No panic

In summer the sight of burning in the vineyards opposite our house would have me panicking. Fires are banned between March and October because of the very real risk of massive fires. A fireman lost his life, and a further two are still recovering in hospital some two months later, after a huge bush fire just four kilometres from us.

However, I won't reach for the emergency number this time as I can see two vineyard workers are controlling this fire. They are burning vine prunings and razing one small parcel of vines.

It's a pretty good day to be doing it. There's not too much wind and the sun is shining on this perfect autumn day. I've just given the grass one final mow and watered all the citrus trees. I guess I will soon be thinking about wrapping them up in hessian for the winter but, for now, it's still well above freezing overnight. Long may it last.