Australia is currently experiencing a very long, hot, dry spell. We cannot really remember when we last had rain, it was certainly several weeks ago, and the temperature is hovering around 30 degrees which is higher than it would usually be in early autumn. When this happens, fire is never too far from Australian residents' thoughts, we all make sure we have taken sensible precautions like keeping our gutters clear and removing overhanging branches.
All towns have fire danger signs which serve as a reminder for everyone to be careful with cigarettes, barbecues etc, so it is astonishing that some people light fires deliberately as a way of getting their jollies.
This happened on Monday evening at the beautiful Tilligerry Habitat, where we volunteer. The smoke was spotted and firefighters got there in time to put out the flames, the koala who is there at the moment was well away from the affected area and we didn't spot any dead echidnas or lizards so everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Until it happened again at the same time the following evening!
Again the firefighters got there on time but another big black patch was left and one of the boardwalks had some damage. We all thought nobody could be stupid enough to try it a third time but on Sunday, when Ian and I were on duty we suddenly smelled smoke. Our hearts sank and Ian shot off on his bike to find out where it was coming from. He had only been gone a moment or two when he phoned to say the fire was quite big and right behind our plant nursery next to the information centre where we are based and is a straw bale building so I imagine it can't be terribly fire resistant. 
We called the firefighters, who are all volunteers and got the access gate unlocked ready for them. The fire was already too big for us to do anything about, the nature of bush fires is that the wind blows sparks from the main fire making lots of little ones and it is very easy to find yourself surrounded. The nursery manager turned up and put all the sprinklers on in the nursery and he and Ian set up hoses ready to defend the building if it came closer then we just had to wait for the emergency services with the roar of the fire in the background. 
Six fire trucks and three support vehicles turned up and managed to get the fire under control fairly quickly but it has left a huge black patch with no undergrowth. This is not as bad as it sounds or looks because Australian native bush has evolved to cope with fire and grows back quite quickly, the volunteers who work in the nursery have to bake some seeds at a very high heat to get them to germinate because they depend on fire to propagate. What is so dangerous is that the Habitat is right next door to a school and surrounded by housing, it has been warm and windy lately, so perfect bush fire conditions. I was shocked to hear that many bush fires are started deliberately, what a terrible thing to do! 
While all this was going on a visitor came to tell be he had just stopped an over enthusiastic tourist who he caught halfway up a tree trying to touch a koala! What is wrong with people?We are all keeping our fingers crossed for some rain this week, imagine that! I apologise for not getting better pictures of the fire but I was scared of getting told off by the firefighters.
On a happier note, our resident Lemon Tree Passage koala, Ella, is back. It turns out she did not need to be rescued as we feared as she has finally started ranging around a bit, not much but hopefully enough to get her daily quota of young leaves she needs to thrive.