Rob,
:U:U:U
Seriously though....
I was driven into see my stepson and his family on the weekend following Black Saturday.
Ninks Road, St. Andrews.
A roughly south west - north east running dead end road, in the direct line of that fire storm.
I was able to sit and listen to the de-brief by the NSW fire investigators as the family told the story of their defense of their property, and the others in the street that were saved.
I know this for a fact ... we have family alive today because of deciduous tree and shrub plantings. Anyone who says otherwise, is just not well informed.
That day, just a week after the fire I walked a couple of kilometers along Ninks Road, a grey moonscape. Then walked around two of the green patches where the inhabitants of that road found refuge.
Not a single life was lost in that road.
It is best described like this... I've counted 7 things needed to be absolutely right on that day for the residents of that road to survive.
One of those factors was the tree and shrub plantings. If they weren't there, it is almost certain that over 25 more names would be on that list of 170+ who lost their lives.
On our block on the Mornington Pen, in the first few months after moving here we arranged a visit from the CFA rep, and got all the current best information.
The bloke who came told us he used to be a nurseryman. I will dig out his contact details and pass them on to you later.
He was strongly advocating certain types of tree and shrub planting.
One publication that might interest you is ...
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepa...-for-bushfire/
Any attempt to discourage you from investigating the proper vegetation to choose, and how you design your block, with blanket statements like those I read above are more than just foolish. They are uninformed and dangerous.
There is PLENTY you can do to help yourself in choosing the proper tree plantings, and making yourself aware of the factors that influence the choice is very well set out in the publication above.
I also would encourage anyone who plans to stay and defend, to have a chat with at least half a dozen of those who have actually done it.
Find out what the physical and emotional ramifications have been. It can be pretty devastating. Even for those with supreme confidence in their capabilities, and with all types of great equipment. I know some who have done it, and I know what the results are in the years following.
Hopefully more people can understand what is likely to happen to them in the years after, and they change their Fire Plan to prepare the property as best they can financially afford to do, and do what they can physically do to it...then leave early.
Good Luck with your new block.
Cheers,
Peter