Reports from Los Angles USA of devastating wildfires (in their Winter), show 11 people have died, 10,000 buildings have been destroyed, with 153,00 people under evacuation orders and a further 166,000 under a warning of be prepared to evacuate. It is a disaster of gigantic proportions.
However, it appears that it has been made worse by authorities not being prepared. While natural conditions of a drought since May 2024, strong (Westerly) Santa Ana winds, plus a build up of dry undergrowth, have set up a dangerous situation. Made worse with authorities not making sure water catchments and reservoirs were maintained with the result fire hydrants ran dry. And Despite the increased risk of fires, the city of Los Angeles cut the fire department’s budget by $US17.6 million (A$28.6 million).
See this video which explains in detail what happened. Victor Davis Hanson: California's Catastrophic Wildfires Are ‘A DEI, Green New Deal Disaster’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNU3v-yRTOo
I believe that the Australian fire risk situation is becoming enormous because. There is a huge fire risk being created by covering Rural Australia with Wind Turbines, Solar Panels, BESS’s and HV Transmission Lines (REF’s). A situation which is just as dangerous as the Renewables become millions of electrified, incendiary devices.
Eastern Australia is known worldwide as one of the most bushfire prone areas in the World. Which greatly increases on Total Fire ban days with high temperatures and strong winds. Because of the high amount of electrically charged components. And the particular firefighting problems associated with them, such as:
Solar farms with solar panels being packed tightly together, surrounded by a 2m high security fence. Are treated as ‘No Go areas’ for fire fighters, because of the risk of getting trapped among the electrified panels. Water bombing is unlikely to be successful, because of the densely packed area. This leads to the early control of a wildfire in a solar farm becoming extremely difficult if not impossible. And the fire fighters have to wait for the fire to leave the area by which time it may have become uncontrollable. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/risk-management/news/fire-a-major-hidden-danger-for-solar-farms-419868.aspx
Fires in Wind turbines being on 280m high towers, are inaccessible to being controlled by on ground firefighters. And because of the high towers, huge diameter span of the blades and the downwind turbulence created by the turbines, water bombers have to keep a 5 to 8km distance from wind farms. Rendering water bombers as being unusable. This leads to the early control of a wildfire in a wind farm becoming extremely difficult if not impossible.
BESS Lithium battery fires pose particular problems for emergency responders and other stakeholders which include: If a lithium battery overheats it is likely to reach a runaway stage, when it breaks out into a greater fire intensity often accompanied with the violent ejection of vapors and other materials; exposure to toxic and corrosive vapors, gases and fire effluents; increased risk of vapor explosion in confined environments; stranded electrical energy from energized high-voltage battery cells; protracted processes for extinguishing and cooling the reaction; the risk of secondary ignitions following the initial event; difficulties rendering the site safe; the containment of contaminated fire water; and issues with handling, transporting, and disposing of fire-affected batteries.
I believe that BESS’s should never be put in Rural situations, where a lack of a sufficient water supply and trained and equipped responders make a fire in a BESS, almost certain to be uncontrollable.
This is an area where I believe that the Victorian Country Fire Authority and associated Rural Fire Services are not fulfilling their responsibilities, by not setting the requirements for fire prevention measures on projects. At an extremely high standard commensurate with the fire danger these projects are to the surrounding community and Rural areas.
One issue that should be of top discussion. If farmers and those working in Rural areas, on Total Fire Ban Days have to stop work, when a certain temperature is reached. Why are Renewable Energy Factories not required to stop working also?
How much different it would be if the Transition to Renewables was stopped and our petition was adopted by all Energy Ministers and the Australian Energy Market Operator.
WHICH IS THAT THE INTENTION TO CLOSE ALL AUSTRALIAN COAL FIRED POWER STATIONS BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY.
This includes Eraring in 2025, Yallourn in (2032 now 2028), Bayswater in 2033, with Loyang A in 2045 and all other coal fired power stations.
And no consideration of them being closed be considered until assured supplies of base load electricity 24/7 is available from coal, gas or uranium powered generators. Even if this requires the coal fired generators be compulsory acquired by the relevant Government, in the National interest and to maintain the supply of base load electricity 24/7 that is essential to STOP the Grid from collapsing.
OUR PETITION TO KEEP OUR COAL FIRED POWER STATIONS RUNNING. Is educating everyone of how important coal fired power stations are to keeping the Grid from crashing.
https://www.change.org/p/blackouts-will-be-devastating-they-must-be-avoided-at-all-costs
YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR PETITION WITH DONATIONS WILL BE REPAID WITH BASELOAD ELECTRICITY FOR THE NEXT CRITICAL FIFTEEN TO TWENTY YEARS. Be it $10, $20, $50 or $100 please make a donation and keep our petition in the public eye. AND KEEP THE BLACKOUTS AT BAY. The more signatures we get the more wins will keep coming and the coal fired power stations will be kept running. Promote the petition on Change.org and share it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Whatsapp or Email.
KEEP INFORMED BY DAILY MONITORING THE AEMO DATA DASHBOARD. And alert your friends to watch the AEMO dashboard, the more know what's happening the better.
Particularly at 7pm and 7am (Or a time that suits you?) watch (and record) the mix of coal, gas hydro, batteries, solar and wind generation and the prices per MWh for each State on the AEMO dashboard.
Example: Eastern States 11th January 2025 8.05Pm AEDST. Batteries 1%, Biomass 0%, Black Coal 45% Brown Coal 14%, Gas 8%, Hydro 11% Diesel 0% Solar 1%, Wind 19%. 8.05pm a time when Solar is just starting its 17 hour sleep, producing just 1%. Wind is all over the place averaging 19%, but ranging from only 6% in Qld, up to 69% in SA.
To underline the importance of our coal fired generators 11/01/25 8.05pm AEDST. Coal is producing in NSW 77% Wind 16%, Qld coal 74%, wind 6% Vic Brown coal 53%, wind 22%. SA gas 26%, Wind 69% and Tas 83% hydro, wind 15%.
WITHOUT COAL AUSTRALIA WOULD BE BLACKED OUT
STOP PRESS: WHAT CAN HAPPEN. South Australia 4th June 2024 9.05pm EST. Batteries 0%, Gas 97%, Diesel 3% Solar 0%, Wind 0%.
SA RENEWABLES CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA WITH BATTERIES, SOLAR AND WIND PRODUCING NO ELECTRICITY, ZERO, NOTHING
We are up to 4,161 signatures, let’s increase it by many more, everyone’s future depends on it. Continue to spread the word, to all family, friends, anyone you meet, particularly discuss it with shop and business owners. Ask the question, “How do you plan to cope when the blackouts come? The possibility is too awful to contemplate.
WE MUST KEEP THOSE COAL FIRED GENERATORS GOING, TO KEEP OUR SOCIETY FROM HAVING BLACKOUTS, POWER RATIONING AND EXHORBITENT ENERGY PRICES.