Bushfire victims had no hope: inquiry

Bushfire victims had no idea they were in extreme danger until the Black Saturday
firestorm was upon them because Victoria's warning system failed to cope.
The Royal Commission into Victoria's catastrophic bushfires has heard there was an
information void that prevented victims making reasonable decisions about their
survival on February 7.
The communications breakdown brings under scrutiny the state's contentious
stay-or-go policy.
In his opening address, counsel assisting the commission, Jack Rush QC, said the
warning system failed to cope with the advancing speed of the fires and the public
had no accurate or timely information.
"Evidence will demonstrate people remained in their homes unaware of approaching
fires until it was too late," he said.
"On the other hand, persons who chose to stay and defend property did so entirely
unaware of the severity, the extremity, the intensity of the fires they would face."
Mr Rush said people knew Black Saturday would be a day of extreme fire risk but they
had no understanding it "carried with it the potential of a fire that could not be
fought".
The fires struck with unimaginable "atomic force", burning at about 100,000
kilowatts per metre on a day that smashed fire index records, Monday's hearing was
told.
More than 2,000 homes were lost and 173 people killed in Australia's worst peacetime
disaster.
Mr Rush said the commission would initially focus on communication and warning
systems and the stay and defend or leave early policy.
He said evidence would show the policy was open to confusion and misunderstanding
and the "trigger" for when to leave was subject to interpretation.
"The evidence will demonstrate people made decisions in relation to stay or go with
an unrealistic optimism having regard to the nature of these fires."
Evidence would also show some homes were "indefensible" and the commission would
consider a policy shift towards mass evacuations.
However, no recommendations will be made before next summer.
The commission heard that in the 2007 California bushfires more than 3,000 homes
were destroyed but the evacuation of almost one million residents minimised
fatalities to 10.
The commission will also examine the cause and management of the fires, public fire
refuges, controlled burning, national building codes and planning regulations.
The purpose of Monday's directions hearing was to determine who can give evidence
when formal hearings begin on May 11.
Among those granted leave to appear before the commission are police and emergency
services, federal, state and local governments, unions, and the insurance and
electricity industries.
But there is anger many survivors have been denied the opportunity to give oral
evidence.
"I think most victims who were rejected were extremely frustrated and feel like
their voices haven't been heard," Mat Tinkler, of the Public Interest Law Clearing
House, said.
Head of the commission Justice Bernard Teague said leave to appear was granted to a
limited number of applicants.
He strongly urged others to have their say in written submissions.
Submissions close on May 18.
The commission will hand down an interim report by August 17 and a final report by
July 31 next year.