its cooler temperatures, Tasmania suffered heat wave conditions along with mainland
Australia, resulting in the worst bushfire disaster since 1967. Fires were distributed over almost two
thirds of the island with the most severe bushfires burning on the East Coast, Central Highlands and
the South East regions.
the equine community
Volunteer and professional fire fighters from around Australia and New Zealand worked tirelessly
where they were most needed to get the blazes under control. However, once the immediate danger
was past, medical, veterinary and other teams went to work to effect clean up and rescue. It was at this
time social media really came into its own. New Facebook groups were quickly being established to
inform residents and co-ordinate rescue and aid efforts. People around the state and around the country
offered agistment, feed and support through existing welfare groups.
Fire localities in Tasmania (top) NSW and
Victoria.
Fires leave
a trail of
devastation
across
Tasmania,
NSW and
Victoria
and are still
burning in
Queensland.