News link on the fires in the Simpson

They are, but if you're travelling in the warmer times of the year you need to monitor what's happening. Even last week (was it only last week?) at the far end of a very quiet track with no cars seen for a couple of hours, I thought I heard over the radio (expletives deleted) "**** **** smoke" then a conversation about what I thought could be a fire ... I spent a bit of time looking for any plumes or sniffing for any sign and checking for potential clear spaces in case, but nothing worrying, realised they were talking about going for "a smoke"... still made for a nervous drive for a while. (Our) My previous Christmas trips always considered potential fire risk.
So hope no one is nearby because I would hate to be in the position of needing safe clear ground in a 4wd - even in a firetruck with sprinklers and fireblankets & all the help via the radio would be seriously frightening.

Cheers,
Vicki

Does seem pointless trying I guess they do if they think they can save the feed. Funny though nothing major on Sentinal but we have had cloud cover. A smoke haze at Mungerannie but we thought more from fires what look like the Coongie Lakes. Rain was only like 2.2mm so not much. Not all the deserts carry vegetation that requires fire to regenerate it will just destroy what is great cover and any new trees that might have been coming up from the wet. Sad for the farmer he finally gets some feed and it all goes up in smoke. It won't be a pretty sight for any visitors.

Teraa,

From my reading of the article, the significant fires were on the Hay River, (ie NT side of the border). There is no grazing out there - just desert country although I have to confess to spotting a couple of stray/lost cows out there back in 2004! David Brook mentioned a fires still burning in the National Park (adjacent to his properties on the Qld side of the border).

Every couple of years we get fires caused by lightning strikes that that eventually regenerate the desert country.

i belong to a group who been looking at the effect of fire in the GVD - fires from 10 years ago are showing amazing regeneration - the numbers of young plant species is a lot more than you expect from just looking at the previously burnt out areas. The effect in the Simpson desert is similar.

I know you live in the area. Are the grazing areas adjacent to the Birdsville track also affected by these fires?

We are the Eastern Side of lake but half of us is the SImpson we have'nt seen any fires only smoke haze at Mungerannie that came from the cooper direction, that's this year. I just don't read anything into any of the plants here need fire the only they like is rain. There is a bit of spinifex but alot is riparian woodland, low scrubland and dune plants. Have you ever read ' a savage life in central Australia' it's very interesting reading regarding fires here. It would be interesting to see but it must be while before you see a fire out here to compare they did say there was huge fire in the simpson in '74 .

Hi Teraa,
Yes, the interaction between vegetation and fire can get a bit complex!
I'll look out for that book.
Another recent discussion about the effects of fire in central arid regions is in the link below. Fairly heavy reading though :-(http://www.nintione.com.au/resource/NR001_VegetationFireInteractionsInCentralAridAustralia.pdf

Cheers
Phil

Herbos do get intense,Peter LAtz is usually the herbo here he is really good. I reckon it' s mainly about spinifex and buffel we have very little spinifex and no buffel 2nd page says we are have a low fire risk.
Which is great. Thanks for link I sometimes don't read all my ninto emails