Very sad day, I had no idea it would get this serious.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/07/2485255.htm?section=justin
Fourteen people are dead and dozens of homes have been destroyed as fires burn over tens of thousands of hectares in Victoria and New South Wales.

Six have been killed at Kinglake, four at Wandong, three at Strathewen and one at Clonbinane. Police fear up to 40 people may have died.

Victoria is bearing the brunt of the inferno with ten major fire fronts, and a man has been arrested in New South Wales suspected of arson.

Kinglake and Healesville, north of Melbourne, are the areas of most concern for authorities, and they say there are between 100 and 150 people sheltering in the Country Fire Authority (CFA) station in Kinglake.

A man is in a critical condition after being burnt over half of his body when he attempted to move a friend's stock away from the fire in the Coleraine area, in Victoria's east, while he was wearing only shorts and thongs.

Another man was taken to Melbourne's Alfred Hospital with burns to the face, and there are unconfirmed reports of another man who was burnt.

Ambulance authorities say there is a power problem at a hospital in Beechworth in the state's north, which may need to be evacuated.

There are emergency medical centres in Coldstream and Whittlesea showgrounds.

It is unclear how many animals have been killed by the fires, but ABC Local Radio in Victoria has fielded a number of calls from people who say their stock and pets have been lost.

CFA chief officer Russell Rees says Victorians need to prepared for the fire threat to increase through the night.

"We have to make a plea to people to realise that just because the southerly wind change has come and the temperature drops, the risk is not gone," he said.

"We've got three or four hours of very significant push in this wind change at least, and we all know from past history that fire at night is even more scary than than fire in the day."

Victorian Premier John Brumby says he has been putting his own bushfire preparations into place at his farm, and he has thanked fire fighters for their efforts.

"Today Victoria has experienced the worst fire conditions in history, even worse than Ash Wednesday of 1983," Mr Brumby said in a statement.

Stretched to breaking point

Fire authorities say new blazes are putting "enormous pressure" on their resources, with all available trucks and more than 3,000 fire fighters already committed to fighting bushfires that have been burning through the day.

Temperatures have dropped across Victoria, but there will be little relief with high winds expected to change direction and force fires onto new fronts.

A fire burning from Kilmore to Yarra Glen, north of Melbourne has turned into a massive blaze of around 10,000 hectares that officials say is almost impossible to control. More than 30 homes have been destroyed in Kilmore, Bendigo and Kinglake.

It is believed a primary school in Wandong has also been destroyed.

There are 101 fire fighters battling the fire, which has destroyed dozens of homes and buildings and is threatening others at Wandong, Heathcote and Upper Plenty north of Melbourne.

The fire, which has burnt through 4,000 hectares, started east of Kilmore and is moving in a southerly direction between Kilmore East and Whittlesea.

A relief centre has been established at the multi-purpose centre in Bentinck Street in Wallan.

ABC Local Radio received a phone call from Peter Mitchell in Kinglake north of Melbourne, who said the entire town was engulfed in flames.

His situation showed how stretched the CFA's resources were, with no fire trucks present after they had been called to the dozens of fires elsewhere in the state. Mr Mitchell said there was one water tanker in the town.

Gippsland fires

The fires have also destroyed several properties across Gippsland in eastern Victoria.

Thick smoke and ash is blowing across west and central Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley, from fires burning near Drouin, Walhalla, and the Strzelecki Ranges.

The fire on the eastern fringe of the Strzelecki Ranges is currently heading towards Willung South, Carrajung South and Carrajung Lower, and the CFA is warning residents may be directly impacted by the fire.

Earlier, the fire passed through Callignee. Other areas including Traralgon South, Gormandale and Yarram are on alert for falling embers.

That blaze is still threatening a number of townships, including Nilma North, Darnum, Neerim South and Noojee, and spot fires have broken out in Warragul.

And a fire burning north of Traralgon is burning in a south-easterly direction, and residents in Toongabbie, Glengarry and Cowwar are also on alert. Earlier it ripped through 600 hectares of pine forests in one hour.

Ricky, from Calignee, south of Traralgon, says her neighbours' houses were destroyed.

She says her husband has been burnt in the blaze, which destroyed the family's cars and a shed, but spared the house.

"The roar from over the hill, I just got too scared, and we went back down towards the house, and ended up getting in the house and the windows cracked," she said.

The Princes Highway has been closed either side of Warragul, in West Gippsland and the South Gippsland Highway is now closed, south of Longford.

There are concerns the fire might damage the coal-fired power station at Loy Yang, but at this stage the fire is threatening neither the station nor the nearby coal mines.

The fire has damaged the ABC's FM transmitter in the region, but ABC Gippsland is still broadcasting emergency information on 828 AM.

It has also been confirmed houses have been lost in a fire around the Bunyip State Park, east of Melbourne, but it is unclear how many.

The fire broke containment lines overnight and if the wind changes this evening the fire front may grow in size to 20 kilometres, authorities warned.

Enormous scale

Fires are becoming so big that they are creating their own weather.

Senior weather forecaster, Terry Ryan, says thunderstorms are forming over fire-affected parts of west Gippsland.

"We call it pyrocumulus, where all the ash coming out of the fire causes lifting and convection, and can cause a thunderstorm-looking top," he said.

"You can get thunderstorms and lightning coming out of the top of the fire basically, and that can add to the fire's effect, a bit of a nasty feedback effect that can occasionally happen."

Easing temperatures and winds have reduced the threat posed by a fire at Horsham, in western Victoria, that destroyed five homes, a fire truck and the Horsham Golf Club.

The blaze has burned about 3,000 hectares around the city's outskirts.

The golf club's manager, Jason Maybery, says the damage to the course is extensive.

"Total devastation. The clubhouse and the pro-shop have been gutted," he said.

"The sheds in the middle of the course, it's all been burnt as well and a lot of the trees around our lovely course have also been totally burnt down."

Residents of the Yarra Valley have been told to immediately activate their bush fire plans.

In the north-east, a fire is burning south of Beechworth and is moving in a south-easterly direction.

A blaze is burning in west Bendigo where several homes are believed to have been lost and the Redesdale fire to the south-east of Bendigo has burnt about 6,000 hectares.

New South Wales

Firefighters in New South Wales are working to establish containment lines around a fire that is threatening homes at Peats Ridge on the state's central coast.

The Rural Fire Service has applauded residents in the area, saying they have worked hard to protect their homes from the threat of embers.

It is one of about 40 fires burning across the state tonight.

Police arrested a 31-year-old man on the Pacific Highway this afternoon, accused of lighting a fire on the central coast.

Fuck!!!

Worse than Ash Wednesday, terrible..... So glad this heatwave is finally over

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/fires/updates/report/Statemap.gif?a=10:37:04%20PM

I was following this on another forum which have a few CFA members on it, they said it was a horrible day for anything. I hope the worst of it has passed. :(

Sad day. My thoughts are with those who have been affected in any way and to all those who are working tirelessly in fighting the fires.

Is Melbourne covered by a thick bushfire smoke? Today Sydney's Lane Cove national park was on fire.

Hopefully they sort this fire asap.

^ Not Melboure, but a little east to Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley, especially Traralgon, the sky was blackend with a red glow with scenes of hell.

It has been the worst day ever.

Cylones and flooding in the north, heatwaves and bushfires in the south - seems like this whole country is going to hell in a handbasket at the moment. I had no idea so many people had been killed in the bushfires though. Terrible terrible stuff :ohno:

And snow in America and UK if memory serves.

THIRTY THOUSAND are fighting the fires in VIC tonight. Good luck to them and my thoughts are with those who have lost family, friends and property today.

Fortunately its almost over for South Autralia and Vic before the southernly breezes kick in according to the Weather Channel???? Spare a thought also for our mates across the ditch, the record heat is about to engulf the whole of New Zealand next week, 32°C in Dunedin!!!! Shezzz thats saying something!

whoa. this got bad real quick. not even the 6.00 news had stories as bad as this. not good at all. hopefully the cooler and more humid conditions tomorrow will slow the fires down.

are most of the fires results of arsonists? they live for days like this. 46C, windy and dry as a bone. it seems coincidental that all summer nothing has happened and the one day that authorities warn that it will be EXTREME fire conditions, all the fires all of a sudden pop up out of nowhere.

14 deaths is an incredible amount... but 40! Fuck!

Miliux - I went out my house at about 3pm this afternoon and the sky was white. I couldn't really tell if it was just normal clouds, or smoke/haze but it was an off-colour white and incredibly thick.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost people today, and with the firefighters and volunteers who are out there fighting the fires. I really hope the police catch the scum who started some of the fires and charge them with murder.

my dad's out there fighting tonight! ALL the best to the other 29,999 :D

Some reletives have had a close call at thier place in Hazelwood North. Their family has retreated to morwell for the night, a friend of theirs almost lost a house but the VFA got it undercontrol and only the back wall and downpipes were burnt.

Me and my brother have packed the car with water blankets and food, if we get a call during the night or in the morning we'll be going to help our relatives.

We could be heading to a rough time in the Northern Hemisphere this coming summer...

25 people confirmed dead now :( NSW is heading into bushfire type weather today as well with 40C temperatures around the country side.

Fuck that's a lot of people.

Its like a volcano has gone off here, ash everywhere & the smell of acrid smoke, you cant get away from it. Was at work last night, we gave up half way through cos ash kept drifting in under doors & through the skylights. My car went from blue to black & the rain we had was useless.
If this doesnt make the government reconsider and make arson a life scentence in prison, it only confirms they are uncaring arseholes.

I'm totally shocked waking up to this news - last night's 6pm & 7pm reports just said there was a change now coming through - I'd no idea that so many lives and proprty were in danger.
Just appalling news :ohno:

Poor poor Marysville, burnt of the map.............................

Its like a volcano has gone off here, ash everywhere & the smell of acrid smoke, you cant get away from it. Was at work last night, we gave up half way through cos ash kept drifting in under doors & through the skylights. My car went from blue to black & the rain we had was useless.
If this doesnt make the government reconsider and make arson a life scentence in prison, it only confirms they are uncaring arseholes.

Yes, my Mum and Dad live in Newborough and their pool is black and all the street lights were turned on at 3pm in the afternoon.
Mum said it seemed like the end of the world.

3AW have only just reported that police and other emergency services believe as many as 20 more have died in the Kinglake area. The person who reported that, Justin Smith, did not want to go into detail yet. I can't remember whether he was one of 3AW's employees, or someone from the emergency services.

18 are being treated at the Alfred for burns - many are in serious conditions.

Police believe many people were burnt alive in their cars; escaping at the last minute.

People are saying this is worse than Ash Wednesday (February 16 1983). Certainly, if the death toll rises above 40, it will be worse (not counting SA deaths). 47 died in 1983.
3,700 buildings were destroyed.
Ash Wednesday, Vic, burnt 518,921 acres (2,100 km2)

About 80% of Marysville has been destroyed. Earlier today 774 reported that residents of Diamond Creek, Hurtsbridge and Lilydale to be on extreme alert. These fires are burning in the outer suburbs!

The army will be deployed shortly.

Edit: 3AW have just reported that the railway from Ringwood to Belgrave has been shut due to fire. They didn't give any other details, so hopefully it is not too bad - maybe just a blackout or fallen trees.

Latest from The Age


Death toll rises from bushfires

Mex Cooper
February 8, 2009 - 11:33AM

http://images.theage.com.au/2009/02/08/373964/420bushfire2-420x0.jpg

Twenty-six people are confirmed dead and the toll is expected to rise in Victoria's worst bushfires since Ash Wednesday.

The number of dead is expected to reach more than 40 as blazes continue to ravage the state with more than 100,000 hectares affected as 3000 firefighters struggle to contain seven major firefronts.

Police have confirmed that 12 people were killed in fires at Kinglake and Kinglake west, four in Wandong, four in St Andrews, three in Humevale, one in Bendigo, one in Strathewen and one in Arthurs Creek.

Authorities began the grim search for bodies this morning following Saturday's devastating bushfires. Police expect the death toll to surpass 40.

Most of the confirmed deaths were in towns northwest of Melbourne including at Kinglake where six people were killed in one car.

The CFA expects that hundreds of homes have been destroyed. Among the properties destroyed were the Marysville and Kinglake police stations.

Both Marysville and Kinglake townships have been nearly wiped out by the fires, reports suggest.

Police said they did not know if the age of those killed in the fires but it was expected that some children were among the dead.

Police suspect some fires were deliberately lit yesterday despite warnings that it was the worst day in Victoria's history for fire conditions.

A police spokeswoman said investigators would not be able to establish how many of the fires were arson-related until they could survey the scenes and establish the origin of the blazes.

18 people are being treated for severe burns in the Alfred Hospital, eight of them in intensive care, ABC radio reports.

An emotional John Brumby has warned Victorians not to underestimate the danger of fires continuing to burn throughout Victoria, saying that despite cooler temperatures it will be days before the crisis is over.

The Premier twice had to choke back tears as he described the impact of yesterday's "devastating" fires that have so far claimed at least 25 lives.

"We pray there's no more loss of life over the next few days," Mr Brumby said at a press conference at the CFA station in Kilmore, north of Melbourne.

The CFA is urging residents to decide now if they will go or stay.

"The Kilmore fire is now impacting on the Glenburn area, in particular Glenburn and settlements to the North and North East along the Melba Hwy and Yea River Valley towards Murrindindi,'' the CFA said.

"There is now active fire around the Glenburn area and residents can expect thick smoke and ember attack. All residents in these areas are advised to activate their fire plans immediately and to remain on high alert.''

"Residents cannot rely on fire-fighting resources being able to get to their property.

"It is very dangerous to leave late with a fire in the area.

"Residents in this area may experience smoke and burning embers reaching their properties, and are advised to patrol their houses to find and put out any burning embers that may be landing.''

Meanwhile, the threat from a bushfire burning in the Beechworth area in northeastern Victoria has eased, but authorities are urging residents in the region to remain alert.

The fire is burning in a south easterly direction and is estimated to be more than 20,000 hectares in size.

The that fire activity had decreased allowing crews to make good progress on control lines.

"The communities of Bruarong, Glen Creek, Dederang, Running Creek, Myrtleford, Ovens, Barwidgee Creek are no longer under direct threat from this fire, but still need to remain alert due to a high level of fire activity still in the area,'' the CFA said.

"These communities may come under new attack tomorrow as weather conditions worsen.''

Stanley, Mudgeegonga, Rosewhite, Kancoona and Kancoona South remain under threat with CFA strike-teams continuing to work on asset protection.

A recent wind change had begun pushing a fire at Bunyip Ridge, north of Drouin, in a north-easterly direction towards the towns of Labertouche, Tarago, Jindivick West, Jindivick North, Neerim South, Neerim East, Neerim North, Whites Corner, Noogee, Tonimbuk and Robin Hood.

Firefighers have managed to control a fire in Coleraine that burnt nearly 1000 hectares.

with AAP

Did anyone anticipate that the fires could be this bad?

What a horrible day for Victoria :ohno:

Yes, during the week the government were warning us about this danger. We were encouraged to defer all non-essential travel and to stay at home.

The state has just been so dry, for so long, and the heat of the last week or so sucked out all the moisture left in vegetation.

It makes me sick to hear that Ingham has close to 900mm of rain in the past week. That is close to three times the ammount of rain Melbourne and probably much of the SE has had in 3 threes. Awful! We need rain so badly.

Re dryness and heat in Melbourne yesterday - Melbourne observations show that the temperature was 45 degrees and over between 2pm and 5pm with relative humidity going from 7% to 5% before the wind change. Temperatures stayed in the high 30s for most of the evening after the change.

46.4* in the CBD - making it the hottest temperature ever recorded in an Australian capital city.

Some suburbs topped 48* - Laverton, Avalon, Geelong.

Some pictures from London's The Guardian (www.guardian.co.uk)


http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234011925250/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234014452214/Australia-wildfires-002.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234013745370/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234012381988/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234012636704/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234011126717/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg
Country Fire Authority volunteers Simon and Laura Gurney stand in the ruins of their Darlimurla house burnt out by a wildfire. Photograph: Aaron Francis/AFP/Getty Images

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234014605738/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/7/1234014537907/Australia-wildfires-001.jpg


I wonder what steps the Government will take in trying to get these people's lives back in order? Surely it can be declared a Natural Disaster Zone, freeing up funding?

Shows like 'Backyard Blitz' etc. should come and build these people new homes!

Nasty!

I remember living in the outer Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne during the Ash Wednesday bushfires. We had ash falling, fires around and everything important packed up in the car. We were in an urban area but had bush and forest all around. There were fires within 1km of us which was scary. I can remember hosing down the back yard, we had heshen sacks on our fence and kept them wet as the bush was right behind us. We also kept the house wet all night. (stuff the drought)

We knew what was coming weeks before. It was a scary time but a time when the community came together like I've never seen before or since. In that sense it was good - bringing people together that is.....

I heard on the news this morning that NARRE WARREN got hit - has anyone heard from Tayser????

j

Some pictures from London's The Guardian (www.guardian.co.uk)



I wonder what steps the Government will take in trying to get these people's lives back in order? Surely it can be declared a Natural Disaster Zone, freeing up funding?

Shows like 'Backyard Blitz' etc. should come and build these people new homes!

Rudd has pledged 10 million dollars.
Cool change arrived in Adelaide yesterday afternoon, hopefully it quickly passes on to Victoria, we got some light rain too.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3377/3261626686_e9158d06cb_o.jpg
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476268,00.jpg

In that last photo, that is an actual 737 passenger aircraft. Shows the magnitude of these fires.

At least 35 dead. Wouldn't be surprised if the final figure passed 50.

Terrible

now 36 confirmed, but who's counting.

49 now confirmed dead.

I heard on the news this morning that NARRE WARREN got hit - has anyone heard from Tayser????

j

Alive and kicking in South Melbourne (for the past 2 years).

I used to live in Marysville, so yeah I am just completely shocked that the whole town has been destroyed. :(

While this bushfire has just been a terrible disaster, we have all seen this coming. I am pretty surprised there hasn't been anything major here in SA.


BTW 49 dead? WTF, I feel so much for Victoria atm

This is horrible. almost 50 people confirmed dead! thats shocking news. I hope no SSC members are caught in the middle of this.

Shocking the number of dead considering everything feels normal (except for the news reports on TV & radio) in the Eastern suburbs; you can't smell nothing in the air outside at the moment.

The official number of Victorians who died in Ash Wednesday were 47, Looks like that figure will be broken :(.

death toll just hit 50

I started driving and the death toll was 35, then 1 and a half hours later it was at 49. Very sad.

Also surprised at how little smoke has reached Melbourne, usually the southerly winds bring the smoke down to the suburbs but not this time.

Reports from people on another forum I visit, is that smoke is starting to reach new zealand. Someone from the eouth west of the north island said his sky was orange at around midday.

They've also gotten the hot weather in NZ too, I wonder how they'll cope with 40 degree temps.

it's now 65. the reason why it all seems normal in melbourne is because the wind is blowing the smoke out over the tasman.

This is bull shiit.

I live in the outer northern suburbs, close to where much of the devastation has occurred yet it all feel so surreal.

No smoke, no siren, nothing. :ohno:

65! Jesus!

640 homes have been destroyed.

49 died during the Ash Wednesday fires. This is very surreal.

Reports from people on another forum I visit, is that smoke is starting to reach new zealand. Someone from the eouth west of the north island said his sky was orange at around midday.

They've also gotten the hot weather in NZ too, I wonder how they'll cope with 40 degree temps.

Most of NZ is having mid high 30s and is very dry. But then, even if they broke out we wouldnt see fires anywhere near this magnitude.

This is so wierd how its all developing. Im certain the worst is still to come unfortunately.

Reminds me so much of when I was a young pup and Ash Wednesday hit. It just shows how easy it is for this type of thing to happen and quickly get out of control.

It would be a strange surreal feeling to be standing in Melbourne right now knowing not that far away so many people are losing their lives in such a horrific way.

http://google-au.blogspot.com/2009/02/mapping-victorian-fires.html

Google maps overlay of fires and conditions

Fucking hell. Big sympathies to our friends in Australia. Usually we send over firefighters during your bush fire season - hopefully we send over a lot more very soon (as in right now)

hell close to melb. thats why so many deaths. alot of pop around.

Most of NZ is having mid high 30s and is very dry. But then, even if they broke out we wouldnt see fires anywhere near this magnitude.

This is so wierd how its all developing. Im certain the worst is still to come unfortunately.

Reminds me so much of when I was a young pup and Ash Wednesday hit. It just shows how easy it is for this type of thing to happen and quickly get out of control.

It would be a strange surreal feeling to be standing in Melbourne right now knowing not that far away so many people are losing their lives in such a horrific way.

Even Auckland is really dry. The grass is brown around here - really unusual for a maritime climate. It is forcasted rain tomorrow though, thank god.

The most disturbing thing is that a lot of the fires have been lit by arsonists, and then there are reports about arsonists relighting fires that have already been brought under control. To think there are people out there who still get a kick out of this knowing that so many peoples homes have been destroyed, entire families have been killed and thousands of firefighters are risking their own lives to try and save people, while they continue to knowingly commit mass murder is truely sickening.

hell close to melb. thats why so many deaths. alot of pop around.

All of the deaths occurred well outside of Melbourne.

Map (http://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=102249094339782735107.0004625ef88fc64cf65fe&source=embed&ll=-37.818463,145.524902&spn=2.49513,5.822754&z=8) - blue markers represent fatalities.

I wouldn't be suprised if the death toll rises ubove 100. truely devistating

They just said on 9 news that the death toll has unofficially reached 100.

My sister in law's parents fought to save their house all night in Yarra Glen. They were lucky - they only lost some sheds and barns.

An arsonist is surely charged with murder in this case??

Murder in the 100th degree i hope they rott prison pure evil bastards

good reason to bring back the 'eye for an eye, toe for a toe' mentality

good reason to bring back the 'eye for an eye, toe for a toe' mentality

No it is not.

yes, it is

Why should society reduce itself to that level? We would be no better than the scumbags that commit these crimes. The administration of justice should be carried out dispassionately, and not based on knee jerk reactions and emotional responses. We have moved on from the middle ages, I would've thought. If you believe in this 'eye for an eye' crap move to Saudi Arabia.

^ i'd be happy to buy a ticket to a stadium where the offenders are burnt to death limb by agonising limb, kept alive to the very end. it should be transmitted on free to air tv so instead of these fire bugs only getting a kick out of seeing their fires all over the media, they see their fellow psychopathic firebugs burn!!!

That's not a society I would want to live in.

by far the most devastating day in victoria, if not Australia's history.

i know people who have lost absolutely everything, including relatives and i even almost lost a close friend.

they people who light these fires should be charged with 100 counts of murder. i would really like to see these people die in jail for all they've done.

That's not a society I would want to live in.

so you'd rather this weak soft suffering society yeah?

Fires around Latrobe Valley (Morwell/Traralgon/Churchill) Hour east of Melbourne
This is the city I grew up in, never have I seen anything like this, these photos were taken by friends. I cancelled going to the Latrobe Valley because of the heat. Temperature here in Melbourne topped 46.4. It was hell.

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/5880/n667020858129687647781fi7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8302/n667020858129691753841un2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/1911/n667020858129691966251ar2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/4940/n667020858129692674221mz7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/551/n812182417131126060931gt4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/9829/n812182417131126781671ww8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/733/n812182417131127194051gg6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8907/n812182417131548930231ty3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8586/n158044989210367263051um0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4379/getattachment1cs8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/1750/getattachment1vb1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/70/getattachment1sb9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

so you'd rather this weak soft suffering society yeah?

A sign of strength not weakness - yeah?

I would think it'd be hard to pin a murder charge on a fire bug because there is no intent to kill. It would have to be manslaughter.

^ and there's the problem. burn em!

Man, those photos look so apocalyptic.

I guess it's hard to imagine what it's like unless you've experienced it. it's strange hearing witnesses talk about the 'speed' with which the fire moves. I never imagined a bush fire traveling as fast as a car.

66 confirmed dead with the toll expect to rise higher

a man in NSW has just been charged with arson.

i hope he fucking dies in jail.

...

this is horrible 66 confirmed now

Man, those photos look so apocalyptic.

I guess it's hard to imagine what it's like unless you've experienced it. it's strange hearing witnesses talk about the 'speed' with which the fire moves. I never imagined a bush fire traveling as fast as a car.

It is very hard to imagine, no words can really describe it, not even these pics can capture the enormity of it. They were taken during late afternoon. Street lights came on at 3pm I was told because the sky blackened with only the glow of fires.

This was only 1 small part of the state.

Channel 9 newsreader Brian Naylor missing. His wife is confirmed dead.

^^ This guy?

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2002/09/26/Craig8,0.jpg
http://www.chessmoves.com/T_naylor0034.jpg

Man, that's terrible. Everyone at Channel 9 must be in tears.

That's not a society I would want to live in.

I do not want to go back into the Roman ages but i do believe that if you kill someone, you should pay the ultimate sacrifice.

Death toll now at 74, worst fires in our history.

I can't believe that this morning the death toll was at 15 and was only predicted to go as high as 40. Its almost doubled. Horrifying. I cant even begin to imagine the tradgic lose of life

I would think it'd be hard to pin a murder charge on a fire bug because there is no intent to kill. It would have to be manslaughter.

In Victoria recklessness as to killing or causing grievous bodily harm is a sufficient mens rea to charge murder. If the arsonists are caught and tied to specific fatal fires they could (and I imagine would) certainly be charged with murder.

Death toll now at 76 (time to rename the thread again)

Why should society reduce itself to that level? We would be no better than the scumbags that commit these crimes. The administration of justice should be carried out dispassionately, and not based on knee jerk reactions and emotional responses. We have moved on from the middle ages, I would've thought. If you believe in this 'eye for an eye' crap move to Saudi Arabia.

:banana:

The Age 8:24pm latest.


Death toll rises from bushfires

Mex Cooper, Larissa Ham
February 8, 2009 - 8:18PM

Seventy-six people are confirmed dead in Victoria's bushfires, far surpassing the state's toll of 47 in the 1983 Ash Wednesday blazes.

VICTORIAN BUSHFIRE FUND - 1800 811 700

The number of dead is likely to rise even further as blazes continue to ravage the state with almost 312,000 hectares affected. At least 700 homes have been destroyed - 550 of those in Kinglake and surrounding areas.

The Kinglake complex fires north-east of Melbourne are now at least 80 kilometres wide and 220,000 hectares in size, after several fires merged. The fire stretches from Broadford all the way to Taggerty.

More than 70,000 hectares have been burnt in Gippsland, and last week's fire in the Delburn area has again raised its head.

The Red Cross has about 20 relief centres operating, with 3700 people now registered as evacuated.

Police have confirmed that people were killed in fires in the following areas:

Kinglake 8, Kinglake West 10, St Andrews 11, Humevale 5, Wandong 4, Bendigo 1, Strathewen 1, Callignee 4, Upper Callignee 1, Hazelwood 3, Jeealang 1, Long Gully 1, Flowerdale 5, Yea 1 (died in hospital), Hazeldene 2, Taggerty 3, Marysville 2, Whittlesea 3

Stories from victims recount the horror of the blazes as they ravaged towns surrounding Melbourne and other parts of Victoria.

A Kinglake real estate agent who lost his home last night said the region would regain its strength despite the devastation.

"I can't explain anything other than that it was like a sustained bombing attack, that what it was like with the noise,'' said Moray Sharp.

"Kinglake's ceased to exist for all intents and purposes,'' he said.

"The shops in Kinglake survived, but we would have had 50 per cent housing loss.''

Mr Sharp is gathered with a couple of hundred residents in the centre of town, and they will be transported to the Whittlesea Showgrounds at 5pm.

He said while a few people had understandably gone to pieces, most people were trying to stay strong.

"We will come back as a community I'm sure,'' Mr Sharp said.

Friends and family of victims of the Kinglake fire broke down sobbing outside the Whittlesea community activity centre upon learning of the fate of at least 12 residents who perished in the blaze, including six people who were killed in one car.

Marie Jones from Canberra, who was visiting a friend at Kinglake yesterday, said a badly-burnt man had arrived at the property where she was staying with his infant daughter, and told her his wife and other child had been killed.

Authorities began the grim search for bodies this morning following Saturday's devastating bushfires.

The CFA expects hundreds of homes have been destroyed. Among the properties destroyed were the Marysville and Kinglake police stations.

Both Marysville and Kinglake townships have been nearly wiped out by the fires, with Marysville residents evacuated in a convoy this morning from the area.

CFA spokesman Paul Swan said firefighters still battling nearby blazes.

The Marysville fire is part of the Murrindindi blaze, which has now merged with the Kilmore fires. About 100,000 hectares is now burning in that area.

Police said they did not know if the age of those killed in the fires but expect some children are among the dead.

Police suspect some fires were deliberately lit yesterday despite warnings that it was the worst day in Victoria's history for fire conditions.

A police spokeswoman said investigators would not be able to establish how many of the fires were arson-related until they could survey the scenes and establish the origin of the blazes.

Ten people remain in a critical condition in hospital after being burnt in the state's bushfires.

A spokesman from The Alfred hospital said 10 patients were in a critical condition in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit. A further 10 were in a stable condition.

The hospital had received two new patients from the Austin Hospital on Sunday, the spokesman said.

He said no one at The Alfred had died from the fire.

An emotional John Brumby has warned Victorians not to underestimate the danger of fires continuing to burn throughout Victoria, saying that despite cooler temperatures it will be days before the crisis is over.

The Premier twice had to choke back tears as he described the impact of yesterday's "devastating" fires that have so far claimed at least 25 lives.

"We pray there's no more loss of life over the next few days," Mr Brumby said at a press conference at the CFA station in Kilmore, north of Melbourne.

"The Kilmore fire is now impacting on the Glenburn area, in particular Glenburn and settlements to the North and North East along the Melba Highway and Yea River Valley towards Murrindindi,'' the CFA said.

"There is now active fire around the Glenburn area and residents can expect thick smoke and ember attack. All residents in these areas are advised to activate their fire plans immediately and to remain on high alert.''

"Residents cannot rely on fire-fighting resources being able to get to their property. It is very dangerous to leave late with a

The fire is burning in a south easterly direction and is estimated to be more than 20,000 hectares in size.

"The communities of Bruarong, Glen Creek, Dederang, Running Creek, Myrtleford, Ovens, Barwidgee Creek are no longer under direct threat from this fire, but still need to remain alert due to a high level of fire activity still in the area,'' the CFA said.

"These communities may come under new attack tomorrow as weather conditions worsen.''

Stanley, Mudgeegonga, Rosewhite, Kancoona and Kancoona South remain under threat with CFA strike-teams continuing to work on asset protection.

A recent wind change had begun pushing a fire at Bunyip Ridge, north of Drouin, in a north-easterly direction towards the towns of Labertouche, Tarago, Jindivick West, Jindivick North, Neerim South, Neerim East, Neerim North, Whites Corner, Noogee, Tonimbuk and Robin Hood.

Firefighers have managed to control a fire in Coleraine that burnt nearly 1000 hectares.

with AAP

76 :( going up by 10 an hour :(

Just utterly devestating. :(

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6475941,00.jpg
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6475937,00.jpg
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6475977,00.jpg
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476787,00.jpg
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476771,00.jpg

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476528,00.jpg
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476523,00.jpg
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476584,00.jpg

It's sad about Brian Naylor if he has passed away. A icon to the media in Melbourne.
Like Brian Henderson in Sydney, everyone in Melbourne got their news from Brian with the famous catchphrase 'Brian told me so'

1986 Promo

viDHbHLKeH8

1990 Opener

G5fvQhfRRNM

7 Newsreader is missing in the fires now.

Who? Peter Mitchell???

It scrolled along when Border Security was on. It didn't mention a name but it said a special report was on at 10:30pm.

Really shocked. I honestly didn't expect this to happen.

I was in the CBD today and it felt so strange - there was no evidence that so much death and destruction had occurred on the northern outskirts - no smoke, no smell. It's had to describe the mood, but there was almost the vibe of guilt about the inner city because everyone was going about business as usual, seemingly unaffected - but everyone is certainly shocked.

My sister in law has lost her collegue (her and her husband have both died in their car). She was a teacher at a primary school in Heidelberg. It will be difficult for the children in her class.

It was pointed out on the News that this will likely be the biggest loss of life on Australian soil since the Japanese bombing of Darwin in WW2 - it's expected to easily exceed (in terms of dead) Cyclone Tracy and the Granville rail disaster (they mentioned that this 1977 disaster will likely loose its status as our deadliest non-war related disaster).

76 :( going up by 10 an hour :(

84.

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6477166,00.jpg

Gday

I must say that my wife , my mother in law and i were very lucky yesterday. We were in Marysville and Healesville on a day trip, and by sheer fate, we managed to avoid the bushfires and were lucky enough to get home safely. It could have easily been a different story:ohno:

Here are some photos of the bushfires

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/wian_ian/P2070283.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/wian_ian/P2070285.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/wian_ian/P2070289.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/wian_ian/P2070294.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/wian_ian/P2070296.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/wian_ian/P2070309.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n19/wian_ian/P2070314.jpg

cheers

Lozza

Alive and kicking in South Melbourne (for the past 2 years).
We may argue but the first thing I thought about was you as I had seen your house once before on a thread. Glad to here your safe,
J

This is ghastly.

Watching a toll rise like this is nuts.

My morning newspaper said 14 dead. What will it say tomorrow?

Brian Naylor confirmed dead: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25025527-2,00.html

Channel Nine veteran Brian Naylor confirmed dead in Kinglake fires

Herald Sun

February 08, 2009 09:37pm

CHANNEL Nine veteran Brian Naylor and his wife Moiree have been confirmed dead in the fires at Kinglake West, Sky News reports.
Channel Nine had earlier said the newsreading legend, who lives in fire-ravaged Kinglake West, could not be accounted for.

In a break in their normal programming, presenter Tony Jones reported that a body believed to be that of Moiree Naylor had been found close to the family's address.

Eighty-four people are dead and at least 750 homes have been destroyed and 3733 people have registered with the Red Cross after evacuating their properties.

The number left homeless is expected to be far higher, the Red Cross says.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon confirmed the death toll includes at least four children.

"The sad part for me is to say to the community that there will be more deaths, we believe," Ms Nixon said at a 6pm press conference at Moe Police Station.

"We will find more bodies as we gain access to different parts of the fire areas, where at the moment we just havn't been able to get in.
Related Coverage

* 84 dead, 750 homes lost in fire horrorNEWS.com.au, 8 Feb 2009
* Bushfire toll climbs to 76NEWS.com.au, 8 Feb 2009
* Premier labels arsonists 'terrorists'NEWS.com.au, 8 Feb 2009
* Fire toll reaches 76, likely to riseThe Australian, 8 Feb 2009
* Readers swap vital fire infoHerald Sun, 8 Feb 2009


"So far we have found people in cars, it looks like they have decided late to leave their premises.

"We have found people who have been in properties, in their paddocks.

"We've found others in their houses.

"It covers the whole range. And the sad part is that we found children. That is devastating for us."

Ms Nixon said she was sickened by the fact some of the fires may have been deliberately lit.

"It makes me very angry to see that kind of environment yesterday, where we all knew we faced the most enormous risks in our community.

"To then have someone who may have lit these fires.

"Fires are so devastating.

"The injuries we are seeing. We are talking about a massive death toll.

"We also know that in our hospitals are people with very severe burns and other injuries.

"The tolls from those are not counted at this stage, and they will be far bigger, and in many cases just as devastating as deaths have been."

Ms Nixon said 20 severe burns victims were being treated at The Alfred hospital.

Teams of disaster victim identification experts were flying in from all over Australia.

Ms Nixon said what they would see in Victoria's hospitals would be akin to what they saw in the Bali bombings.

"We all sent people to the Bali Bombings so sadly they could gain experience, which is what they have done, and that experience will obviously help us in these circumstances."

Firebugs are being blamed for several blazes that continue to ravage the state, the Country Fire Authority says, confirming fires are being deliberately relit.

Read more on this story at the Herald Sun.

This is ghastly.

Watching a toll rise like this is nuts.

My morning newspaper said 14 dead. What will it say tomorrow?

They are expecting over 100.

Brian Naylor has died. Tragic. His son died only recently too.

This is just shocking. Unbelievable.

Its being reported that Victorian authorities, unlike other states, have no powers to demand people leave their homes. Is this true? Does anyone know?

If its true, its hard to understand that this law wasn't changed after the Ash Wednesday bush fires.

Sometimes laws are needed to save people from their own misguided judgment.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6b/February_7_Victoria_Bushfires_-_MODIS_Aqua_cropped.jpg

Bigger than Melbourne...on fire.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c0/09_Victorian_bushfires_locator_map.png

84 people :ohno:

It might sound weird and wanky, but I really think that there should be a parade (or something) for the firefighters and volunteers that helped save people. At the very least, there should be a national day of mourning or a minute's silence.

This is our nation's worst disaster, we should say thanks to the people that fought so hard against the fires and remember those that died.

What a terrible day for Oz. I went back to work at my old job at the Environmental Health department of the Department of Human Services just last week. Tomorrow is going to be fucking crazy busy as we'll be dealing with the fallout.

The case of the four car pile up, is simply just sickening.

A really awful day in Victoria's and Australia's history.

My sincere condolences to all who lost family/friends and good luck to all fighting the fires and helping out.

We can all help.

I urge anyone who can, to donate generously to the appeals.

I also hear the blood bank urgently needs donors.

Where is the American help? We go over every time California has a major fire.

Truly aweful the loss of life.

CNN and BBC World have picked the fires up as a major story now. I hate how Americans say 'Melborne' - just say 'Melbun' god damn it.

They showed the flooding in far north Queensland as well. It seems half the nation is a disaster zone at the moment. I wish all that rain was falling in Victoria right now.

http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/fire1_gallery__597x400.jpg

http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/fire3_gallery__600x384.jpg

http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/fire6_gallery__600x387.jpg

http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/mbn_fire3_gallery__306x400.jpg

http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/mbn_fire4_gallery__588x400.jpg

http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/07/mbn_fire7_gallery__600x364.jpg

http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/08/majhouseburns_gallery__600x396.jpg

http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2009/02/08/majfamily_gallery__600x397,0.jpg

Imagine how terrified those kids and that guy in the last photo must be. I wonder if their house is still standing.

Where is the American help? We go over every time California has a major fire.

Truly aweful the loss of life.

^^ They cant afford to fly over remember the GFC.

Looks like another generation will be knowing what its like to play in blackened ruins...
Its only just begun.
I still get chills when I hear certain songs from the 80s (Ash Wednesday)
j

7 Newsreader is missing in the fires now.

Any more details on that?

Reporter Norm Beamen desperately tried to reach his wife and home near Kilmore yesterday. Everything OK though.

This is about the worst few days in our country's history.
What the hell is happening to us- floods, fires, record heatwaves. Maybe houses in high bushfire prone areas should be forced to have underground bunkers below the house (with oxygen cylinders) to shield away from the fire. The fire heat is one thing, but people suffocating to death due to all the oxygen being sucked by the fire is just as worse.

Opened the online paper and it was on the front page and saw the headline and was shocked. Terrible news.
I hope rain comes soon.

CNN and BBC World have picked the fires up as a major story now. I hate how Americans say 'Melborne' - just say 'Melbun' god damn it.

They showed the flooding in far north Queensland as well. It seems half the nation is a disaster zone at the moment. I wish all that rain was falling in Victoria right now.

Hard to believe half of Queensland is under several metres of water when this is happening down in Victoria. Its like two countries.

J

^^ Its always been that way.

As Banjo Patterson wrote

"I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of drought and flooding rains....."

Bushfire toll reaches 84, TV legend Brian Naylor dead
Article from: Herald Sun

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Staff reporters

February 08, 2009 08:25pm

UPDATE 10:07pm: THE death toll in Victoria's worst ever bushfires has hit 84. TV veteran Brian Naylor has been confirmed dead.

At least 650 homes have been destroyed and 3733 people have registered with the Red Cross after evacuating their properties.

The number left homeless is expected to be far higher, the Red Cross says.

At 9pm the CFA said the state's major bushfire information phone line - 1800 240 667 - has been swamped with calls.

Callers who get a busy signal are asked to be patient, hang up and try the number again.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25025493-661,00.html

Death toll is still at 84 for now. Considering how quickly it's risen today, I guess that number will be 100+ within an hour :ohno:

How horrible. The extent of the bushfires is mindblowing. I hope that NZ can send some firefighters over soon - though currently we're on high alert too and have had a couple of fires ourselves!

My condolences to all those who have died or knows someone who has died. Truly a tragic state of affairs.

^^ Its always been that way.

As Banjo Patterson wrote

"I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of drought and flooding rains....."

I love a Sunburnt Country was written by Dorothea Mackellar

Death toll is still at 84 for now. Considering how quickly it's risen today, I guess that number will be 100+ within an hour :ohno:

I'm afraid to refresh my browser on The Age website.

NSW and SEQ fires will be ones to watch tomorrow as well. I hope I am wrong but I feel very pessimistic about this situation. My thoughts are that there's more bad news to come.

Approx 800 homes lost? Thats insane. I was upset when last weeks fires took about 9 homes but 800? I cant get my head around that.

Can any of you guys remind me where that animal sanctuary up in the Yarra Valley is? I remember visiting it years ago and really enjoyed it. Is it anywhere near the fires?

NSW and SEQ fires will be ones to watch tomorrow as well.

Do you mean SA?? SEQ is fine.

NSW and SEQ fires will be ones to watch tomorrow as well. I hope I am wrong but I feel very pessimistic about this situation. My thoughts are that there's more bad news to come.

Approx 800 homes lost? Thats insane. I was upset when last weeks fires took about 9 homes but 800? I cant get my head around that.

Can any of you guys remind me where that animal sanctuary up in the Yarra Valley is? I remember visiting it years ago and really enjoyed it. Is it anywhere near the fires?

Healesville. http://www.zoo.org.au/

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476969,00.jpg

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476968,00.jpg

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476853,00.jpg

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476854,00.jpg

Aerial of Kinglake
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476851,00.jpg

A vinyard in Yarra Glen
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476852,00.jpg

Kinglake
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476849,00.jpg

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476856,00.jpg

The main street of Maryville
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476846,00.jpg

The fire was so hot that it melted car rims.
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476816,00.jpg

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476817,00.jpg


One thing that amazes me is how healthy and untouched a lot of the trees look in the photos. It's amazing that many of our native plants actually need fire to spread seeds and benefit from bushfires.

Death toll is still at 84 for now. Considering how quickly it's risen today, I guess that number will be 100+ within an hour :ohno:

Apparently Marysville hasn't been counted yet, so it could well rise past 100. Oh man I just saw video footage of Marysville on 10 news.. very upsetting :(, hope no one I know has been killed.


BTW SA has sent fire crews and Elvis to Victoria, while NSW has also sent firecrews.

My Uncle (from Italy) rang for my dad tonight (it is his birthday) and he said that the bushfires have been all over the news there....

http://wwww.ansa.it/opencms/export/site/visualizza_fdg.html_877897774.html

http://www.corriere.it/esteri/09_febbraio_08/australia_incendi_morti_eb538bc8-f5ba-11dd-9877-00144f02aabc.shtml

Apparently Marysville hasn't been counted yet, so it could well rise past 100. Oh man I just saw video footage of Marysville on 10 news.. very upsetting :(, hope no one I know has been killed.


BTW SA has sent fire crews and Elvis to Victoria, while NSW has also sent firecrews.

When I was on secondment to the DSE to organise all the planning documents, my boss there was a volunteer firefighter. 2 years ago he was battling a blaze and it got so hot that his muscles started to melt. That went into his bloodstream and poisoned him and he had to be dragged unconscious from the scene. He spent 3 months in hospital, and now he's out fighting the fires again today.

I wonder if I'll hear from him again... : /

If Marysville hasn't been counted, then there's going to be quite a few more deaths to add to the list.

Apparently Marysville hasn't been counted yet, so it could well rise past 100. Oh man I just saw video footage of Marysville on 10 news.. very upsetting :(, hope no one I know has been killed.


BTW SA has sent fire crews and Elvis to Victoria, while NSW has also sent firecrews.

So when is the USA sending over some help?

We always send help to them

Horrible stuff!

I'm surprised that after the 2003 fires, and our history of bush fires that this got so out of control.

When I was on secondment to the DSE to organise all the planning documents, my boss there was a volunteer firefighter. 2 years ago he was battling a blaze and it got so hot that his muscles started to melt. That went into his bloodstream and poisoned him and he had to be dragged unconscious from the scene. He spent 3 months in hospital, and now he's out fighting the fires again today.

I wonder if I'll hear from him again... : /

If Marysville hasn't been counted, then there's going to be quite a few more deaths to add to the list.

Edit, just heard on the news that 5 people have been confirmed dead in Marysville and could rise to 10.

This is just simply insane, one state is battling the worst bushfire in Australia's history while another state is under water.

This pic tells a story:

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476816,00.jpg

I have to assume that's steel?? Melting point over 1300C.

This pic tells a story:

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476816,00.jpg

I have to assume that's steel?? Melting point over 1300C.

It is more than likely 'Alloy' - but all in all the same thing.....

Yes.. that picture does tell a story.

I haven't been keeping up with the news much over the weekend but caught up on it tonight and was shocked to hear what is happening down there. Terrible stuff.....:ohno:

Horrible stuff!

I'm surprised that after the 2003 fires, and our history of bush fires that this got so out of control.

Extreme temps, drought and idiots lighting fires = deadly combination

Death toll now 96 :(

Just a moment ago it was 84, now they've updated news.com.au and its hit 96.
I wonder what the sick bast*** who started these fires are feeling right now.

Such a horrendous tragedy.

To think that just last night, 14 bushfire deaths seemed like a shockingly high number.

:(

^ Indeed! :(

The number just keeps rising and rising. It's so depressing! :\

We're also on the top news on nearly every news site!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/ = The UK
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ = The UK
http://www.independent.co.uk/ = The UK
http://www.iltalehti.fi/etusivu/ = Finland
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ = New Zealand
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/ = Canada
http://www.lemonde.fr/ = France

Etc.

yeah, I just noticed that.:ohno:

When is it going to end? This is catastrophic.

Been looking around and it's being covered by every newspaper in the world from the LA Times to Le Monde in Paris.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/AdamfromOz/lemondeJPG.jpg

Good thing is that people want to help.

RED CROSS APPEAL: 1800 811 700

I feel bad for the Aussies :ohno: who lost Family members and properties. we don't big Bush Fires or as i call them Pine Fires up here especially now because its winter, but if it were dry for 3 months, i could happen here , in New Jersey. It could Happen Anywhere. I just hope the death toll doesn't rise there anymore. Its 52 F or 11 C here in my town 54 kms Northwest of NYC. All You Aussies Feel better , you'll get through this slowly, but remember this Mother Nature does what she wants, you can try to control her , but she'll fight back, & often Win with deadly consequences.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45454000/jpg/_45454909_fire466ap.jpg

The once scenic road to Marysville - Black Spur, Yarra Ranges National Park
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/92/235752609_9b655341a1_o.jpg

Look it so beautiful the Yarra Ranges, hate to see what it would look now

From the Herald Sun, let's increase the avenues to help:

To donate to the Red Cross State Government Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund:
* Visit www.redcross.org.au
* Phone 1800 811 700
* Any NAB, ANZ, Westpac or Commonwealth Bank branch
* Any Bunnings store
* By direct deposit to the Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund - BSB 082-001, Account number 860-046-797
Myer Bushfire Appeal
* All proceeds to the Salvation Army. Donate at any Victorian Myer store

A mate of mine lost his mother and father in Kinglake West, im lost for words...........

Thats terrible

Don't know if this accurate, but here is a map of locations affected by bushfires in Central Victoria and West Gippsland.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c0/09_Victorian_bushfires_locator_map.png/400px-09_Victorian_bushfires_locator_map.png
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Victorian_bushfires

Like a war,pray for those who were suffering the losses , may resume to normal soon......

Well, if we ever needed proof that there is no God, this is it.

What's been bugging me are the the terms, "arsonist" or even worse, "firebug" to describe these people. Firebug sounds almost cute.

Can we replace it with, "terrorist"?

My heartfelt condolences for all those who lost their loved ones and my best wishes for the people recovering from the devastation. I hope things will get better in the coming days.

Death toll is now 108 according to 2GB

news.com.au

Queen shocked at bushfire disaster

From correspondents in London
AAP
February 09, 2009 06:34am

THE Queen has expressed shock at the devastating bushfires that have torn through southern Australia and offered her condolences to the families of those who have been killed.
"I was shocked and saddened to learn of the terrible toll being exacted by the fires this weekend," the Queen said today.

"I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who have died and my deep sympathy to the many that have lost their homes in this disaster.

"On so dreadful an occasion as this for Australia, the firefighters and other emergency services have been making extraordinary efforts to contain the situation and tend to those who have been injured.

"Please also convey to them my renewed admiration for all that they are doing."

The Queen's comments follow a phone call by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd earlier yesterday.

Mr Brown told Mr Rudd that the UK was ready to help after more than 90 people were killed in the worst wildfire disaster in Australia's history.

what a nightmare. havet watched tv all weekend and shocked atmages this morning.
i understand what some of those people are going through because i live in bushfire area but this is something else. 1000 homes destroyed? could be 200 people dead. many missing on areas still cut off from fires. sad day in australia s history.

Reader pics from The Australian

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476640,00.jpg

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476582,00.jpg

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476583,00.jpg

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476585,00.jpg

this is seriously really sad. Poor people trapped in there homes with no escape route, who ended up dieing. i really do feel for them. 108 is a big number, and it could be higher

Chances are they'lll catch the arsonist, sit him down and tell him he's been a very naughty boy

and then he will get off with an insanity plea.

Well, if we ever needed proof that there is no God, this is it.

Ok - Is God Responsible for the Arsonists too then?:ohno:

111 DEAD

Ok - Is God Responsible for the Arsonists too then?:ohno:



Noah built the Ark with God's wise council.............
Professionals built the Titanic.............
But the Ark didn't sink when it mattered most ..........

one problem with that lozza, the titanic was real and the ark was not.

Our thoughts are with you in Australia. This is a terrible tragedy.

Ok - Is God Responsible for the Arsonists too then?:ohno:

There is NO GOD, period............:bash:

Saw the fires on the LA news this evening here. I was already aware of the events in Victoria, but was still surprised to see Australia featured on the news over here. Sadly, it was a brief news story and was the fifth news article on the programme (singer Chris Brown's assault was the top story). Sometimes it aggravates me how Americans really don't care about events out of their own country.

On a different note, the fires are horrifying and tragic. My thoughts go out to all the families affected. There's not much I can do from America, but I did donate to CFA. As Australians, these events affect us all and we need to band together.

Actually best way to find that person should sent to jail for life for mass murder, environmental and community damage.

I'll throw this in again.

Donate! They'll take $5 if you can spare it. Website was quick and easy.

To donate to the Red Cross State Government Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund:
* Visit www.redcross.org.au
* Phone 1800 811 700
* Any NAB, ANZ, Westpac or Commonwealth Bank branch
* Any Bunnings store
* By direct deposit to the Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund - BSB 082-001, Account number 860-046-797
Myer Bushfire Appeal
* All proceeds to the Salvation Army. Donate at any Victorian Myer store

Terrible. :ohno:

There is no way to fully describe how the events have unfolded from the Victorian fires .... :(

Its maybe time to rethink how communities deal with such future threats. We may have to ensure full evacuation early is better than defending. Homes, cars and property can be replaced, but human lives cannot.

I dread to think what the final death toll will be ......

Bushfire death toll set to double as police seek 'mass murderers' http://www.nzherald.co.nz/cssimagesjs/gfx/icon-video-small.gif (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/video.cfm?c_id=2&gal_objectid=10555734&gallery_id=104391) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/cssimagesjs/gfx/icon-photo-small.gif (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/image.cfm?c_id=2&gal_objectid=10555734&gallery_id=104389)

http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/09firegraphic4b.jpg
Graphic / Christoph Lukasser, AP

Updated 2:35PM Monday Feb 09, 2009


Senior Victorian police have been told to expect the death toll from the nation's worst ever bushfires to reach 200, once fatalities in outlying areas have been counted.
Melbourne based news website theage.com.au reports a special police taskforce was today set-up to hunt suspected arsonists thought responsible for many of the fires that have cost at least 108 lives in Victoria.
Their investigation includes the deadly Victorian bushfire scene at Kinglake, north of Melbourne, where 29 people perished.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today described the arsonists as "mass murderers".
A clearly shaken Mr Rudd said the communities that have been wiped out by the infernos will be rebuilt.
"The nation should brace itself for a very challenging time ahead," he told the Nine Network.
Asked about the arsonists, he said: "What do you say about anyone like that - there are no words to describe it other than mass murder."
He added: "This is of a level of horror that few of us anticipated."

Mr Rudd said he had received offers of help from the British and New Zealand prime ministers and would be taking up the offer of 100 firefighters from New Zealand.

He said 600 army temporary accommodation units would be provided to house those left homeless by the fires while Centrelink would be making immediate cash payments to fire victims.
"These are just starts and I say this to the people of Victoria - Australia is with you and we're going to rebuild these communities with a combined national effort," he said.
At least 5000 people have been made homeless from the fires.
Scorched
Authorities counted more victims early this morning as they reached further into a huge zone scorched by blazes that ripped across Victoria state at the weekend.
At least 700 homes have been destroyed in the fires that in some cases razed entire towns.
State Department of Sustainability and Environment spokesman Geoff Russell said today that 108 deaths had been confirmed.
The latest death toll surpasses the toll from the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, in which 75 people died in Victoria and South Australia , and the Black Friday bushfires of 1939, which killed 71.
"Hell in all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours and many good people now lie dead, many others lie injured," Mr Rudd said yesterday.
"This is an appalling tragedy for Victoria but because of that, it's an appalling tragedy for the nation, and Australia the country stands behind Victoria at this awful time."
As hospital workers likened the rush of burns victims to survivors of the Bali bombings, fire authorities told people still facing vast, wind-driven walls of flame that engines and rescue vehicles might not be able to reach them in time.
With hundreds of thousands of hectares of the state already incinerated, towns and homes were last night still under threat from bushfires raging towards them, and areas already razed are likely to remain at risk from embers and hot, windy days.
At least some of the fires are believed to be the work of arsonists, including some who authorities believe re-lit outbreaks contained by volunteer crews working in searing winds and temperatures above 40C.
"To think you could do that in those conditions when you knew that any fire you lit had the potential to cause severe losses and death, I think that's something that is just appalling," Victorian Emergency Services Minister Bob Cameron said.
Murder
Police said suspects could be charged with murder.
To the north, New South Wales is now feeling the brutal onslaught of a heatwave that yesterday pushed temperatures into the 40s.
Fire crews, backed by bulldozers and aircraft, yesterday fought 60 bushfires, 10 of them raging out of control.
"The prospect of containing these fires is remote at best," Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told ABC television.
On Saturday, a 3-year-old boy died in a house fire in Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley.
New South Wales and South Australia have both sent units to help Victorian firefighters, but South Australian authorities warned that their crews would be pulled back by the end of the week as their state returned to a heatwave threatening fires of similar magnitude.
Mr Rudd has provided a A$10 million relief fund and ordered Army bulldozers in to help contain fires continuing to threaten Victoria.
- AAP with Greg Ansley

There is NO GOD, period............:bash:

Off-topic/baiting much?

This is tragic news, my thoughts are with those affected by these tragic events.

Now they'r reporting the death toll may be over 200. :ohno:

Terrible

Here are some before and after shots (from various sources) of the once beautifull town of Marysville. Unfortunately it is pretty much all gone now.....RIP

A Google maps screen grab of the Cumberland
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/Cumberland.jpg?t=1234147900

Post fire by Pic by Norm Oorloff (Herald Sun)
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/MarysvilleFire3.jpg?t=1234147967

Main street shops, from www.travelvictoria.com.au
http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/images/marysville/photos/015.jpg

After the fire from The Age...
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/MarysvilleFire2.jpg?t=1234148145

And again from Norm Oorloff (Herald Sun)
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/MarysvilleFire1.jpg?t=1234148186

Main strip again, from Google Maps.....
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/MarysvilleFire6.jpg?t=1234149684

And post fire form Norm Oorloff (Herald Sun)
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/MarysvilleFire5.jpg?t=1234149120

Death toll is now 128. :(

WOW! Those pictures really put the devastation into perspective. How sad, it was such a picteresque community.. Thanks for doing the research and sharing

Sky News are now reporting 128.

Many helicopters continue to fly across my place near Box Hill. I've seen the Skycranes two or three times, and last night in the space of about 15minutes we had 4 or 5 choppers race over, presumably out towards the Yarra Valley fires.

126 dead:ohno:

The Herald Sun has revised the toll down to 126 but the Daily Telegraph is suggesting that the final death toll could be 230.

A couple of heart felt poems by Sue Nesbitt


A life is lost, a home destroyed
As fire takes it toll
And now we race to save a house
Still standing up the road

The best we can in times like this
Is sometimes not enough
To save a life, a shed, a home
This job is really tough

A house is gone we have to go
There’s another up the road
We got to try save it
Just hope nobody’s home

We hear the call across the town
The wind has changed its path
If we don’t move right now
We’ll become the aftermath

A cry is heard, a local is here
He stayed to save his home
We drag him to the truck
And quickly hit the road

Speeding through the smoke
Nearly hitting flames
We make it to a safe zone
Where we attack the fire again

Hungry tired and weary
We ignore our body’s needs
Because this fire will not stop
Until we bring it to its knees

Relief has come, another crew
Arrives to take our place
And jumps into the fray
Without a change of pace

They battle hard and long
Flames lapping at their feet
But never giving up
They will not accept defeat

We’ve had a rest a bit to eat
And are ready to fight again
That’s how the days will be
Until this fire threat’s reigned in.

And later when the fire’s gone
We’ll get a good night’s rest
But there’s still a job to do
Sifting soot and twisted mess

That is how the days go by
Fighting fires, dressed in gold
Never knowing where you’ll be
When a fire takes its hold

Your daily life just stops
Responding to the call
A fire starts, the race is on
Get there and save us all.

Sue Nesbitt 8/2/09



I have another one here:

Victoria is burning
Tears flow as fires rage
Homes and lives are gone
As this fire takes the stage

Our brave and noble warriors
Fighting fires dressed in gold
Are outnumbered by the flames
But still the battle rages on

They chase the fire across the land
To stop or slow the storm
But it engulfed a town in minutes,
Leaving survivors all forlorn

The utter devastation
Mother Nature has unleashed
Has eaten more than forests
Taking homes, lives and belief

Survivors say the same thing
Its too fast; just too damn fast
There wasn’t time to pack a thing
Before they fled this Holocaust

For fire fighters battling on
Well into the night
The crackling roar of flames
Starts another fearsome fight

Through day and night the fires rage
As they devour all in their path
Leaving twisted metal and chimney peaks
A reminder of what was past

The scorched and charred remains
Of homes and peoples lives
Remind us all how precious
Are our kids, friends, husbands and wives

And on our gold dressed heroes
Battle the heat and vicious flames
Until the fire is contained
and they can all go home again.

But living in Victoria
Where fires often rage
We will always need these heroes
When the heat hits centre stage.

SueN…
8/2/09

Can we replace it with, "terrorist"?
Rudd and Brumby have been using that today.

Police have said when they catch the arseholes, they will face murder charges.

It was so moving on last night's special news bulletins on both Nine and Ten seeing their respective newsreaders brought to tears. They were reporting on the deaths of Brian Naylor and his wife, and obviously they were upset by that and every thing else going on.

They are now estimating up to 230 people dead & 700 homes lost.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25028381-601,00.html

To help put it into prespective, the LA experience:

In October of 2003, Southern California experienced the most devastating wildland fire disaster in state history. The facts are staggering - 750,043 acres burned, 3,710 homes lost and 24 people killed including one firefighter.

http://fire.lacounty.gov/SafetyPreparedness/SafetyPrepFirestorms.asp

one problem with that lozza, the titanic was real and the ark was not.

You have obviously been up on top of Mount Ararat to proove it then ? I think not somehow:lol:

Aparently the death tool could reach 200 by the start of the weekend. This is just aweful those pics make me sad

^alot more homes destroyed in LA fires but death toll much less. these vic fires have been swift and deadly.no time to do anything. shocking

Yes, Victoria has the most deadly bush fire conditions in the world.

What are the chances of catching the culprits?

Official toll now at 130 - Crikey!

^alot more homes destroyed in LA fires but death toll much less. these vic fires have been swift and deadly.no time to do anything. shocking

they will need to look at why the death toll to house destruction ratio was so high for this fire.

and one of the reasons why vic has these extreme power fires is because a lot of these forests are wet eucalypt forests with the mighty Regnans as a common tree, so they are usually quite moist, but when they really dry out they create super massive fires due to the huge amount of fuel within them.

Updated 36 minutes ago

Wildlife rescuers estimate 10,000 native animals have been affected by the Victorian bushfires.

Wildlife Victoria says starvation will be the next threat to animals as food sources have been burnt out.

Rescuer Narelle Smith says native animal populations could be reduced for some time.

"At this stage for the public to be putting a lot of pressure on the Department for any culling permits within any of these fire areas to be revoked, to ensure whatever wildlife is salvaged and looked after," she said.


Related:
NEMCO warns more load shedding could occur for customers across Northern Victoria due to the Beechworth fire (details to come)

Victoria's bushfire policy is under review.
Currently they do not force evacuations - they give you the choice to leave now or stay and defend your home.

In other states, they do not give you a choice apparantly.

3AW openly suggesting 200 dead now; as are the newspaper websites. I think the police may soon announce a revised death toll if they're already hinting at it.

:(, Very sad! 100+ people. Floods, Fire what next?

Keep in mind the LA fires are in urban areas and LA has a population of around 12 million

:(, Very sad! 100+ people. Floods, Fire what next?

North Qld is facing its biggest ever Dengue Fever epidemic:ohno:
j

Ha that to. Fuckin oath, sad....

Ha that to. Fuckin oath, sad....

Its not exactly a slow news day is it…

Now 131 confirmed dead.

More Marysville before and afters.......

Screen grab from google maps.....
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/MarysvillePre-fire.jpg?t=1234159054

Post fire by Keith Pakenham
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/fire3__10__gallery__600x375.jpg?t=1234159184

Another google map street view
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/MarysvilleFireServo.jpg?t=1234160117

Post fire by Keith Pakenham
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/fire3__3__gallery__600x366.jpg?t=1234160182

From google....
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/MarysvilleFireServo2.jpg?t=1234160245

Post fire by Keith Pakenham
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/fire3__4__gallery__600x380.jpg?t=1234160335

From google.....
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/MarysvilleFireServo3.jpg?t=1234160402

Post fire by Keith Pakenham
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/z3264998/fire3__5__gallery__600x383.jpg?t=1234160450

shit... those pictures really tell a story... This is a terrible tragedy, i just hope the governing agencies learn from this so nothing like this ever happens again.

This is becouse global warming an climate change,
sorry to say but these kind of events are going to get more common,
we really have to prepere ourself,


rip all the souls who left there bodys in this fires,


ima heaps sadd;(

Do any of the affected areas periodically get controlled burn offs?

Just wondering if the long term control of fuel in these forests played any part in addition to the abnormal weather conditions... or was it just the bad weather (not just the recent heatwave, but the 10 years of drought in these areas too)

The once scenic road to Marysville - Black Spur, Yarra Ranges National Park
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/92/235752609_9b655341a1_o.jpg

Look it so beautiful the Yarra Ranges, hate to see what it would look now

Oh man, that's stunning. And now it's all gone :ohno:

So the DHS was going crazy today. Usually we have 2 or 3 calls from the public wanting to know some answers to questions about water quality, air quality etc. - today we had about 600. God only knows how much the actual bushfire hotline must have received. I spent a lot of time today talking to people that have discovered dead animals in their watertanks, and now don't know what to do. The animals would have tried to hide from the fire in their tanks, but as the fire approached, the tank would have started to boil with the animals inside. Now these have no access to water at all.

half my department has gone up there to organise the relief effort, and my boss spent the day in meetings with the PM and premier.

Fucking awful day.

Reader pics from The Australian

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476583,00.jpg


Wow, that's surreal.
I wonder what percentage of Victoria must have been burnt in the past weekend?

I was quite touched when I read that NZ was sending help today. I love the fact that we slag each other off a lot of the time, but whenever one country is in trouble, the other will always step up to the plate and help.

Looking at the fire maps I think the Black Spur Road is mostly unburnt.

It does look like most of the tallest trees in Victoria in the Wallaby Creek catchment have most likely been killed.

Oh man, that's stunning. And now it's all gone :ohno:

So the DHS was going crazy today. Usually we have 2 or 3 calls from the public wanting to know some answers to questions about water quality, air quality etc. - today we had about 600. God only knows how much the actual bushfire hotline must have received. I spent a lot of time today talking to people that have discovered dead animals in their watertanks, and now don't know what to do. The animals would have tried to hide from the fire in their tanks, but as the fire approached, the tank would have started to boil with the animals inside. Now these have no access to water at all.

half my department has gone up there to organise the relief effort, and my boss spent the day in meetings with the PM and premier.

Fucking awful day.

I don't think the full extent of the whole event will be known for some time yet. I do volunteer work (for sick / injured native animals), usually taking in birds and I can tell you the amount of calls / e-mails I have had today alone is incredible. I already have 5 native birds and really can't cope with any more.

The devastation to native fauna and flora is horrifying and the ecological damage will also be something that will have to watched as well.

But my thoughts at the moment are with those who have lost family, friends, homes and possessions. And kudos of course to all the emergency services people, doctors, nurses and everyone else who has mobilised to help those in need.

Lets hope we never see anything like this again.

mx

Thought I'll post this comparison to show the devastation of the fire around Marysville:

This sign in December 2007:
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/3192/img2802eo1.jpg

Compare to this, as shown on news.com.au (http://www.news.com.au/gallery/0,23607,5037339-5006020-92,00.html) slideshow today:
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476669,00.jpg

This is becouse global warming an climate change,
sorry to say but these kind of events are going to get more common,
we really have to prepere ourself,


rip all the souls who left there bodys in this fires,


ima heaps sadd;(

Yes broadie, we have arsonists due to global warming

'ima heaps sadd'?

Surely that's a joke and not someone actually writing like that...?

It's all just a bit too much.

I was in Marysville 6 months ago and stayed at the Cumberland. Now it's gone with many poor souls inside.

The enormity of this disaster is uncomprhensible. Makes me feel so useless.

It's heartening to read the messages of support for all those affected from all the members of this online community.

Do any of the affected areas periodically get controlled burn offs?

Just wondering if the long term control of fuel in these forests played any part in addition to the abnormal weather conditions... or was it just the bad weather (not just the recent heatwave, but the 10 years of drought in these areas too)


No greenies banned them, It is ashame that they think that human interaction with the environment is all bad, screw them I say, if controlled burning was being done this might not of happened.

Has it been confirmed that it is definitely arson or was that more a knee-jerk response from everyone to this tragedy?

That death toll keeps rising, it's awful. :(

Ok - Is God Responsible for the Arsonists too then?:ohno:

God's not responsible for any of this because there is no God. Duuh. :nuts:

Can we not make this a debate about God?

No greenies banned them, It is ashame that they think that human interaction with the environment is all bad, screw them I say, if controlled burning was being done this might not of happened.
How can the greenies ban them? Are they the government or something?

135 officially dead, with over 120 people still unaccounted for (according to 3AW).

No greenies banned them, It is ashame that they think that human interaction with the environment is all bad, screw them I say, if controlled burning was being done this might not of happened.

I don't think there is anyone who opposes controlled burning and indeed it does happen in Victoria.

If the wind is blowing the wrong way, there are days during Autumn when Melbourne is covered with a large amount of smoke.

the greenies here on central coast are arseholes. they demanded the large water choppers that assist in fire fighting are not allowed to pic up water from nearby umina beach but from stagnant,less salty water way over at woywoy bay. thus adding 10mins time to refills.
because the salt in water would harm plants and trees when the choppers would drop there load on bushfires.
also the greenies wont allow a 50m buffer zone from the backyard fences in south umina and pearl beach because it ment cutting down many trees.
i bet if a greenies house was underthreat of fire they would want anything to stop the flames.
-----------------------
watching news tonight, there are 5000 people homeless. fark?
what a disaster

^^ Didn't take long for a scapegoat to be found, did it?

where will the displaced go? It's going to take years if not decades to restore these communities.

such a tragic beginning to the new year. I feel for all those who have been caught up in this mess.

I'm actually a bit shaken now about it. I guess it took some time to actually fathom the extent of the ordeal, it's absolutely horrific.

I really wish I could do something, and I just donated $10 to the Bushfire Appeal. Can't help but feel that's not enough...

^^ My work did a whip around today for the Red Cross, and have so far raised about $500. Every bit helps. Apparently a lot of the charities are only accepting cash donations at the moment, although there are many people who want to donate clothes, toys, mattresses, etc. There was a bit of a spike at blood banks too today, according to the news.

Do any of the affected areas periodically get controlled burn offs?

Just wondering if the long term control of fuel in these forests played any part in addition to the abnormal weather conditions... or was it just the bad weather (not just the recent heatwave, but the 10 years of drought in these areas too)

It may have played a part, but hardly a significant one.

I noticed Wilson Tuckey trying to hold the Victorian Government responsible for these fires tonight. I own 66 hectares of mountainous land mostly covered by forest in Victoria, which so far, hasn't burnt. If I could get rid of all the forest floor litter safely, I would.

"Iron Bar" Tuckey wouldn't have a clue how to manage a "cold burn" in hills of southern Victoria, especially when it's been through a decade of drought. Nor would the "Mountain Cattlemen"- who were also vocal today about how much better they knew the land than yobbos who sat behind computers- or sundry other red-necks.

As will emerge from the Royal Commission, both the Bureau of Meteorology and the Victorian State Government warned in advance that extreme and unprecedented weather conditions would prevail on 7th February. Cold-burning the hills to the north-west in advance would have made little difference: Wandong, further NW was hardly in the bush.

By the way, about 1/3rd of Victoria- about 8 million hectares- is public land, mainly forest. This leaves aside private land which is forested. Work out how to cold-burn all that on a regular basis.

Just read 171 confirmed dead.

I read this on the BBC website a while back ... but not on ABC.

Terrible statistics, considering 48 hours ago it was "14, maybe rising as far as 40", but not surprising considering what some of the survivors have said about their streets or neighbourhoods. I grieve for them all.

For those that don't know the geography of Victoria, this map indicates where the human damage has been done:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Misc/bushfire2009-1.jpg

It's a bit out of date, but full credit to the author.

Please correct me if I am wrong but has anybody heard a peep out of the American government? Our allies?

Didn't we send our fireys over there a few years ago?

"Vic firefighters head to US to help tackle bushfires
Posted Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:20pm AEST

A group of nine Victorian fire fighters is heading a crew of 44 travelling to the United States to tackle fires burning in California."

171?!!!

That's a horrifically high figure.

The US Embassy in Australia released this statement:

I would like to convey my condolences, and those of all of us at the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulates across Australia, to the victims of the terrible bushfires in Victoria. Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones and all those who have lost their homes.

U.S. officials, including wildfire experts, have been in close consultation with Emergency Management Australia and Victorian firefighting authorities. We stand ready to assist our Australian friends at this terrible time.

I would also like to express our concern for those suffering in the Queensland floods. The ongoing devastation to the lives of those in northern Queensland is heartbreaking.

Americans have great affection and empathy for Australians and so I know I can speak for all Americans in sending our best wishes to you in this challenging time.

Daniel Clune

Chargé D’Affaires, Embassy of the United States, Canberra

Cannot recall a natural disaster of this scale (human toll) in Australia, harrowing stuff.

You can guarantee that in the days to come, the finger-pointing will start. Was listening to a Fire Behaviour Expert on ABC Radio yesterday morning - he claimed that the firestorm (47 degrees with 100km/h wind gusts) exceeded any of the scenarios
designed for fire modelling.

You can also guarantee that governments will revisit regulations such as the size of Asset Protection Zones, Building Code of Australia standards, increased fire mitigation measures on homes including sprinkler systems (maybe even the inclusion of a bunker). And in the legal system, you can guarantee that harsher punishment will be dealt will those convicted of fire-related charges.

But somehow, I don't know if any of the above (save the compulsory building of bunkers) would have changed what occurred over the weekend...

My condolences...:ohno: We passed the same tragedy a year ago.

Thought I'll post this comparison to show the devastation of the fire around Marysville:

This sign in December 2007:
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/3192/img2802eo1.jpg

Compare to this, as shown on news.com.au (http://www.news.com.au/gallery/0,23607,5037339-5006020-92,00.html) slideshow today:
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6476669,00.jpg

Not different to the fuel loads in my area. :ohno:

Death toll is now 173 as of 6:30am (2GB)

Amazing photos

Good to see at least $13.5 million has been donated towards the Bushfire appeal, if you want to donate money ring 1800 811 700 or go to any Safeway/Woolworths or Commonwealth Bank branch.

Or you can even make a direct deposit via the internet

Account name: Commonwealth Bank Bushfire Appeal

BSB number: 062 000

Account number: 1207 5700

http://www.commbank.com.au/about-us/in-the-community/health-and-welfare/bushfireappeal.aspx

I'm going to donate at least $20, and even considering of giving blood.

Wow, this is absolutely horrific. :ohno:

The pictures presented in this thread (specifically the before & after ones) make this whole ordeal seem very surreal.

My thoughts and prayers are with Australia and it's people.

btw, how would I make a donation from the states? I recall reading somewhere they're only accepting cash donations at the moment. Can anyone perhaps explain this to me a bit further?

If you have internet banking, you might be able to make a donation using the details in my last post. But I'm not 100% sure sorry

BTW USA could be sending firefighters over here,... good to hear.

Yes broadie, we have arsonists due to global warming

nah but seriously victoria has had less then half its annual rainfall in the last 10 years, rains just dont come anymore down there, an the place is a tinderbox,
this event is tragic an what i said before wasnt a joke,
i type like that becouse im lazy an msn has killed all my grammer skills. but back to topic, these fires were completley diffrent to any other fires in history,
an we really need to change the way we prepere for these events, fires/cyclones/floods. becouse its going to get worse over the years, there were reports in victoria of the fire 15km away then people evacuated an about 2 min later the fire was on them, an i think kevon rudd summed it up, theres no words can even be said,
just do whatever it takes to help,

oh an to the comment about firebugs,
yes some were lit by fire bugs, but the conditions were worst then ash wednsday on saterday, an also a phonomanon i forget what its called but when a bushfire makes heaps of smoke an if the weather is in line, the firre can make a thunderstorm of the bushfire an cause heaps of lightning strikes, its happened on the northen rivers before, an the arsonest should be locked up in jail for the rest of there lifes, the death penelity is too good for them,
let them rot, thaughts out to evryone whos lost a loved one,

New bushfire threat flares
Britt Smith
February 10, 2009 - 9:21AM
http://www.smh.com.au/national/new-bushfire-threat-flares-20090210-82ne.html

A serious bushfire threat has flared in the Yarra Valley this morning, with Healesville and Toolangi under "heavy ember attack".

The news comes as the death toll from the bushfires rose to 173 this morning.

That figure seems certain to climb as identification experts take over the grim task of recovering bodies from volunteer firefighters.

A Country Fire Authority spokesman said 184 firefighters and 56 tankers are battling the blaze, with 505 hectares so far burnt out.

The nearby towns of Yarra Glen and Chum Creek are also under threat.

The bushfire has been dubbed the Maroondah/Yarra Complex, and is a combination of several blazes that have been burning in the district.

The fire was fanned overnight by strong winds.

CFA spokesman Guy Sigley said today's temperatures were milder but the windy conditions were expected to cause problems for firefighters.

He said residents were under "heavy ember attack".

It is not yet known if any homes have been destroyed or lives lost.

Seems to get worse by the hour ..... :ohno:

nah but seriously victoria has had less then half its annual rainfall in the last 10 years, rains just dont come anymore down there, an the place is a tinderbox,
this event is tragic an what i said before wasnt a joke,
i type like that becouse im lazy an msn has killed all my grammer skills. but back to topic, these fires were completley diffrent to any other fires in history

I don't think its so much the threat of global warming than it is the fact that fire is a natural occurance for that area and little has been done to control it in the first place. The Aboriginies had it right - they knew the benefit of controlled burning to regenerate life and keep the fuel from piling up which when combined with high heat and low humidity mean trouble.

http://i42.tinypic.com/2r3v6mq.jpg

:cry:

BTW USA could be sending firefighters over here,... good to hear.

If the response seems a bit slow, it's probably because so many US firefighters and firefighting agencies are based in California, and California is basically broke at the moment. It takes time for the US federal government to step in and take over where state operations are involved.

No greenies banned them, It is ashame that they think that human interaction with the environment is all bad, screw them I say, if controlled burning was being done this might not of happened.

CORRECT, controlled burning has not been undertaken and the fuel load built to imense proportions. National Park managers have only undertaken token fires of no consequence, and have not been allowed to manage the parks as they should be.

Our Aussie trees are designed to with stand medium size fire events, but not this sort of thing. Controlled burning encourages regrowth, a source of food for native animals. Smaller controlled fires also allow time for the animals to relocate.

I'm am sorry, but it has to be said - the Greenies have some serious questions they need to answer.

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6479791,00.jpg

Scientists warned us this was going to happen
February 10, 2009

If seeing is believing, then it's time to accept climate change, writes Freya Mathews. SMH (http://www.smh.com.au/environment/global-warming/scientists-warned-us-this-was-going-to-happen-20090209-82bx.html)


IT IS only a couple of years since scientists first told us we could expect a new order of fires in south-eastern Australia, fires of such ferocity they would engulf the towns in their path.

And here they are. The fires of Saturday were not "once in 1000 years" or even "once in 100 years" events, as our political leaders keep repeating. They were the face of climate change.

They were the result of the new conditions that climate change has caused: higher temperatures, giving us hotter days, combined with lower rainfall, giving us a drier landscape. Let's stop using the word "drought", with its implication that dry weather is the exception. The desiccation of the landscape here is the new reality. It is now our climate.

People are comparing last Saturday to Ash Wednesday and Black Friday. But this misses the point. We should be comparing these fires to the vast and devastating fires of 2002-03, which swept through 2 million hectares of forest in the south-east and raged uncontrollably for weeks. They have been quickly forgotten because, being mainly in parks, they did not involve a large loss of human life or property. But it is to this fire regime, the new fire regime of climate change, rather than to the regimes of 1983 or 1939, that the present fires belong.

Saturday's events showed us the terrifying face of climate change. The heat was devastating, even without the fire.

Wildlife carers reported many incidents of heat stress and death among native animals. This means that out in the bush, unreported, vast numbers of animals were suffering. We can all see the trees and other plants dying in our gardens and parks. Our local fauna and flora have not adapted to these extremes. With wildfire, heat death becomes a holocaust, for people, for animals and for plants.

The Government is wondering how to stimulate the economy. It is planning to give away much of the surplus from boom times in handouts. It has made the usual token allocations to climate change mitigation, allocations that will in no way deflect the coming holocaust.

The Prime Minister weeps on television at the tragedy of Saturday's events. He looks around uncomprehendingly, unable to find meaning. But there is meaning. This is climate change. This is what the scientists told us would happen. All the climatic events of the past 10 years have led inexorably to this. And this is just the beginning of something that will truly, if unaddressed, overwhelm us.

As the events of Saturday showed, the consequences of climate change will make the financial crisis look like a garden party.

Yet there is a synchronicity here that must not be missed. The extraordinary economic measures for which the financial crisis is calling provide a perfect opportunity to fund the energy revolution for which the crisis of climate change is calling. If the Government does not seize it, then the terrifying world into which we were plunged on Saturday will become the world we will have to inhabit.

CORRECT, controlled burning has not been undertaken and the fuel load built to imense proportions. National Park managers have only undertaken token fires of no consequence, and have not been allowed to manage the parks as they should be.

Our Aussie trees are designed to with stand medium size fire events, but not this sort of thing. Controlled burning encourages regrowth, a source of food for native animals. Smaller controlled fires also allow time for the animals to relocate.

I'm am sorry, but it has to be said - the Greenies have some serious questions they need to answer.

I work for a regional council in NSW, most of which is identified as bushfire prone. As a result of recent events in Victoria, some of the locals are concerned that they too could suffer similar circumstances and have enquired about clearing activities. As everyone knows, clearing of vegetation reduces the spread of fire.

Some areas in the LGA are affected by zonings that require development consent for the clearing of land. Not only that, a seperate consent for the clearing of land is also required by the regional water catchment authority. And of course there are further restrictions if your land is located in a scenic preservation area, is ecologically sensitive, or has recordings of threatened species. Overall, it is a long and expensive process in some instances to clear land.

It's always been a fine balance trying to protect the environment as well as protecting people/property. In recent times, environmental issues have been regarded as a high consideration in the planning process/legislation - this may shift in the weeks to come...

Looking at the thread heading - is it a "Natural Disaster" when some C*&t lights a fire and kills nearly 200 people - or is it Mass Murder?

Looking at the thread heading - is it a "Natural Disaster" when some C*&t lights a fire and kills nearly 200 people - or is it Mass Murder?

Definitely mass-manslaughter, for murder you've got to somehow prove that the nut job(s) that started this intended to hurt people and that will be pretty hard. Despite the horrific nature of this event we (you, the Australian people) can't throw justice to the wind if/when you catch the perpetrators.

173 people dead, it just keeps getting worse and worse. That poor Koala in the photo too. :(

^^^ Mass Murder. They are hard to find that person because he or she would feel about it would have been bad for her/him.

Posted before, will continue to post.

Donating money is easy.

Just go to:

http://www.redcross.org.au/default.asp

and drag out your credit card.

http://i42.tinypic.com/2r3v6mq.jpg

:cry:

That makes me cry as well.

Certainly one for the record books and so Australian.

mx

That's right it's all the 'greeinies' fault just like the 1939 fires which were 6 times larger than the current fires and destroyed twice as many houses.

^ (above grollo) it is very cute, but surely a wild koala wouldn't just sit there when approached by a human then hold its paw out and take a drink from a bottle. if it's a real scenario then it is quite amazing.

Just donated $20 towards Wildlife Victoria and $10 towards Red Cross.
Wildlife Bushfire Appeal Donation
www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/cms/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=43 -

Been listening to the live appeal on Triple M (live in Syd, Melb, Bris and Adel) and the amount of money people are donating is just amazing.

The SA Government has sent more resources and $1 million to Victoria.

I never really say this but I'm proud to be a Australian, state rivals do not exist at the moment.

Definitely mass-manslaughter, for murder you've got to somehow prove that the nut job(s) that started this intended to hurt people and that will be pretty hard. Despite the horrific nature of this event we (you, the Australian people) can't throw justice to the wind if/when you catch the perpetrators.

173 people dead, it just keeps getting worse and worse. That poor Koala in the photo too. :(

As I stated before, in Victoria it is sufficient to prove that the arsonist(s) were reckless as to killing or causing grievous bodily harm for a murder conviction. If they are caught they will almost certainly be charged with murder.

Proud being Australian YES! Exactly what we would need to be involved. Look at us, how lucky are we aye?

I hope CIA find that killer.

As I stated before, in Victoria it is sufficient to prove that the arsonist(s) were reckless as to killing or causing grievous bodily harm for a murder conviction. If they are caught they will almost certainly be charged with murder.

Oh whoops, sorry I must have missed that post. This thread moves pretty quickly as it's updated. Thanks for the information.

Bushfire survivors allowed to return to Kinglake homes
Article from: Herald Sun

Gareth Trickey

February 10, 2009 11:30am

UPDATE 1:44pm: SURVIVORS of the Kinglake inferno are being allowed to return to their homes after an angry stand-off with police this morning.

Police have confirmed a partial road opening since 1.30pm after frustrated residents demanded to be allowed to return to their homesteads to survey the devastation wreaked by deadly bushfires.

A crowd gathered at a blockade on the road into Kinglake from Whittlesea after morning radio reports suggested they would be allowed back to the shattered township.

Victoria's bushfires: latest news, videos and pictures

Having consulted with the CFA, VicRoads and the local council, police have confirmed it will now be possible for people to enter "a limited area".

The Whittlesea-Kinglake Road will be the first to open as it is considered safe from both a fire threat and road infrastructure perspective.

However, many arterial roads leading off the Whittlesea-Kinglake Road are not yet open and will remain closed until further notice.

A restricted speed limit of 40km/h will apply along the road.

Essential services have been let in first to deliver critical supplies such as power and water before residents will be allowed home.

More here
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25034332-661,00.html

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/2009038-0207/Australia.A2009038.0450.1km.jpg

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/2009039-0208/Australia.A2009039.0355.4km.jpg

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/2009040-0209/Australia.A2009040.0440.1km.jpg

Oh whoops, sorry I must have missed that post. This thread moves pretty quickly as it's updated. Thanks for the information.

No problems.

Scientists warned us this was going to happen
February 10, 2009

If seeing is believing, then it's time to accept climate change, writes Freya Mathews. SMH (http://www.smh.com.au/environment/global-warming/scientists-warned-us-this-was-going-to-happen-20090209-82bx.html)


IT IS only a couple of years since scientists first told us we could expect a new order of fires in south-eastern Australia, fires of such ferocity they would engulf the towns in their path.

And here they are. The fires of Saturday were not "once in 1000 years" or even "once in 100 years" events, as our political leaders keep repeating. They were the face of climate change.

They were the result of the new conditions that climate change has caused: higher temperatures, giving us hotter days, combined with lower rainfall, giving us a drier landscape. Let's stop using the word "drought", with its implication that dry weather is the exception. The desiccation of the landscape here is the new reality. It is now our climate.

People are comparing last Saturday to Ash Wednesday and Black Friday. But this misses the point. We should be comparing these fires to the vast and devastating fires of 2002-03, which swept through 2 million hectares of forest in the south-east and raged uncontrollably for weeks. They have been quickly forgotten because, being mainly in parks, they did not involve a large loss of human life or property. But it is to this fire regime, the new fire regime of climate change, rather than to the regimes of 1983 or 1939, that the present fires belong.

Saturday's events showed us the terrifying face of climate change. The heat was devastating, even without the fire.

Wildlife carers reported many incidents of heat stress and death among native animals. This means that out in the bush, unreported, vast numbers of animals were suffering. We can all see the trees and other plants dying in our gardens and parks. Our local fauna and flora have not adapted to these extremes. With wildfire, heat death becomes a holocaust, for people, for animals and for plants.

The Government is wondering how to stimulate the economy. It is planning to give away much of the surplus from boom times in handouts. It has made the usual token allocations to climate change mitigation, allocations that will in no way deflect the coming holocaust.

The Prime Minister weeps on television at the tragedy of Saturday's events. He looks around uncomprehendingly, unable to find meaning. But there is meaning. This is climate change. This is what the scientists told us would happen. All the climatic events of the past 10 years have led inexorably to this. And this is just the beginning of something that will truly, if unaddressed, overwhelm us.

As the events of Saturday showed, the consequences of climate change will make the financial crisis look like a garden party.

Yet there is a synchronicity here that must not be missed. The extraordinary economic measures for which the financial crisis is calling provide a perfect opportunity to fund the energy revolution for which the crisis of climate change is calling. If the Government does not seize it, then the terrifying world into which we were plunged on Saturday will become the world we will have to inhabit.

I really hate people that try to push their agenda through the misery of others.

Sorry? The point is that it has been forecast for years and many people haven't listened. We therefore didn't do enough because we were worried about how much it would cost, and know that we haven't done it, it has cost us a fortune both economically and with lives.

Thats very true, back in 2003 when I lived in Marysville I remember talking to the locals about bushfires and they said a bushfire would never hit the town...

I'm really not surprised that so many has been destroyed, alot of homes in the Yarra Ranges are built right in the forests.

Scientists warned us this was going to happen
February 10, 2009

If seeing is believing, then it's time to accept climate change, writes Freya Mathews. SMH (http://www.smh.com.au/environment/global-warming/scientists-warned-us-this-was-going-to-happen-20090209-82bx.html)


IT IS only a couple of years since scientists first told us we could expect a new order of fires in south-eastern Australia, fires of such ferocity they would engulf the towns in their path.

And here they are. The fires of Saturday were not "once in 1000 years" or even "once in 100 years" events, as our political leaders keep repeating. They were the face of climate change.

They were the result of the new conditions that climate change has caused: higher temperatures, giving us hotter days, combined with lower rainfall, giving us a drier landscape. Let's stop using the word "drought", with its implication that dry weather is the exception. The desiccation of the landscape here is the new reality. It is now our climate.

People are comparing last Saturday to Ash Wednesday and Black Friday. But this misses the point. We should be comparing these fires to the vast and devastating fires of 2002-03, which swept through 2 million hectares of forest in the south-east and raged uncontrollably for weeks. They have been quickly forgotten because, being mainly in parks, they did not involve a large loss of human life or property. But it is to this fire regime, the new fire regime of climate change, rather than to the regimes of 1983 or 1939, that the present fires belong.

Saturday's events showed us the terrifying face of climate change. The heat was devastating, even without the fire.

Wildlife carers reported many incidents of heat stress and death among native animals. This means that out in the bush, unreported, vast numbers of animals were suffering. We can all see the trees and other plants dying in our gardens and parks. Our local fauna and flora have not adapted to these extremes. With wildfire, heat death becomes a holocaust, for people, for animals and for plants.

The Government is wondering how to stimulate the economy. It is planning to give away much of the surplus from boom times in handouts. It has made the usual token allocations to climate change mitigation, allocations that will in no way deflect the coming holocaust.

The Prime Minister weeps on television at the tragedy of Saturday's events. He looks around uncomprehendingly, unable to find meaning. But there is meaning. This is climate change. This is what the scientists told us would happen. All the climatic events of the past 10 years have led inexorably to this. And this is just the beginning of something that will truly, if unaddressed, overwhelm us.

As the events of Saturday showed, the consequences of climate change will make the financial crisis look like a garden party.

Yet there is a synchronicity here that must not be missed. The extraordinary economic measures for which the financial crisis is calling provide a perfect opportunity to fund the energy revolution for which the crisis of climate change is calling. If the Government does not seize it, then the terrifying world into which we were plunged on Saturday will become the world we will have to inhabit.

Unfortunately we *have* ignored the warnings that were given to us 2 decades ago. We did nothing.

And what we are seeing now is just the beginning.

mx

Bushfires in Victoria, Australia (http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/bushfires_in_victoria_australi.html)