YOU will know by now that Harry and Sally McNabb run the family farm.

Harry's sister, Jill, is a good sounding board and their brother, Norm, is a contractor and does the farm's scanning and other contracting.

Ted, their father, now retired, was a good farmer in his day but these days seldom has a good word for anyone.

Ted usually spends a lot of time on the farm in the paddocks but the wet weather has kept him inside and if he is at the farm he is likely to be found around the workshop, where Harry is, or in the house having a cuppa.

That is aggravating for Sally and Harry because when he has nothing to do he loves to get into long, negative conversations.

This week he bemoaned the fact that with all this rain there will be such a strong spring that in summer fires will be a menace.

There is always a lesson to learn from the Teds of this world and his reminder about fire danger is timely.

Fuel reduction is the single most-important factor which can reduce the impact of fire.

Important assets, such as houses, sheds and other buildings, can be made safer and less vulnerable by eliminating excess vegetative material.

In most cases the fuel hazard can be reduced with heavy grazing and some spraying with a knock-down herbicide.

Because the grazing needs to start in the early spring, the planning needs to start now.

Similarly, spraying around sheds and other buildings can commence in the next week or two.

Some follow up may be required but the amount of chemical needed will be much less if the job is done soon.

Harry has already done some spraying and started to think about those places where there is rubbish or dead timber which should be burnt before the summer.

He also decided to remove some of the combustible material which is stored in some of the open sheds.

By getting stuck into some of the fire-protection work now, Harry has a chance of finishing it on time.

Once he gets into late August things will get very busy. Lambing is almost finished.

But once September comes calving will begin, followed by lamb marking, spray topping for pasture renovation, weaning and selling lambs, shearing the main flock and, ultimately, harvest.

So although it looks early to start the fire-protection work, in reality, time is running out.

During the very wet days Harry will review the farm insurances.

Of course if he starts now Ted will say it's too early and if he leaves it Ted will ask why it hasn't been done.