2021’s significant news section of digital newspaper covered the story of bushfires in Perth four days after the birth of New Year. Massive destruction to property and natural resources again, I thought to myself. Casualties as usual were minimum because of government’s timely warning and the selfless service of fire fighters. Last year’s bushfires devoured areas that were not considered fire prone. I recalled property developer’s suggestion of clearing the high-risk areas with buildings to minimize the outbreaks of bushfires during summer or the dry season. Environment changes caused by clearing extensive areas of trees would have stopped them from pursing that lane.
Being an imaginative person, I am not compelled to entertain the most practical ideas always, and I thought it would be a wonderful idea to plant fire resistant trees. My research revealed that plants that do not burn are non-existent, as any plant can catch fire if exposed to the right heat and temperature. My searches also revealed a phrase ‘fire retardant’ and as usual my curiosity got the better of me. A few more minutes of browsing disclosed that fire retardant trees take an exceptionally long time to ignite and these beautiful trees come in attractive colours. These trees are comparatively better than Eucalyptus trees that are found in large number in the country, as their leaves do not contain oil in them and are not highly inflammable.
Property developers have already come up with fantastic designs of fire-resistant houses. Not only are these houses ultra-modern and trendy, but these safeguard lives and prevent destruction. It would not be a bad idea to restructure towns and residential areas with fire retardant trees and fire-resistant houses if it is not excessively expensive.
A Writer's Exposé 