H'work W/E 9.1.17 - S.E.W.S. ALERT

[Maureen K Clifford]

S.E.W.S. ALERT ... Maureen Clifford © The #ScribblyBark Poet

http://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/Warnings ... o/sews.mp3

The siren had sounded the calls had gone out
by the cb, the radio, and phone
The prospects were dire of that fact no doubt,
much concern for those living alone.
Each person was asked to check up on their neighbours
to make sure that all were aware
this threat would surely cause much devastation
to all folks and the animals there.

Mobile phones were a godsend but also a curse -
connections were unreliable.
And not everybody there had a cb
the frustration just undeniable.
Old Jack was a bloke who was pushing eighty
but still had some spring in his stride
he'd seen it, and done it, and lived it - so he
took control . "It will be a long ride.

We must work together and keep contact mates
and pair off - it's quicker with two
Don't panic, and remember open the gates,
and leave them opened - propped back too.
It will give the stock the best chance to survive
and the seconds we save opening gates
might be needed if we have to outrun the fire
and might save lives if this escalates.

A distress call's been sent to the blokes in red trucks,
first responders are now on the way
but they will rely on your local knowledge
to help them out throughout the day.
Our mop up teams are standing by and ready
and you blokes here know what to do
we're no rag-tag, fly by night, shonky achievers
we're a fully trained bush fire crew."

And so they set off with quiet determination
stamped onto each perspiring head.
They knew they would fight and they knew that the foe
would no quarter give till 'twas dead.
On the horizon was the pyre of the vanquished
a crescendo of smoke dark and greyed
only in Australia would one hear loud
that cry from the forests it flayed.

The eucalypts screeched as they burnt like a torch
with blue flame - their hot resin spitting,
as cinnamon stick tubes of discarded bark
caught quickly , and all were emitting
a hot scented haze that made one gasp for air;
above embers whirled in the firestorm,
the deadly forerunners from the dragons lair
all captured in a fiery maelstrom.

But someone up there in that vast spatial zone
must have looked down below and with pity,
and gathered the thunder gods, gathered the rain
and called on the Storm Gods Committee.
For the heavens opened with loud crash and roar
as the drenching rain fell to the ground.
And the dragon was chastened and fearsome no more
and black smoke rose from the battleground.

The participants gathered, collected their dead,
their dying, their halt and their lame.
Which today, being lucky for them - numbered nil
this stroke of luck none could explain.
And soon, as the smoke cleared, birdsong could be heard.
The hiss and the splutter of flame
as mop up units doused the embers with foam -
Mother Nature her land would reclaim.

[Shelley Hansen]

All too prophetic and real in our country, Maureen! Let's hope the scorching summer down south doesn't bring about any disasters.

Cheers
Shelley

[Maureen K Clifford]

Combination of rain and heat means there is always a heavy fireload just waiting to take off into a blaze. Sadly it will happen again, already had a few around my neck of the woods. We don't manage the land properly these days that is the problem, and most of that falls back onto the greenies. Removing grazing stock from NP's was a mistake IMO and not allowing stock to graze off roadside verges doesn't help either - just makes it more likely that some numpties discarded cigarette will spark up a fire. Lots of rural councils have stopped farmers from doing this these days - they claim it leads to accidents. If the motorists slowed down there wouldn't be an issue.