Do we over sensationalise bushfires now?

[little graham]

The next 7 days round 'ere looks like
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[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

Info on Bangor Fire

BUSHFIRE WATCH AND ACT


Time Message Issued: 18:21
Date Message Issued: 28/01/2014
CFS advises that a bushfire at Bangor, in the Southern Flinders Ranges near Napperby Block, Wirrabara Forest and the Telowie Gorge near Blight road, Telowie road and Scenic drive may threaten your safety. The BANGOR fire is a 'backing fire' travelling in a Westerly direction towards Napperby and Nelshaby townships. The uncontrolled fire is burning in Scrub and wind conditions over the fire ground are continually changing due to the terrain which is affecting the direction of fire travel. Fire fighters are currently concentrating efforts in the western and southern areas of the fire ground prior to a strong and squally west to south westerly wind change, expected near the fire ground between 5 and 8 PM. Additional firefighting crews continue to work on the remainder of the fire ground. Residence and members of the public in the Laura, Napperby, Nelshaby, Stone Hut, Wirrabara and Beetaloo Valley areas should remain vigilant. Check and follow your Bushfire Survival Plan and prepare for a bushfire in your area. If your plan is to leave or you are not prepared, leaving early is the safest option. Only leave if the path is clear to a safe place. You should not enter this area as the roads may not be safe. Well prepared and actively defended homes can offer safety.

Level 3 Incident

Level 3 incidents are characterised by degrees of complexity that may require the establishment of divisions for effective management of the situation. There may be multiple 12-hour shifts. There will generally be a significant threat or impact to the community at a local, Regional or State level.

 

[little graham]

The south westerly due now is of concern blowing it towards Laura. The CFS have done really well over the last week neutralizing fire ground that would of become active in todays conditions. They have also been quite open with locals and the community meetings and the people have reacted positively, being very tolerant, even with 30 foot flames lapping at there back fences during 'back burning"

 

[Silent Alarm]

Yes we do. We have a hard-on for shark attacks, bushfires, storms and any kind of wind, and street violence. While all exist and do damage, there's a load of hyperbole attached to it now. People love it and eat it up.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

The south westerly due now is of concern blowing it towards Laura. The CFS have done really well over the last week neutralizing fire ground that would of become active in todays conditions. They have also been quite open with locals and the community meetings and the people have reacted positively, being very tolerant, even with 30 foot flames lapping at there back fences during 'back burning"

CFA & RFS are sending crews & trucks down for the week

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

Sad to hear the Bangor fire has taken off i hope they can safe the near by towns which won't be easy

 

[Deliverance]

Let me start by saying this is not a slight against anyone who has suffered through a bushfire or a fire fighter (except Tony Abbott), the former have my sympathies, the later my admiration. But it does seem to me that the meeja, perhaps in the post Black Saturday era have decided that bushfires make good copy. I can understand major bushfires getting the full blown David Koch flies in treatment, but there have been some pretty minor bushfires getting some star treatment in recent days. Is it because there is cheap and spectacular footage and lots of human interest stories, is it because summer is a dead time for Australian news, am I wrong we don't oversensationalise them at all?

Da Media loves oversensationalising everything these days. It's pretty spectacular(for the masses) to watch a bogan being released from a Bali prison, or a group of rich knobs sailing through the Sydney heads on boxing day, or a group of people who don't like freeways chained to fences, or two brides marrying each other on lake burley griffin. Essentially it's a continuation of the death of investigative journalism and the rise of cheap socially popular news. Not sure what we can do other than tune out and hit them in the ratings????

 

[little graham]

Sad to hear the Bangor fire has taken off i hope they can safe the near by towns which won't be easy

She's one of Australias biggest fires, ever.The southern Flinders has probably the most pristine mountain forrest in the state not heavily populated with humans like the mount lofty ranges. Alot went on the 18th and 19th, a bit more a weak later and shitloads against last nite. SA is pretty flogged concerning land clearance,

Become a backing fire again last nite, and we were watching it coming down the hills, cross wind and absolutely no CFS in any number that could do anything but slightly bother the sleep of guy on the pipeline opening the valve.. Everything was on the other side waiting for the wind shift or in Adelaide waiting for a fire in these conditions, where all the votes were.

 

[Macca19]

Was massive driving home last night. It must have been 20km across at least

 

[skilts]

If you think that a city of 4 million being surrounded by bushfires is unworthy of comment, life has passed you by.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

She's one of Australias biggest fires, ever...

 

[JHF1870]

Let me start by saying this is not a slight against anyone who has suffered through a bushfire or a fire fighter (except Tony Abbott), the former have my sympathies, the later my admiration. But it does seem to me that the meeja, perhaps in the post Black Saturday era have decided that bushfires make good copy. I can understand major bushfires getting the full blown David Koch flies in treatment, but there have been some pretty minor bushfires getting some star treatment in recent days. Is it because there is cheap and spectacular footage and lots of human interest stories, is it because summer is a dead time for Australian news, am I wrong we don't oversensationalise them at all?

When we had bushfires last month in Adelaide, everyone was oversensationalizing the fires, to the point that my sister was going into panic mode living in the middle of a town, because facebook was going into meltdown with people providing false information and raising panic, and sending off false alerts.

Having said that, its not a bad thing to keep people up to date on fires, especially on windy days.

 

[kickazz]

Agree mate, but in SA we've been getting the breathless reporter on the ground treatment for something burns 3 ha of scrub.

Yeah the sending out of the reporter to be 'on the scene' and wearing fire gear as a prop is really quite trite isn't it? No one is really impressed that you are standing out there in front of it.

It is newsworthy, no doubt. And topical. If sensationalism helps people take fire security more seriously then go for it I say.

A worse example of the 'breathless reporter on the scene' was just before the Indonesian Parole announcement. No actual real new information was available during one cross, so we had a reporter tell us how officials told them to "stand over there" and "then move over there" and how there was a real buzz, and lots of people walking around. I mean really, is the story about Corby or is it about the trials and tribulations of the reporter and crew?

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

No idea why the media can go past roadblocks but a home owner can't

 

[Underdog]

Yeah the sending out of the reporter to be 'on the scene' and wearing fire gear as a prop is really quite trite isn't it? No one is really impressed that you are standing out there in front of it.

Reminds me of Frontline when Martin couldn't get within a kilometre of a home siege, so he grabbed a vest from the police and crouched behind his car to show how "close" to the action he was.

 

[kickazz]

Reminds me of Frontline when Martin couldn't get within a kilometre of a home siege, so he grabbed a vest from the police and crouched behind his car to show how "close" to the action he was.

Lol I gotta give those DVDs another run soon.

 

[floki]

No idea why the media can go past roadblocks but a home owner can't

Things i could tell you about the media and fires but i haven't the time, with the home owners it goes back to the Grampian fires and the Pomonal road, a cop let a father and son through a road block to get back to their home/farm and they both died, after that tragedy and lawsuit no cop will let anybody through a roadblock at a fire.

 

[Kram]

Reminds me of Frontline when Martin couldn't get within a kilometre of a home siege, so he grabbed a vest from the police and crouched behind his car to show how "close" to the action he was.

Sky News have got their reporters wearing big fire jackets and helmets.

 

[PoppedCorn]

Five and a half year bump

 

[HairyO]

The last 3 days were nothing short of atrocious by media and government and the RFS.
Hundreds of thousands affected before any fires even started in Sydney.
And the hype was practically begging arsonists to get out and about and start lighting fires.

 

[outabounds]

I am so thankful that the impact on life and property so far has been relatively low. The fact that authorities and the Media have been telling everyone that this event was going to produce conditions exceeding Back Saturday is just downright ridiculous. After all the barrage and scare mongering, I read this morning that a dozen homes have been lost- horrible for the people involved but can we please have some perspective, the way the media have been going on, I was expecting an apocalypse.

On Pixel 2 XL using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[deanc]

I am so thankful that the impact on life and property so far has been relatively low. The fact that authorities and the Media have been telling everyone that this event was going to produce conditions exceeding Back Saturday is just downright ridiculous. After all the barrage and scare mongering, I read this morning that a dozen homes have been lost- horrible for the people involved but can we please have some perspective, the way the media have been going on, I was expecting an apocalypse.

On Pixel 2 XL using BigFooty.com mobile app

While most acknowledge the authorities reasoning and legal responsibility with often over-stating the dangers of these events, the media use this as a platform to sensationalise with terms such as; 'Potentially Catastrophic', 'Apocalyptic Conditions', 'Fighting 50 meter walls of Fire'... nonsense.

Someone should remind the ABC and others their audience is predominately 5th or 6th generation Aussies, not Japanese tourists....

 

[HairyO]

While most acknowledge the authorities reasoning and legal responsibility with often over-stating the dangers of these events, the media use this as a platform to sensationalise with terms such as; 'Potentially Catastrophic', 'Apocalyptic Conditions', 'Fighting 50 meter walls of Fire'... nonsense.

Someone should remind the ABC and others their audience is predominately 5th or 6th generation Aussies, not Japanese tourists....

"Conditions so dangerous the sand at Bondi may fuse in to glass"...

 

[Pistol Night]

If the fires are in NSW its a ****n international disaster. If in SA or WA, no one gives a ****

 

[FRUMPY]

While most acknowledge the authorities reasoning and legal responsibility with often over-stating the dangers of these events, the media use this as a platform to sensationalise with terms such as; 'Potentially Catastrophic', 'Apocalyptic Conditions', 'Fighting 50 meter walls of Fire'... nonsense.

Someone should remind the ABC and others their audience is predominately 5th or 6th generation Aussies, not Japanese tourists....

The highest fire danger warning in NSW is 'Catastrophic' so......

But if I see a news reporter in full fireman outfit interviewing people in normal clothes, I will continue to