WA Goldfields bushfire

December 31, 2007 ·  

I started driving to work at 7.30 this morning thinking it would be an easy day. My biggest problem was wondering how to fill tomorrow’s paper given the scarcity of news.

A call to my mobile shook that theory. I was told that three people were killed overnight in a tragic fire on the Great Eastern Highway between Coolgardie and Southern Cross.

I knew the day would unfold with a new unwritten script.

I sent a reporter and a photographer to Coolgardie to get as much information as possible. The road was closed at Coolgardie, but they managed to speak to one of the survivors.

Curiously, media releases from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) dried up. They were coming every few hours on Sunday with fire updates and road information, but today there was absolutely zilch.

I learned during the alpine fires in Victoria a few years ago that good communication is vital, and that didn’t happen today.

I suspect the authorities went to ground because of the unanswered question of responsibility.

What struck me the most today was eyewitness accounts from local people who were allowed to drive through the fire scene in convoys, like it was some kind of lark.

They showed us photos of flames lapping the side of the road and in one case they had to wait for the fire to cross the highway. These were families with children and they were quite shaken.

The convoys continued throughout Sunday afternoon and evening until the fatal incident.

The Kalgoorlie Miner spoke to a truck driver who survived by pouring Coca Cola over himself. Three others were less fortunate. Their vehicles melted into the bitumen and the highway remains closed.

So who allowed traffic through while fire was licking the road verges? I don’t want to start a witch hunt and due process needs to be followed, but it’s looking like serious negligence.

The government shouldn’t wait for the Coroner to give his finding before commissioning an inquiry.

The day was chaotic for us at the newspaper. We had a skeleton holiday staff and everyone was pushed to the limit.

I feel we produced a high-quality paper for tomorrow under duress, but sadly it’s unlikely to arrive in Kalgoorlie until early afternoon because the highway is closed. At this stage it is scheduled to arrive on the 12.45pm Qantas flight.

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Comments

One Response to “WA Goldfields bushfire”

  1. Sue on January 1st, 2008 3:50 am

    Oops, I hit the enter button too soon! 

    This is tragic!  I do hope an inquiry is underway soon.  :-(

    I was going to wish you and yours a Happy New Year too.  (It’s already the first there, huh?)

    Sue’s last blog post..Letting Go

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