A walk in
the woods
Lost hats, toys, gloves, dog leads and so forth are left on highly visible posts.
The notice is a reminder that fire can spread very rapidly. With summer school holidays beginning in the next couple of days, the danger of uncontrolled fire increases as inexperienced teenagers set fires to cook sausages and boil water in warm evenings. They extinguish the flames and think that is sufficient, but the ground beneath is hot and can reignite if it has not been thoroughly soaked.
A few years ago we came across a smouldering fire and had to call the fire brigade. There was no way for the fire engine to get into the woods so they had to bring a stirrup pump to douse it.
It's usually refreshing to be among the trees in the woods, but it's been very dry here and the air smelt odd. The closest I could identify it as was unwashed socks!
It's just started raining and already the air smells fresher. Unfortunately, we need it to rain steadily for hours, and that doesn't seem to be happening.
Those nearby woods look delightful. Is that Barry with the stick?
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely place to walk. Yes, that's Barry - walking pole in one hand, ball flinger in the other.
DeleteThe Brother and I were forbidden to play in the woods. Ma was convinced there were hoboes. In all of the times I played in the woods, I never once saw a hobo or evidence of hoboes. (Ma worked so what you mama don't know, your mama don't mind)
ReplyDeleteWhat the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over. 😎
DeleteThe decades of mulch reminds me a little of those Zombie Fires in Canada. They go underground in the winter only to return in the spring and summer. The science of wild fire is interesting to me since I live in a fireprone area. I’ve learned a lot from the fires we’ve had that I never knew when I lived in the city.
ReplyDeleteYour woods look so nice. I enjoy forests and mountains. My happy place!
I've never heard of zombie fires, but can quite understand how they can smoulder away unseen.
DeleteBeautiful photos Janice. I know what it is like with long hot dry summers. We had that last year & a fire ban from December til May. I burn my own garden rubbish here on our property & by the time I was allowed to burn again the heap was above my head!
ReplyDeleteThat must have been quite a bonfire, Julie.
DeleteWhen we moved here 40 years ago everyone burned their garden rubbish on bonfires at the back of the properties on waste ground along the stream. Then we found a major gas main ran along the banks just near our string of bonfires...
ReplyDeleteI'd say you were all extremely lucky . . .
DeleteThe fire risk is exacerbated if it gets into old roots (those fallen trees) and can smoulder underground for ages. When I worked in the NZ Forest Service we used to use infra-red cameras (in helicopter) to identify hot spots that weren't obvious to people putting out fires on the ground. Where we were working seasonal winds could uncover them and set off fires again months after we thought we had extinguished them
ReplyDeleteQuite extraordinary. Interesting and vital work, though.
DeleteI love the woods, even as things die they create life, I hope you get the rain you craves, we are in to a soak tomorrow and Sunday.
ReplyDeleteWe're supposed to have thunderstorms, but somehow they always miss us. I might regret saying that.
DeleteHi Janice - yes - it's so early (two months') this dry Autumnal weather ... and very sadly fires will abound - people do not think ... I hope for thunderstorms this weekend - we do need the rain ... I'm glad to see you both out and about - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI noticed a leaf fluttering down yesterday. I'm surprised there aren't more, really.
ReplyDeleteThankfully I live where the forest fires are almost non-existent. But at the same time I live in an area when there's forest fires in Canada the smoke is blowing this way. Just reminds me of how bad it can be.
ReplyDeleteThat must be so uncomfortable. Smoke from forest fires is very dense.
ReplyDeleteEnglish woodlands always look so attractive and accessible.
ReplyDeleteGlad you came across that hot spot and were able to get someone there to keep it from burning. That looks like a wonderful place for a walk.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how stupid people can be. They light a BBQ here, or even try to burn a few branches and in minutes everything is out of control. Even after endless fire campaigns, TV ads, theres still someone out there with only half a brain who is careless. Hundreds have died because of them.
ReplyDeleteHere schoolchildren during school holidays graffiti trains, run amok in shopping centres with knives, damage public property, mass rob shops and I've even seen one teen discard a drink can into the gutter. They'd visit your parks with a chainsaw.
ReplyDeleteLovely woodland photos.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x