But everyone chose to live there. How it’s being reported in Oz is that the fire danger was well known. And of course you can’t just sell your house because the fire danger is bad this week, but most of the people voted for the situation. In Oz we get bush fires too, and peoples’ houses burn down because certain state regulations forbid them to clear trees close to the house. And when the fire has gone through, the media film these local heroes in front of their homes stoutly proclaiming that they will rebuild. Frankly I think they are nuts.
We live highish up on a hill. When we get floods, folk say “you’re lucky you live on a hill! No flooding for you.” Like you, luck doesn’t come into it. You followed God’s advice, we followed common sense (we follow His advice too, but didn’t really need it for anti-flood measures, that is more of a generational instinct) – don’t you feel just slightly irritated that these people expect you to cough up a bit of your sng to pay for their choices?