Flood or Fire

[Roadie]

Evening All
Question, If one is faced with a choice between a devastating Flood or Raging Bushfire, which one would you choose. I mean that you have been avacuated from the area to a safe ground, and after the danger has passed and the authorities have allowed you to go back to the carnage, what would prefer, Flood or Fire damage. I have experienced both of these. The fire was ASH WEDNESDAY in the 1980's in the Adelaide Hills. And the Floods were in early 1990's when we were Living in Alice Springs. Just curious as to what other People think. Cheers Roadie.

[little arrows]

Sitting here a little soggy underfoot, I was contemplating that same question to Steve yesterday when they said there was a fire warning issued in WA. One half of the country is water logged, the other half is parched.
I have been through neither personally. However I can imagine being faced with horrendous heat and fire conditions, that would be scary. You would lose the house and contents, which can be replaced I guess, although it probably wouldn't be quite the same. With a flood, you would have a icky mess to clean up.....oh gowd yuck.
I truly wouldn't like to even begin to imagine what someone would have to go through, in either case. Could you share with us, after a few other have posted perhaps, how you fared from both, and which "was easier"......... no, I don't imagine either was "easier".

sue

[longbowinfected]

We moved to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains from Sydney.
We are at the top of a ridge half way up a hill and are at 1070 metres. Heavy rain has threatened because the pipes were not good enough in extreme conditions. Flood is not really an issue but at least your house might still be structurally sound after a flood. We have had fire come to across the road once and our house has been hit by ember showers on a half dozen occasions. We are in a city in a National Park and surrounded by trees. Bushfires are dealt with every year, some worse than others. The number of folk in brigades and the number of brigades blows you away. They have an incredible track record with minimal loss of life, limb and property. I believe ths is because of focus and ability rather than luck. Most houses near higher risk areas are really well prepared
My friends in Sydney and Canberra used to ask why we were not overly concerned. In the last ten years they have lost more lives and houses in the cities. During the big fires in Sydney and Canberra our kids were down there lending a hand. Before that our friends in Canberra were ringing us for advice as they remembered our fire fighting posters/checklists on the fridge, back of the front and back doors. We talked them and all their friends in their street through it in a mini phone conference as the situation was chaotic and at that time not many knew what to do. None of them had a clue.

This huge amount of rain gives us relief from fear of a bad fire season, relieves the drought but causes great harm to the farmers and people in flood prone areas.

Fear gets you no where. Complacency endagers others. Carry out a risk assessment and act on it. Knowledge, acceptance and a workable plan save the important things:lives and records/memories.

At the end of the day we do not get eaten by predators; criminals do not yet walk around fully armed with impunity; we do not experience the ravages of war on our soil..........
we have got it pretty good.

Kev

[bear74]

depends which way you look at I suppose. I would much rather go through a flood than fire. better chance of survival through a flood than fire also.