Australian Bush Fires

Ormiston_Addick

I have been watching the coverage of this today and it is absolutely unbelievable what has happened down in Victoria over the weekend. Whole communities have been literally wiped off the map in just minutes by raging bush fires, they are the worst fires here in recorded history. There are 140 dead already and its going to get much bigger.

I tell you something though, watching this certainly puts life into a much sharper perspective.

Being bottom of the CCC is certainly not much fun but it is not even the same fecking universe as what some poor bastards in this world go through in life. The Victorian police have been reporting that some families, including those with young kids, were burnt to death in their vehicles as they tried to escape the fires, quite simply unbelievably sad and tragic. They had no chance of escape because the fire spread so quickly.

Last minutes goals and relegations don't count a fucking bean compared to that, do they? Excuse my language.

I tell you what people, I gave my little ones an extra large cuddle tonight.

Henry Irving

Good points Ormiston.

And the Police believe that some of the fires were started deliberatly. If true there are some sick people out there.

mascot88

Yeah a few people I know lost there family homes......

very bad.......

AFKABartram

terrifying stuff, hope all our members Down Under hopefully go unaffected.

Ormiston_Addick

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]Good points Ormiston.

And the Police believe that some of the fires were started deliberatly. If true there are some sick people out there.

That's right, it beggars belief that someone could do that, but they do.

I just watched the news and it is heartbreaking to hear some of the stories, these are tough, tough people from that part of the world and to see grown men weeping for their lost grand-children is just about as bad as it gets.

LargeAddick

when I was in Oz last Feb and visited my folks in SA there had been bush fires there a few months previous. They had come within a few hundred metres of town. We went out to some of the outlaying communities and the devestation was unbelievable. A number of people had lost their lives and those communities were basically destroyed. My cousin's girlfriend had to flee her farm and had to leave her horses etc. She was in bits about what she'd return to. Luckily the wind changed slighltly and her livestoc and house was ok but she lost numerous outbuildings. When those fires start there is no stopping them. To think some idiots start them deliberatley is unbelaivable. A couple of years ago when their were bushfires in the Sydney area a few were found to have been started deliberately - by fireman !!

TEL

Absolutely horrible....Ive just watched a few news videos, and Im really shocked at how bad things are. Im hoping that none of the ADU members, family and friends are affected. One of the places thats been wiped out, Kinglake.....I drove out to, the last time I was in Victoria...and the fire is right on top of Healsville.....a beautiful area with the Mountain ash trees....Puts our plight at the bottom of the table totally into perspective. Just heard from Greig, and there is a bushfire in Karing Gai forest very close to home.....

Just seen a news article and the NSW premier has said that anybody caught lighting fires will get sent down for a minimum 25 years.....and rightly so.

LargeAddick

[cite]Posted By: TelinOz[/cite]and the fire is right on top of Healsville.

where the Wildlife Sanctuary is ?

TEL

Yes Large...it was within 15 klms of it the last that I heard....there was also a shot of a badly burnt signpost, but you could make out Healsville 23klms.....bloody hope it stops before it gets anywhere near there

queensland_addick

Fire closing in on Healsville tonight unfortunately.

Greenster

Unfortunately bush fires are part & parcel of bush life & have always happened but become more dangerous when communities form in these areas !
We cannot compare to Charlton or our lives as the two are so far removed !

LargeAddick

[cite]Posted By: queensland_addick[/cite]Fire closing in on Healsville tonight unfortunately.

would be a tragedy too if Healesville went. Saw my only Duck Billed Platypus there. I didn't recognise the names of the towns I read mentioned but I reckon I must have passed through them when exploring that area. My thoughts are with all those involved in this tragedy.

bigstemarra

A sense of perspective indeed.

This is heartbreaking, I hope things get better quickly.

Best wishes to all in Oz.

Solidgone

Its a sorryful situation and watching the news in the pub on sunday evening the pub went silent. Queensland is also suffering from flooding but I havent heard of any deaths but still the devastation bears resemblance to our flooding last year. Although I did muster a smile when advice was given for those wading into their home to watch out for crocodiles and snakes when opening any doors!

Ledge

all these children and adults being burnt alive and people worried about a duck billed platypus lol

DA9

My brother lives in Adelaide (thankfully), he claims that some volunteer/part time firemen have in the past started fires to to get called out as they dont get paid unless there is one, quite a well known activity out there allegedly.

Ormiston_Addick

[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]My brother lives in Adelaide (thankfully), he claims that some volunteer/part time firemen have in the past started fires to to get called out as they dont get paid unless there is one, quite a well known activity out there allegedly.

That has happened in the past but only on a couple of very rare occasions and the offenders, if caught, have been given very heavy prison services.

The Country Fire Authority is an all-volunteer organisation, except for top-line management, and are UNPAID anyway. They are generally just local folks doing their very best to protect their local communities.

You'd be lucky to get out alive yourself if you said what you did above to anyone from the CFA at the moment, they are genuine heroes and doing an incredible job in horrific circumstances.

Bournemouth Addick

I was on a game reserve in South Africa when an ember from someone's BBQ hit a dry patch of grass. The place went mental and people rush from every when the shout went up. From an area burning of only about about 4 feet square I saw it as the wind caught it and within a few seconds you are looking at an area about the size of a football pitch. You can't outrun it and had the wind been blowing the other way I wouldn't be here today. A game ranger lost his house that day and it burnt the whole area around for days and days afterwards. Truly shocking to hear what's gone on.

LoOkOuT

Aw!

addick2000

And now some low life looters are going through the devasted properties, stealing what they can. Can you believe people stoop to this level.

DA9

[cite]Posted By: Ormiston Addick[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]My brother lives in Adelaide (thankfully), he claims that some volunteer/part time firemen have in the past started fires to to get called out as they dont get paid unless there is one, quite a well known activity out there allegedly.

That has happened in the past but only on a couple of very rare occasions and the offenders, if caught, have been given very heavy prison services.

The Country Fire Authority is an all-volunteer organisation, except for top-line management, and are UNPAID anyway. They are generally just local folks doing their very best to protect their local communities.

You'd be lucky to get out alive yourself if you said what you did above to anyone from the CFA at the moment, they are genuine heroes and doing an incredible job in horrific circumstances.

Hence the word allegedly used!

stilladdicted

That picture really got to me. Have heard that family members and friends are all OK, you feel relieved then almost guilty for feeling relief. That image just says so much about humanity, thank you.

Ormiston_Addick

[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: Ormiston Addick[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]My brother lives in Adelaide (thankfully), he claims that some volunteer/part time firemen have in the past started fires to to get called out as they dont get paid unless there is one, quite a well known activity out there allegedly.

That has happened in the past but only on a couple of very rare occasions and the offenders, if caught, have been given very heavy prison services.

The Country Fire Authority is an all-volunteer organisation, except for top-line management, and are UNPAID anyway. They are generally just local folks doing their very best to protect their local communities.

You'd be lucky to get out alive yourself if you said what you did above to anyone from the CFA at the moment, they are genuine heroes and doing an incredible job in horrific circumstances.

Hence the word allegedly used!

Yeah, fair enough. Just that one of my old mates from cricket here has moved back to country Victoria and is now in the CFA working on the bush fires, I just hope that he is OK.

LenGlover

http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2009/02/distorted-values.html

TEL

We have a house in a very bushy area on the northern beaches peninsula, and I have to say the threat of fire in our area is quite significant...we are close to the Karingai national park which has had a few quite significant fires since we have owned a property there. I have to say that they were nothing in comparison to the tragedy down in Victoria. People are contstantly reminded to make firebreaks around there property and to clear debris from trees off of roofs, gutters etc. I spent a couple fo days in my garden doing just that when I moved in and everytime before I leave for any significant period. However, you always get the green types who ignore the advice and Ive actually seen the backfilling that is indicated in this piece that Len has posted. Its so bloody dangerous. Our neighbour is a point in case....another refugee from these fair shores like myself, I said to him 18 months ago that he needed to clear all the debris that had accumulated against my fence to create a fire break, and added that I was willing to help over the course of any given weekend.....needless to say the only part of his garden that was cleared was directly around his property....3-4 skip fulls still rest against my fences and given the extreme temps that have happened this summer in Oz, I think its completely irresponsible. I also have to say Im really happy that the police has now arrested a couple of people said to be responsible for lighting fires maliciously.