Field of Fire ...or the creation of Black Snow!

Saturday was the closing day of the Cairns Festival and the event that I was most interested in - they were burning a cane field in the manner that they used to do prior to modern harvesting techniques. It was being held just down the road so we had the added bonus of only having a five minute drive.
We got there early to make sure we got a some space as we weren't sure how many would turn up - as it happens the palce was packed and they got more than double the number they had anticipated!
Anyway we bagged our space and had a picnic

The crowds were very good natured even though the facilities were a bit sparse (four portaloos only!)
The cane pre burn was not much to look at

Whilst we were waiting for the main event a local band The Hillbilly Goats entertained us - they played for nearly three hours with just a couple of short breaks

Although the children provided their own entertainment at times...

We knew that the burn was getting close when this arrived

Although it departed shortly after arrival in a blur of flashing lights and sirens never to be seen again...

Before the fire was started the Ex President of the Queensland Cane Growers Association gave a brief talk about the history of the process (although the sound system did not do him any favours and it was hard to hear what he had to say - the aftermath of the burn is called Black Snow locally.....)
The start was signalled by a couple of rather unimpressive fireworks before a small flame could be seen at the far end of the field

You can just see it to the left of the gentleman with his hands on his head. Not massively impressive..
After a short while it seemed to catch a bit better

Before it became a bit more impressive...

and then finally its full impact - which could be felt from a couple of hundred metres away

It was hard to get the burn into perspective as at one stage it was burning along a front at least a couple of hundred metres long. The fire moves incredibly fast and can change direction very quickly, in a bad year they used to loose six farmers to the blaze!
As the cane died down the fireworks started..

It was a great way to spend a Saturday evening