It’s a cold, dry winter here in the Eastern Highlands. Soon the grass burning season will begin as the vegetation becomes completely dry like tinder. For the last month we have urgently been working on our fire guard. This will protect the property from fires that get out of control and blown in our direction. Judging by the tree height it looks like this is the first time in 20 years that it has been properly done. We have chosen a 6m wide, 4.5km route right round the property that has to be totally denuded of vegetation, trees, grass – the lot . This will hopefully prevent any fire jumping onto out plot. Below is a picture of the new fire guard, taken from one of our southern side boundary pegs going west for 900m.

Hornbydale fire guard

Following is a ‘before and after’ of a northern 700m stretch facing Troutbeck. In the top right you can see some of our cleared fields showing brown in colour.

Hornbydale northern boundary

And after the team has been through!

Hornbydale northern fire guard

This picture is a very good example demonstrating the reason why a fire guard is important. A nearby property (in white) completely burnt out. Our own property suffered a huge amount of tree loss 2 years ago and lost one small building – which we are now refurbishing.

Now lets to meet the team. Below on the southern side

Mr Garikai on the Hornbydale fire guard

Mr Didimus on the Hornbydale fire guard

Mr Tongai

And yes it really is a cold winter up here – it’s frosty in the morning too

A frosty morning at Hornbydale

Frost on the fire guard

Mr Lamek on the Hornbydale fire guard

Mr Albert

And below in green the ‘fireguard champion’ Mr Willard – he completed the most 10m stretches round the boundary

Clearing the fire guard

Fire guard champion – Mr Willard

Mr Tongai in action

Mr Tongai on the fire guard

Mr Tongai on the fire guard

Mr Tongai at work

Mr Didimus