Am I smelling smoke?

One Friday morning, I get off the train and can smell something burning.

In Australia bushfires are quite common and I was quite concerned about it.

It is getting close to summer and there are days that are quite cool and days which are hot.

I arrived at college and I looked up where the fires is and what the status of the fire.

Have had experienced some major disasters in the past, I get quite conscious of the change of my surroundings.

It turns out that it was quite close but it was controlled and it was safe.
I was glad that it was not major and I am safe and other people were safe.

As my teacher arrived to the class, I asked about the smoke in the air.

She said, "Ah, do not worry, they are doing Prescribed Burning."

"What is that? Is that like burning to kill the bugs?" I asked.
"In Japan they burn the side of the rice paddies to kill the bugs before they start to grow new rice every year." I continued.

The teacher answered. " No, it is to eliminate the spread of bushfires."

That made so much sense because the college is no where near any farms or paddies that I am used to have back in Japan.

Apparently the aboriginals, the people who originally owned the lands of Australia had their own way of control burning which surprised me and made me see another interesting side of Australia.

See you soon!
Ellen