The crisis is unfortunately not yet over, with some areas already having burnt more than once and extremes of summer still ahead.

The good news is there are signs of land recovering already, with sprouting green shoots popping up in areas which were burnt in fires a few months ago.

With some substantial rain forecast soon for much of Australia, including our local area, all digits are crossed for steady sustained rain and not flooding downpours washing ash and top soil into rivers.

Any property owner who wants to be prepared should look up 'leaky weirs' and get busy with these low-cost, water-retaining improvements on their urban or rural land.

Rumours of widespread arson have been denounced by police, thankfully, as have rumours that the cause of fires are trees (so get rid of them) or slack management of fuel load in national parks.

Make no mistake, the cause of the catastrophic nature of these fires is unprecedented drought, which is still continuing.

Reports starting months ago spoke of trees losing leaves and dying where they stood.

That growing fuel load has been impossible to manage in the extreme dry, and people should stop spruiking nonsense on that topic.

All science points to trees helping the land deal better with dry weather by retaining moisture, lowering adjacent temperatures and reducing erosion.

It's good news the Prime Minister will review the federal role in bushfires - and none too soon considering national reports since 2011 recommended a national approach to disaster management.

But the real test will be federal responses to playing our part against the causes of changing climate.

We do not need new coal mines and should by rights grasp the opportunity to lead on renewable energy use and manufacturing.

Cr Intemann's stories from a civic heart are her opinions and not necessarily council's.