Lots of fires going on around us at the moment.  Whenever you get fires you get lots of raptors circling around.

These are kites and are after the insects, small mammals and reptiles that try to escape the fire. 

Once the ground is burnt it is also a lot easier for them to spot their prey so you see lots hanging around recently burnt land as well.

Had a chat with a ranger and apparently a rogue aboriginal with a dispute over a land claim and a grudge has been setting fires over the last few days.  He has been caught and going to be prosecuted.  At the moment its very high winds – not the time to be lighting fires.  Here’s a picture of one of the fires, you can see the wind blowing the flames

Causing the fire to rage up the trees instead of just singing their bases.

Normally it’s just the lower parts of shrubs and the grass that burns off.

There are lots of holes in trees – said before that lots of birds nest in these hollows.  Snakes and other reptiles also hide in them.  Here a fire has started at the base of the tree and air flow is sucking the smoke up the tree and out of the hollows further up.

Since the fire is at the base of the tree, it may burn through the tree and cause its collapse.

The trees are generally very fire resistent, so remain standing after the fire has passed through the area.