Australia Fires....any Australians here affected?

[kaiser soze]

I don't know much of this.....but it sounds horrible.

The cause is arson? Jesus :(

Beyond the growing human losses, there's news of extensive wildlife and livestock loss.

I hope you, your friends, and families are alright

http://player.video.news.com.au/news/#89TGlBTZYDxZFKYFIYEfGFJWI02geJXt

[Lyman Zerga]

seems like the current health of rihanna is more important


hope the aussie bbmbers are all well

[Kid Presentable]

I had wanted to start a thread on it, although as a 'paper australian' I wasn't sure if it was my place. Donated some cash, though. Fucking horrific turn of events for those people.

[Pres Zount]

That's the exact reason I didn't start a thread. I was waiting for a real Australian to do it actually.

I was really shocked to find out that people had died. There's usually a couple of fires going on and it's never really a big deal, but now there's over a hundred people dead. Really horrific.

[Kid Presentable]

Yeah, dead in their cars trying to outrun the blazes and shit. :(

[camo]

I was with one of our photographers yesterday who lost him family home in the blazes of '83. Apparently the blaze gets so hot it on only lt leaves a pile of ashes and the expose foundations behind. He said that the fire literally 'jumps' from tree to tree and before you know it you're surrounded.

But flames outrunning cars is scary shit and I can think of a lot better way to die than to be burnt to death :(

[Guy Incognito]

its beyond me how people would want to start these fires especially as there is a massive chance that they would also perish. I mean whats the fucking point, its a very sad thing.
although i have to say the ODI to raise money was a great idea, think they raised about $6million, it was so much for every run scored and even more for each six hit and there were quite a few of those. It seems to have brought out the best spirit in the aussies but its a terrible tragedy.

[Adam]

^^lucky they didn't play england. They'd of raised nothing!

link here to what makes an arsonist tick I read yesterday ~ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/10/australia-bushfires-arson-psychology

My heart does go out to those effected.

[na§tee]

yes, it is really terrible. embarrassing to hear us piss and moan about a couple of inches of snow when people are dying in victoria. i should donate some money to the red cross bushfire appeal. edit: done. i would give blood if i could. but i am not in australia.

[mikizee]

I've donated a bit of cash and I've booked in to donate blood next week (although I've been planning to do that anyway).

Fortunately no one I know directly has been affected, but seeing and hearing the horrific stories of the survivors on tv have brought a tear to my eye on more than one occasion. Its absolutely dreadful. Parents calling their kids telling them they were in a burning house and were going to die... what would you do if you got a phone call like that? I can't even imagine. Pileups on the roads from cars not being able to see 3 feet in front of them, exploding firestorms sucking all the oxygen from a large area around it and flames advancing at 100km/h.. fuckin crazy.

Entire towns and a great proportion of their populations have been completely wiped out.

Fuckin nuts. So sad.

edit - if they ever catch the arsonists responsible they will need a protective team like Obamas... they will be torn limb from limb if the public get a hold of them before police does. And even then, jail inmates wont let them live long.

[ms.peachy]

It's terrible. My sister lives in California very near where the fires were last year and it was horrible knowing they were getting closer and closer to her home. I feel sick to my stomach thinking about these poor people. Death by fire is one of my greatest fears, so much so that I am uncomfortable even typing this as it feels too much like tempting fate.

[gbsuey]

It's terrible. My sister lives in California very near where the fires were last year and it was horrible knowing they were getting closer and closer to her home. I feel sick to my stomach thinking about these poor people. Death by fire is one of my greatest fears, so much so that I am uncomfortable even typing this as it feels too much like tempting fate.

My brother is also in california-luckily his house was ok but full of ash.
They were also partly due to arson i believe.

I can't really find any words about somebody who would do this.

[mikizee]

This pic says it all (may have to sign into facebook)

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2311/189/122/655409015/n655409015_1526981_517.jpg

[gbsuey]

This pic says it all (may have to sign into facebook)

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2311/189/122/655409015/n655409015_1526981_517.jpg

He's holding the koalas hand! Incredibly cute-shame about the reasoning behind it-glad to hear you safe-i have a cousin in Oz but aside from her don't know anybody else there so i did have a little worry about the australian bbmbers

[russhie]

I live in Melbourne's inner city, and on saturday arvo my mum rang me to tell me not to ring the house, as they were on standby to evacuate. It was about then that I started shitting myself - my immediate family were in real, proper danger and I was so fucking far away. They had the car packed and ready.

My younger sister and her boyfriend drove out to check on his nan, and thank fuck they did - they were evacuated from there not long after arriving. She wanted to stay, they forced her to leave. She rang me in tears later in the night, saying the horses were going to be dead and the house burned down...I didn't know what to do. She was talking about how everything was black, and she could see the explosions over the hill - meaning someone's house had just blown up. The roads in and out of my parent's property were closed off. I've never felt so helpless in my life.

They were taken off notice at some point sunday, and they went to the property to see how it had fared, and fuck, they were lucky - the charred ground was just a few metres from the house, which (aside from being severely heat and smoke damaged) was fine. And the horses were sheltering against it. She sent pictures, and it's just...amazing.

As of yesterday, the fire had started up again, and at the moment the house is at risk again, though much reduced. But my family, and his family, are safe - and that's what is important right now. My mum has been calling and emailing updates...some people are missing, presumed dead...so many have lost homes, and pets and livestock and livelyhoods and the whole community is devastated. Again, I feel so strange being so far removed.

Almost 50million has been raised to help victims so far, it's incredible, and I know that my family and everyone who has been affected is saying thanks for the generosity - flood ravaged families in QLD are even sending their govt grants in as donations, it's unbelievable how people have gotten behind these communities.

Death toll is about 183 and rising still...in one township that equates to one in five community members dead.

[kaiser soze]

russhie that is crazy.....houses exploding JESUS!

that koala picture :o

[russhie]

russhie that is crazy.....houses exploding JESUS!

that koala picture :o

Yeah, out that far lots of homes aren't on mains gas, so it's stored on the property itself.

The pic is pretty amazing, I saw the video version on the news tonight and it's just so thirsty. Poor little fella - I was so glad to see a feature on the wildlife rescue people who are doing their thing for the critters of regional Victoria.

There was another story on the news about a herd of alpacas hanging about in a dam to survive, which was pretty cool.

[ms.peachy]

It was about then that I started shitting myself - my immediate family were in real, proper danger and I was so fucking far away.

ach russhie, that must have been so awful. I would have been throwing up with anxiety. I'm glad your family is OK.

[Echewta]

I've responded to three wild fires as a volunteer, only one did I actually get in the face of the wave of fire. It was about a 30 to 40 foot wall of flame. Pretty amazing especially since wildfires will create their own weather system. The fire was started by some kids playing with fireworks, which are illegal in Los Angeles.

Is it true that some of the towns in Australia were told to stay at their houses and fight the fire with garden hoses and buckets? And then parished when the fires overtook them? I heard that on one report and couldn't believe the government would actually suggest that. Buckets and garden hoses are worthless.

[mikizee]

Not entirely. Residents have a choice, evacuate or stay and try to protect their home. There is going to be a review of that policy for reasons that are obvious.

[Echewta]

There shouldn't be a choice. Go. Let the professionals do what they do best.

[kaiser soze]

Never knew you're a firefighter, thanks for your service (y)

[scotty]

My mum and dad live just outside of Yarram in Gippsland, and they were telling how scared they were, watching the fire come screaming over the hills down towards them before the wind changed to a south-westerly blowing the fire away. I have an aunt that lives at Tawonga in the hills behind Beechworth, who was also lucky for the south-wester blowing the fire in the opposite direction to her house. I grew up down there, so I know a lot of people who lost everything (no-one died, thankfully) to some cunts deliberately lit fire. The fire was at the back fences of people who live in Yarram itself. They were lucky theres it all pasture land around the town, rather than bush or they would have gone, too. I've been tearing my hair out about it, because all the news has focused on Kinglake and Marysville, and none really on the Gippsland fires, other than how they're closing in on the arsebandit who lit them. Even on ABC Gippsland, nothing on the fire itself just the arsonist. My family are fine, but I have friends in Won Wron and Woodside who have been under direct threat that I'd like to know about.

[mikizee]

I just read that 60 firefighters from the US and 10 from Canada have arrvied in Victoria to boost efforts.

Thats pretty cool. So thanks.