The Cheeky Possum and the Bush Fire Triangle

Possum was sunning himself on a branch enjoying a ray of the winter sun. He rubbed his furry belly as the sun’s warmth coated him like a blanket. Just as he was about to stretch and go to sleep, a lizard rushed passed. Possum turned over onto his four feet and chased Lizard along the branch wondering what he was in such a hurry for.

“Lizard”, he said, “what’s the rush? Why have you climbed so high up the tree? Are you ok? Can I help? Are you in danger?”

Lizard stopped and as he turned to Possum, he was puffing so hard. Lizards don’t often climb up trees, and this tree was tall. He said to Possum, “Do you have to ask so many questions? It’s no wonder why your called Cheeky Possum.”

Possum was called cheeky because he would ask too many questions. But he believed that you don’t learn anything if you don’t ask questions. So he asked Lizard again why he was up a tree?

“There is a fire over at Billabong Valley and everyone is running this way.”, said Lizard.

Possum couldn’t believe it as he hadn’t smelt the smoke as yet. Everyone knows smoke is a warning sign that there is a fire somewhere. Possum quickly ran up the rest of the tree to look over to Billabong Valley and sure enough, there was thick smoke rising up.

“Ooohhhh” said Possum, “this is not good. Lizard, that is where there is a lot of undergrowth and old litter on the ground. We have also been having very dry and hot days and the wind is dry too.”

Lizard looked at Possum as if he had lost his mind. Lizard jumped up and down and shouted, “What are you talking about Possum? There is a fire and you are worried about the heat, the ground litter and the wind?”

“No”, said Possum, “it’s the fire triangle. Fire needs equal parts of litter, oxygen that the wind blows and heat from a hot day. Billabong Valley has not been looked after by the human fire brigade for a long time, so all the dry grass, fallen trees and old leaves have built up over time.”

Lizard looked over at the smoke rising and said “Oh! So how does the human fire brigade stop it from happening again?”

“Every year they do small fires in the bush to keep the litter down, so if a fire does happen, it’s not a big one”, said Possum, “This one is going to be a big, but if they hurry, they can stop it quickly.”

“So”, said Lizard, “how does that triangle work again?”

Possum sat down on the highest branch next to Lizard so they could keep an eye on the smoke and said, “A fire won’t spread if there’s not enough dead litter on the ground and if the ground is wet. Hot days dry the ground very fast and when a human walks away from their camp fire or barbeque, the fire can spread easily on the hot dry ground. Then Lizard, if the wind blows up, it makes the fire spread very, very fast, which makes it worse for us animals. That is the fire triangle.”  

Just then Possum and Lizard saw the human fire brigade drive past their tree. It was the Turkey Ridge Rural Fire Brigade and all the fire fighters are volunteers. Possum put Lizard on his back and they jumped from tree top to tree top following the the crew as they drove to the fire.

"Don't get too close Possum", said Lizard, "I don't want to get smoke in my lungs".

"No Lizard, we'll stay a long way from them, but we can still see what they are doing", replied Possum.

Possum saw that Fire Fighter Marry -Anne was driving the big yellow truck full of water to the fire. She was driving really carefully as the ground has lots of sticks that could blow a tire or she could drive into an old tree log covered over with long grass and vines.

First Officer Brigalow Bill was in the front passenger seat guiding Marry-Anne with a map of the surrounding valleys and hills. As the fire crew, Possum and Lizard got closer, they saw all the animals running for their lives away from the fire.

Mrs. Mouse had her six babies, Mr. Emu was running with Mrs. Emu and their eggs, Mrs. Maggie Magpie picked up her nest of Magpie chicks and flew far away and Mr. Slither the snake had so many insects on his back he had to go slowly so they all stayed on.

Possum and Lizard stopped at a tree top whilst they watched the Turkey Ridge crew bravely drive to the fire to put it out.

the truck had barely stopped when Fire Fighter Jones, nicknamed Jonesy, jumped out of the truck yelling "I'll get the hose". Second Officer Prickly Pear shouted he'd man the water pump, First Officer said he'll radio Firecom that they have arrived.

The bushland was all of a sudden full of human noises from all the shouting, the truck's engine, the radio chatter and the water hitting the fire. Lizard had never seen anything like it, it was just so busy, noisy, exciting and exhausting to watch.

"What are they doing Possum?" asked Lizard.

Possum looked surprised and said, "Oh, so now you ask a question? Well Lizard, the water we drink is what humans use to put a fire out. Remember the fire triangle we talked about before, fire doesn't like water."

"But water will make it all wet Possum", said Lizard.

"That's right" replied Possum, "The humans have to make everything really wet to break the fire triangle. So, that truck can carry 1600 liters of water to put on any fire humans can get to. That's how humans fight fires, with water and lots of it. When they make everything soaked, the fire can't keep going because it's not dry anymore."

As Lizard's eyes widened with understanding, he put a stubby paw to his chin and said, "Ah, now I understand. Fire needs a hot, dry day with dry litter but, water cools things down and makes everything wet".

Possum patted Lizard proudly on the back and with a smile, said, "That's right Lizard".

Just then First Officer Brigalow Bill shouted, "All right crew, looks like it's out. Let's go along the wet line once more and make sure all the fire is out and can't start again".

"Well, that's it Lizard, we can go home now. What do you think?" said Possum.

"Yes please Possum" said a very tired Lizard.

So, Possum put Lizard on his back and went through the tree tops again back to their home.