The weather here has taken a little turn for the worse as a southerly wind makes itself known with its booming antarctic accented voice and cold rain. Cricket might be a little trying tomorrow (if it stops raining and the ground isn’t judged to be waterlogged). But this is nothing compared to what is going on at the other end of the spectrum with the ongoing bush fires in Victoria, Australia.
As well as the obvious immediate human tragedy that is apparent, there will be an impact on this immediate community and the wider Australian mind-set for years, if not decades to come. In a world where climate change is a huge issue, and well as accessibility to financial resource, what are the implications for urban planning in Australia? Might some areas become no-go, or un-insurable for vast sectors of the population? Will urban planning turn away from a design ethic incorporating natural (and wholly flammable) flora towards a more concrete bunker mentality, away from the Garden of Eden and more towards a tightly controlled hazard management environment? And how much will this cost? What will happen to those who have been confronted with the loss of their homes, their loved ones, and their livelihood, yet the bank will give them a three month holiday from their mortgage before they may well come knocking? How will they make the decision whether to stay a re-build or move on with their lives, far away from the nightmare that put them in this position in the first place? It is the scale and speed of these fires that has been most shocking. People speak of barely having had time to react, let alone move. This incident has defied all expectations, has been unprecedented in living memory, and is proving difficult to know how to react to for all involved.
The NZ Government has offered disaster victim identification teams and firefighters and both offers have been accepted by the Australian authorities. There is a slim possibility that I might also go to assist in my emergency management capacity, but I doubt it will happen. There is capability to respond, at least initially, in the area,and plenty of expert resource to call upon to guide the medium to long-term community recovery.
For now, I am on standby until I hear more.
