Aug 11

BUSHFIRES. 17 Sept 1940 Early Bushfire Season 79 Years Ago. “Bushfires have started earlier than usual this season”

BUSHFIRES. (1940, September 17). Macleay Argus (Kempsey, NSW : 1885 – 1907; 1909 – 1910; 1912 – 1913; 1915 – 1916; 1918 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved August 11, 2020, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/234497593?searchTerm=bushfires&searchLimits=#

Bushfires have started earlier than usual this season, and considerable damage has already been done in the Blue Mountains area.

The R.A.C.A. does not propose to try and tell you country folk anything about bush-fires, but we will aid you to the best of our ability in appealing to city motorists to exercise the utmost care when visiting your districts. We would be greatly assisted in the press and radio campaign against bushfires if we could obtain brief, authentic reports of fires which have been caused at the result of motorists’ carelessness.

You might be good enough to post such reports direct to me, or to the editor, who will
pass them on. Perhaps if we make an early start, and keep hammering away at the gentry who throw away their cigarette butts, and leave fires burning after the billy has boiled, we shall avoid much of the havoc which was caused last year.
It’s worth trying anyhow.