Widow makers......All Gum trees.
The ones that Kill Firefighters are right on the edge of the fire ground.
They don't look dangerous because they are only scorched at the beginning or the end of the fires run.
usually only 1.5 to 2.5m up the trunk.
The major branches start to drop usually 6 to 8hrs after the fire has passed. Hence Firefighter being injured or killed when mopping up.
This will become more relivant as I explain.
The gum tree relies on water just like all other trees. The deeper the soil the larger the tree. The more water it requires. Hence way larger tree close to water source. Next time your out there compare (only gums)
Now what happens in a fire situation is the amount of heat.
In the centre of a fire the tree becomes extremely distressed and will usually drop all its larger branches soon after the fire passed. The heat just sucks the moisture out of the upper branches first.
The tree then goes in to survival mode pulling the remainder of its moisture back to the trunk.
it all get down to water.
now here is what happen as the creeks rivers dry up the trees go into survival mode. Just over a longer period of time the upper limbs become distressed and commence to dry out. As the trunk pulls the moisture to conserve it.
Once they reach a certain stage it is only a matter of when a large branch will come down.
Here is the scary part they don't make any noise just fracture and drop.....If you ever get to see one just look at the fractured end. It will be bone dry as if it is dead.
Mother Nature at its best........The tree is shedding it's larger branches to survive.
There is no safe method to check a gum tree.......just be mindful of the branches that are horizontal and heavier than the other on the tree.
They are the dangerous suckers.
This rarely happens with other varieties of trees firs, turpentine, mahogany, cedars, iron bark, wattle, Coolabahs bloodwood certain pine trees.
it is all about the bark on these trees. Extremely thick and in most cases flame resistant to a certain degree.
Just every variety of gum. ESPECIALLY spotted, red gum, blue gum, apple, round leaf, river gum, ghost gum, scribbly gum. The list is large
At the extreme end the tree will suck up so much moisture that it will destroy itself. Drying out the supporting surounding earth....Down it will come with not a sound.......All it will take is correct wind direction and a very hot day. THE ROOT SYSTEM BECOMES DISTRESSED AND JUST COLLAPSES.
There is and old saying I live by " If in doubt, There is no doubt." If you have concerns about a tree you are about to pass under in your vehicle turn around find another path and be able to go home alive....you can not replace you as there was ever only one mold made (unless you are a twin)
cheers.
