To all the Aussies-

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grandpaul

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I know this is probably not the right section to post this in, but i hope you are all well with respect to the wildfires down there...
 
Good thoughts Paul, I know we here in Canada and I'm sure world wide share this concern.

Take care, be safe, don't wait too long to get out of harms way. Better safe than sorry.

That way you'll have time to take your Nortons with you or bury them under a wet canvas for safe keeping!

Trapped forest fire fighters have survived by burying themselves under their space blankets covered with dirt. Bring a shovel, space blanket or canvas tarp and water if you have to flee.

I just googled, lots of info there once you sift through the rock band "forest fire" and their album "survival" (something should be done about that),

http://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/trip-planner/Health-Safety/fire-survival-measures.aspx


http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/how-to-survive-a-forest-fire/
 
Thank you for your concern, The country has never seen bushfires (wildfires) of this intensity before. Over 100 people have lost their lives to date with over 1000 homes destroyed. The fires are in the south of the country in Victoria and New South Wales, i live in Queensland (the north of the country),Further to my north they are experiencing the worst flooding in history, but i personally have no problems in my area although the monsoon rains are predicted to move south closer to us here.

Hows the rain treating you Stuart SS ? you are up that way altho you may be out of the worst of it on the tablelands

Mother nature certainly can be a bitch at times,.
 
grandpaul said:
I know this is probably not the right section to post this in, but i hope you are all well with respect to the wildfires down there...

Thanks for your kind thoughts GP. I am certain that this news is being broadcast around the world live. I live in Brisbane and its hard to believe that 2 of nature's worst are happening at the same time. Devastating floods in the north and horrific fires in the south of the country.

I asked myself why so many died in the fires, and judging by some of the surviving witnesses its because the fires are like a huge wave being dumped in the surf. Same intensity, same speed, same noise, but made of fire and not water! Man, thats hard to comprehend.

We could sure do with some of your cold and snow right now!?

gw88
 
You can't be talking about me, it's low 70s (F), and it's only snowed 4 times in Laredo since Adam & Eve left the garden of Eden.

Sorry to make light of a horrible situation.
 
Thank's for your thoughts and concern. While I live in an area that is safe from bushfires I have children grandchildren and friends living in bushfire prone areas as we all do. The toll at this time stands at 108 and there are still large fires out of control. On Saturday the temperature was 117 degrees [ a record temperature ] with hot northerly winds. The mood in everyones minds was concern of the potential fire risk and by midday the worst happened and many country towns were in imminent danger. Unfortunately many of these fires were deliberately lit. The size and speed of the fires had firefighting services overwhelmed and many hundreds of home owners were caught unawares and died fleeing or were trapped by closed roads and were left unaided trying to save their homes. The fires may continue for days, even though the temperature has dropped dramatically the winds will continue to cause a problem. We hear stories of tragedy, heroism and greed-employers refusing to let trained volunteers go to fight fires-and the rest of us wait to see what we can do when the appeals for food money and clothing start.
 
Thanks too you GP and to all Norton cousins that are concerned about us here in the land of "OZ".

Some of these bush fires were deliberatly lit!!!..

There is ever a mention that a new form of terorism has taken place!

Thanks to all concerned, from me as speeking for most "Aussies". we bloody well appreciate you kind thoughts at this moment.

Brewer.
 
I certainly hope the perpetrators of arson are given swift and severre punishment. Not to get political or religious, but "an eye for an eye" would be too kind.
 
I avoid the news over here best I can, after reading grandpaul's post I turned it on. Just unbelievable and to hear some bastard set it off ??

When are these "bleeding hearts" and "do gooders" going to admit they've got it all wrong and bring back capital punishment. I'd rather live in a society that might accidentally humanly kill me than live in one where any nutter can kill me and mine by any means and then be let off scott free after a few years jail.

All our thoughts are with you guys.

Cash
 
I echo the sentiments of all who have posted, I have never been to Australia, but like most Scots have family there.
My wife backpacked and worked her way round Australia, (something about some street corners were better than others, don't know what she means?),for a year when she was younger and said it was a beautiful country with smashing people.
As Grandpaul and Cash wrote, if it is indeed wilful, the punishment should fit the crime!
Keep safe and my thoughts are with you.
Robert
 
admit they've got it all wrong and bring back capital punishment

Sadly I doubt the arsonists had planned to kill scores of innocent people but merely had conjured up thoughts of creating much havoc in their small minds. The grim reality that resulted likely, hopefully, has them feeling very guilty and ashamed. I would like to think if such a person even escaped detection they would never ever light another fire out of their own remorse.

Otherwise burning them at the stake would seem fitting however that and any other form of capital punishment seems just too fast. How about just branding the word "Arsonist" across their foreheads and then just letting them go.
 
The news media here in Victoria has been excellent in the way of communication and may have even saved lives. For instance many people rang the local radio station 3AW saying they were trapped and asking for help. For many it saved their lives The media have put psychologists on radio and television to explain the benefits of counselling to those affected and they have also explained the reasons behind these crimes. It seems there are several reasons. The arsonists are excited by fire and want to make their mark by lighting them. Revenge is another reason and for some they get a sort of sexual pleasure. The size of the fire and the number of dead increases their pleasure as they see it as a measure of success. The toll has reached 173 to date and will rise as rescuers get into impenetrable areas. These areas are now considered crime scenes and not even the survivers can get back to their burnt out homes to administer to suffering pets and livestock.
For me forehead treatment sounds like a good idea-that's after a very long incarceration term.
 
This type of wanton destruction is just beyond comprehension to me. Poetic justice would be for the arsonists to have been caught by their own fires.

May the victims rest in peace.
 
Apart from the tragic loss of 173 people so far in this firestorm, the other losses such as wild life and what was once a pristine mountain forest is also very sad. The Yarra Ranges was motorcycle heaven. Marysville was the spot for cooling off the nerves and the front brake arriving on the Black Spur, probably one of the finest most spectacular roads to bend a Commando around, and then up to Lake Mountain, 4,000 ft down to Cambrai and onto Warburton. And now its one gigantic carbonised wasteland.
The evil swine who lit this deserves to have his ear pinned to my megaphone and get 7,000RPM of anger into his thick skull before being tossed into the incinerator.

Mick
 
Very sorry to hear about the wildfires and all the destruction and loss of life they have caused. Our hearts go out to you in this very difficult time.

Debby
 
My wife and I have been following this story with trepidation. It is frustrating to hear of the loss of life and homes.
Is there anything organized like a collection for victims yet?
 
Thanks you for your thoughts Cookie, It is amazing in these tough economic times how the community and business have rallied to donate both money and services to the victims of this trajedy , Even those affected directly by the fires are giving and helping those more so affected. The Australian Red Cross , http://www.redcross.org.au is the primary point for those seeking to assist in any way.

On behalf(if i may be so bold) of all Aussie forum members I would like to express my sincere thanks for the kind thoughts and support that this forum has shown over the last few days . I think the pic says it all
To all the Aussies-
 
Hows the rain treating you Stuart SS ? you are up that way altho you may be out of the worst of it on the tablelands

Yes.. mate. smack it the middle ~ but because we live on top of the Great Dividing range most of the immediate country is built as it were on the side of a bowling ball ~ !!!

But still the yard and the surrounding countryside is like walking on a marsh it is SO sodden ~

The Commando has not been out since December ~

My Bro in law in Townsville took an opportunity to launch his (small) plane.. but not before his Ute sank on the grass to its balls ~ tow balls !!

Then on return his plane bogged ~ and over night a storm all but floated his Ute away ~

But we are fortunate ~ after all some folk still not found after their vehicles being swept away ~ and sever al lost to crocs..

(The crocs get swept into residential areas in times of floods ~! Scary !!)

But we are back to almost life as usual ~

When the roads finally reopened , it was simply not worth the risk of trweadign the highways as the trucks / lorries were in their 100s ~ almost bumper to bumper ~

One more day and Dairy Farmers ltd would have been out of gas, and Caustic Soda ~ No dairy product processing !!

One 'humorous" photo showed a property owner in water up to his chest , "closing the front gate" ~ and the front fence protruding from the water ~ in an attempt to "keep the crocs" out of the yard~ (makes complete sense really !)

But some are STILL isolated and livestock are in dire straights ~ West of us .. Kurumba and Normanton in the Gulf country have not seen ground zero for months now~

Sixty two % of QLD was / is flood effected ~

But the Vic fires are ghastly ~ with death toll approaching 300 !! ~

One practical type had built a "bomb shelter" and his entire family and ALL the family pets were in no danger at any time ~

They just sat out the crucial 20 Min's of the fire ~then forged out to save their house ~

(A crucial point is if one wants to live in Eucalyptus (Gum tree) country you really have to clear away all the trees from any where near your house ~ )

Perhaps this would not to have helped many~ BUT IT HAS TO BE FACTOR TO BE CONSIDERED ~ but with extreme temps, dry condtions and a wind ~ NOT a good combo ~ especially if there is a Nut case armed with a box of matches ~

These trees simply explode at a given temperature.. and I assure, is truly frightening ~

Oh BTW .. the Koala bear apparently drank THREE of those water bottle contents and the post photo/s later, showed the lucky little bloke with little boxing gloves as he has badly brunt paws ~
 
Appreciate that update, very distressing to hear of the devastation.

We're getting ready to start cutting back the overgrowth to about 100' from the house on two sides where it's wild. When summer hits here (about 2 more months), we get 100F+ temps for 6 months straight and that buffalo grass lights off like flash paper.
 
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