Fire Control

On the rotation of walks the other day we went up to the top of Samford Forest where there is a walk that goes along the top of a forested ridge before descending down into the valley and up again the other side in a circuit.

I have become aware of a couple of species of weed, by way of a slight diversion, which have quite nice flowers and which I used to quite like. They accumulate around the paths as walkers bring the seeds in on their clothes. Now I realise that they must be destroyed without remorse.

Anyway, to get back to the point when we were driving up the street to the starting point for our walk a pall of smoke hung over the forest, and it became apparent that some controlled burning was being carried out.

The smoke was quite fragrant and thick, obscuring the trees in the distance as it rose lazily and wafted slowly away. The fire gently crackled just over the hill.

Controlled burning is carried out to reduce dead wood and combustible debris lying on the forest floor and therefore reduce the opportunity and impact of wild bushfires.