Most bushfire victims `die fleeing`

Many bushfire victims die when they flee too late after initially staying to defend
their homes, the bushfires royal commission has been told.
A researcher has told the inquiry into the Black Saturday fires there is significant
evidence that the contentious stay and defend, or leave early policy is not well
understood.
The policy urges residents in bushfire areas to either leave their homes "well
before" they are under threat, or stay and defend, but not to flee when fire is upon
them.
But social scientist Dr Katharine Haynes said evidence from her research showed
people mistakenly used heavy smoke or flames as the trigger to go, or waited for
advice from authorities.
In cross examination, Neil Clelland SC, for the state of Victoria, said Dr Haynes'
research cited "abundant evidence" that late evacuation was a dangerous response,
and that well prepared houses can be successfully defended from bushfires.
Dr Haynes told the commission on Thursday that of the 552 recorded bushfire deaths
in Australia up until the end of 2007, 31.9 per cent were the result of late
evacuations.
But she also said a further 26.3 per cent died defending their properties outside,
while 8.3 per cent died inside their properties.
Of those who perished inside, only one was actively defending their property and
they suffered a heart attack.
Dr Haynes said that women and children were particularly vulnerable to evacuating
late and being killed in the fire.
She said there was also a problem with people in bushfire areas being improperly
prepared.
"They don't wear adequate protective clothing and they don't have back up plans,
like they don't expect the power to run out, they don't expect to run out of water,"
she said.
Dr Haynes was called to give evidence as the commission examines the contentious
stay or go bushfire policy, which was heavily scrutinised in the aftermath of Black
Saturday.
In the days after Black Saturday, premier John Brumby said the policy may need to be
reviewed after many of the victims had stayed to defend their homes.
Despite expressing some reservations about it, Dr Haynes said she supported the
policy and her research showed it was "very well grounded in the available
evidence".
She agreed that her research supported the stay or go policy.
The hearing continues on Friday.