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September 17, 2001
Overland Australia - Update 45
September 17, 2001
Day 56
Theme for the day: bushfires
A patch of spinifex burst into flame right next to me! A moment earlier there had only been a small candle-size flame. The bushfire I was watching could be seen from 20 kilometres away as we trudged through the sand….
“OW! That hurt!” April yelled as she fell into a large patch of spinifex. The long cactus-like spines had poked her whole right side. The track today was filled with an abundance of overgrown bushes and it was clear that the area had been free to grow wild for many years. Bushfires help clear out the land and are beneficial to the ecosystem if they are done frequently, so they do not burn too hot and wipe out all the flora and fauna.
Slogging through the sand I heard a crackle on the radio and John said, ”There’s a fire ahead and it may be touch and go for you guys to get through.” With that said I was immediately excited and a bit scared. At our smoko, or tea break today we had come within a few hundred feet of the fire! Jason, Todd, Git, Bel, and myself went walkabout to see it up close. From a distance you could tell when a big tree would be hit, or a large bunch of spinifex would light up by the black bellowing smoke going up into the sky. When we got to it the first thing that struck me was the sharp distinction between the previously burnt ground and the awaiting vegetation.
The burnt ground was a cleared section with most trees still standing and was actually quite beautiful! You could tell that this particular fire was not burning too hot, and would help replenish the land in the future. When a patch of spinifex would light up it would burn fast and furious for about 20 seconds and then peter out. It was a neat process to watch and witness. All in all, my previous vision of a raging 40-kph bushfire was changed into a process that is necessary to keep the land healthy. We then left smoko and rode/walked in the sand to camp which was an area burnt out earlier today by the fire. I’ve seen some lizards amongst the Desert Oaks standing in camp, so I know that today’s fire has not burnt too hot, and will help the land in the future.
By, Crister
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Posted on September 17, 2001 1:25 PM