Brandi & Randy feel the burn at Yirrkala

Bushfire!

back to the beginning - Ginger Root Home

The Aboriginal people of Australia have maintained their land for tens of thousands of years through a campaign of regular burning of the land. The Top End of Australia operates in 6 seasons, but two general ones: wet and dry. Each year, several months into the dry, the people begin to burn off the land. This has several effects which benefit the people. The immediate effect is food! The day after a burn, the young (and the dogs and cats) go out hunting for small animals driven out of their homes. In a short time, the fresh new life begins to grow up to replace the low lying brush that has been burned off. This attracts larger animals such as kangaroos, which are then much more vulnerable to Aboriginal hunters, who know to go to the places they've recently burned. The constant burn and regrowth of course also helps maintain the plant food in the region. Not only is fresh growth always assured, but it also keeps the land somewhat tame. Later, in Queensland, we went to an island that supposedly has become a rainforest in just the past 50 years, since the Aboriginal people were displaced and no longer burned the island. If this is true, it's amazing what the Aboriginal people have accomplished... keeping an evolving land in stasis to maintain their way of life.

Anyway, when we arrived in the community, the topic of bushfires came up, but we were told that the land wouldn't be ready for another few weeks after we were gone. But, one day, somebody decided to start a burn. And not to ruin the fun, the whole community joined in and spread the small fire until it became a blaze sweeping through the brush right across the street from the houses, heading towards the local tourist club! It was definitely a great experience, one of the trademarks of Arnhem Land, and we were extremely fortunate to be able to witness it.

Reminder: These pictures are put up here with consent of the Aboriginal community and all those pictured. They do however wish that NO ONE do anything with these photos other than view them on this site. DO NOT COPY THEM to your computer, DO NOT PRINT THEM, and DO NOT do anything else you creative computer types might do with them, as it is against the wishes of those pictured.

The fire was started in a small enclosed patch just across the dirt road from the houses. Sinced I missed photo opportunities of the fires we saw near Ramingining, I rushed over for these rare, "dramatic" photos, up close, as the small fire was sure not to last very long.

If you look carefully through the smoke, you can see a couple of houses right across the way, along with the powerlines and streetlight, on wooden poles, of course. The fire is right amidst the community, but no one is in danger. Quite a different experience compared to all the California brushfires I've been taught to fear!

The fires picked up a bit, but still looked to be almost out of steam.

But then, the community pitched in, and the small fire I had rushed to get pictures of spread. This is the family next door, who started this part of the blaze. You can see a firestick still in the hands of the second boy from the right.

The Yolngu people are definitely accustomed to spreading these fires without fear. Here's one of our friends warming herself by the fire.

Another young friend enjoys the heat.

Here's Brandi, a little more pensive about the scene.

A bit of a party ensues.

And we got into the festivities.

The day after. You can see how little damage the fire actually does, and why the fire can be started without any concern. The low brush is cleared, but only a few trees have fallen. It is a quick, cool fire that moves on quickly and doesn't kill very much at all.

It burns right up to a wet patch, then Stops. This is how the burns can go constantly without danger. It'll burn up to a patch that's not dry enough to burn. Then, a bit later, that part can be burned, and the fire will stop where it had already been burned previously. So they can successfully burn selected areas at a time by being aware of where is ready, where isn't, where they have recently, etc.

Next... we tame things down a bit with some weaving

The fire was started in a small enclosed patch just across the dirt road from the houses. Sinced I missed photo opportunities of the fires we saw near Ramingining, I rushed over for these rare, "dramatic" photos, up close, as the small fire was sure not to last very long.	If you look carefully through the smoke, you can see a couple of houses right across the way, along with the powerlines and streetlight, on wooden poles, of course. The fire is right amidst the community, but no one is in danger. Quite a different experience compared to all the California brushfires I've been taught to fear!
The fires picked up a bit, but still looked to be almost out of steam.	But then, the community pitched in, and the small fire I had rushed to get pictures of spread. This is the family next door, who started this part of the blaze. You can see a firestick still in the hands of the second boy from the right.

	The Yolngu people are definitely accustomed to spreading these fires without fear. Here's one of our friends warming herself by the fire.
Another young friend enjoys the heat.	Here's Brandi, a little more pensive about the scene.
A bit of a party ensues.	And we got into the festivities.
The day after. You can see how little damage the fire actually does, and why the fire can be started without any concern. The low brush is cleared, but only a few trees have fallen. It is a quick, cool fire that moves on quickly and doesn't kill very much at all.	It burns right up to a wet patch, then Stops. This is how the burns can go constantly without danger. It'll burn up to a patch that's not dry enough to burn. Then, a bit later, that part can be burned, and the fire will stop where it had already been burned previously. So they can successfully burn selected areas at a time by being aware of where is ready, where isn't, where they have recently, etc.