Monday 16 February 2009

When the Bushfire Struck

As the Malaysian Airlines plane approached Melbourne airport, the air outside looked rather hazy. The trail of the deadly bushfire which struck Victoria could still be visible although it happened a number of days earlier.















The newspaper on Monday reported about the special services held around Australia in memory of the fire victims. There are also stories about some who miraculously escaped the devastation. The story about a suspected arsonist being charged in court today attracted the attention of Australians, who had demonstrated a high sense of humanity by contributing in many ways to help the victims of the bushfire.

There is also a debate about balancing between saving the environment and ensuring the safety of people. The Australian government had reduced controlled-burning in order to reduce carbon emmission. However, this positioned is being questioned given some thoughts that the devastation could be avoided if the required controlled-burning was executed in full.

Issues regarding sustainability and climate change have been debated in Australia in greater depth as the country is adjusting to the changing wheather pattern. The agriculture sector has been suffering from serious drought for quite a number of years.

It would be great if people from other countries take note and learn from the Australian experience, especially in ensuring the environment that we live in to be protected and managed for our own benefits.