Fires in South-Eastern Australia

[tcpip]

You can see it on their faces (and you can read it on their 'blogs). People in Victoria are trying to live today as normally as possible today, but there is air of simply being stunned by the weekend events. The temperature rose to between 46 and 49 degrees C, the hottest day on record. And after a lengthy period of dry weather, fires have set south-eastern Australia ablaze. At last count over one hundred people have died, and more have fatalities are expected. Whilst the worst seems over (thankfully there was a sudden 20 degree drop in temperature on Sunday, a change of wind direction and even some rain - God knows what it would have been like if Saturday's weather continued on Sunday), some blazes remain out of control. Some of the fires appear to have been deliberately lit; words fail me.

For international (or local) people wanting to donate via electronic means, that's "Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund" at National Australia Bank, 345 George St, Sydney. BSB 082001 Account 860046797. SWIFT CODE: NATAAU3302S (from mirelle21).

Comments

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

I just listened to some of the evacuee audio on abc.net.au and - oh my god. The fire moved 2km in under a minute? That's terrifying.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

As you said on your post, speeds like that is like something out of a horror movie :(

[laura-seabrook.livejournal.com]

No wonder so many died. It seems most did so when they fled too late, resulting in them being caught in the blaze, rather than escaping it. However, people there seem to think that it was pure chance who survived and who didn't.

I'm not so sure. One man and his wife and daughter hid out in a concrete bunker she pressured him to build. That seems like good planning to me. maybe people were expecting "slow" fires. Who knows?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Well a Royal Commission has been announced and the standing policy of "leave early" or "stay and defend" is under review.

We were discussing at work whether such concrete bunkers would be effective. In most cases, I imagine they would be. But then when you look at pictures of molten steel off cars from the heat, you realise in some circumstances it could end up being like an oven....

[laura-seabrook.livejournal.com]

I was wondering how the air was in there - I'd be more worried about suffocating than anything else. I read a story about Ash Wednesday where a worker at a lumber mill jumped in a water tank to escape and was cooked like a lobster.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

That sounds about right. I used to know some people who had a holiday home in the Otways when Ash Wednesday went through.. They told me that a number of wildlife tried to seek refuge (without success) by jumping into the sea... It didn't work.

It is, of course, certainly an option as water is obviously cooler. But if the fire remains consistent in the area, the description you give would be like a pot of water on a stove..

[evil-genius.livejournal.com]

yikes! thats 75 Mph fire!

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

*nods* Firestorm effect. Air rises when heated, creating an updraft which draws in new air from surrounding areas - creating self-generated winds which are much faster than those already existing.

[madame-mage.livejournal.com]

Fire when this is out of control does resemble some sort of living monstrous being. I hope you didn't have friends or loved ones in the area, hell I'd be worried sick!

The fact that arson is suspected makes me sick to my stomach.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Fire when this is out of control does resemble some sort of living monstrous being.

You can certainly imagine how it was connected to the choleric personality.

I hope you didn't have friends or loved ones in the area, hell I'd be worried sick!

The scale of the fires are so great that it's hard not too... I have friends nearby but not in towns that have been destroyed. I am worried... but what can you do?

The fact that arson is suspected makes me sick to my stomach.

Sociopathic pyromania is .. very dangerous in a place like Australia..

[madame-mage.livejournal.com]

I guess just waiting for word on how your friends are doing is pretty much all you can do if phone lines are down and cells are what you can rely on.

And Oh dear gawd, you guys have had record breaking temperatures where you are! something like 120 degrees? *pained* I hope the police catch those sorry excuses for human beings.

on a lighter side? how are your rat kids doing? I sort of miss those little blurbs you have in some of your posts. *still working on getting a couple of cuddly critters she could call her own!*

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I guess just waiting for word on how your friends are doing is pretty much all you can do if phone lines are down and cells are what you can rely on.

*nods* Nobody in the towns that have been directly affected, thankfully. Friends of friends have not been so lucky. :(

how are your rat kids doing? I sort of miss those little blurbs you have in some of your posts

Trouble, Mischief and Calamity have grown up quickly, but are still young enough to exhaust a human servant just by watching them. T is the super-sociable one, C is very timid, whereas "the 'chief" is really phlegmatic.

I must post a couple of photos, they really are an adorable trio..

[madame-mage.livejournal.com]

*grins* yes Please do!

and with captions?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

PS: A rather odd side of me did think of the "Fire Fairy" that makes an appearance in "Drawn Together"... There is something very wrong with that show..

[madame-mage.livejournal.com]

In agreement with you on that damn toon..

the creators were probably on crack *makes a face*

[mycroftca.livejournal.com]

Many of the brush fires we have here in SoCal seem to be deliberately set, and a few accidentally.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I was just told over lunch about the exchange programme that Australia and Southern Cal have with firefighters... Similar climate, similar foliage... When it's winter for SoCal it's summer here and vice-versa. Sounds like a very sensible arrangement.

[1phish2phish.livejournal.com]

Some of the fires appear to have been deliberately lit; words fail me.

I've also heard that some of the fires which had already been put out were then deliberately re-lit later. That just defies belief.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Genuine insanities are like than. There is simply no rational justification for the sociopathological behaviour, hence he are left grasping at the irrational structures.

Whilst I sympathise with the public outrage as these activities, I'm not sure what good a jail term would do to the perpetrators. Then again... I feel the same way about jail terms for anything.

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

It wouldn't do any good to the perpetrators, but it would stop them from setting fire to anyone but themselves, for a short period of time at least.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

That much is very true; I do not oppose compulsory psychiatric care for those who are clearly psychotic.

[tau-iota-mu-c.livejournal.com]

I read in a paper version of a newspaper article I now can't find to cite that only 6% of fires are naturally lit. Something like 60% are arson, and 30% are accidental (or vice versa; cigarette butt was the cause of the fire near bendigo). This means that 94% of fires are lit by an idiot.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I have a friend who dropped a lit cigarette butt on the ground on Sunday. After putting it out, I bit my tongue and gently reminded him that the wind can catch things and serious fires can result...

[bibsy.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! I'll be praying for them.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Your thoughts are appreciated.

[n2kaja.livejournal.com]

I'm throwing money that way.
I just can't imagine what these folks have been through.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I'm extremely impressed by the generosity of ordinary Australians and ... perhaps once in my life even the corporations. I mean News Limited gave a million dollars. Now that surprised me...

[amphigori.livejournal.com]

My thoughts are with you, your friends, the whole country.

It's mind boggling. Apparently an "orange glow" can be seen from the south island from all the smoke. :(

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

You know Munch's The Scream? The red skyline in that painting is considered an accurate depiction of Norway at the time; the result of the smoke put in the atmosphere by the explosion of Krakatoa which blew up ten years previously..

[darknova666.livejournal.com]

sad to se global waring at work...and yet another example of poor state government planning (transport, power etc).

as one government expert stated on the news tonight the fire models wernt set up for temperatures of more than 44 degrees as thats the most we've had.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Strictly speaking this isn't global warming per se. Global warming is an increase in mean surface temperatures - if anything it's possible that 2009, like the previous five years or so - has actually seen a slight decline.

What global warming does predict however is a march of tropical rains further south from the top-end of Qld (such as what has happened in Qld with the floods) and dessert like conditions (what has happened in Vic).

[darknova666.livejournal.com]

mmmmmm dessert like conditions...chocolate ice cream sundaes...unfortunately not!

global warming may lead to more extremes of temperatures tho i think.

[madali.livejournal.com]

People who set fires deliberately need to be punished, although kudas to you for being sticking to your principles even through an event like this,

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I think there isn't much point in having principles if you don't stick to them when confronting with serious tests!

[fwuffydragon.livejournal.com]

*sends hugs* - thinking of you.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

What we'd give for some of your beautiful snow!

[darknova666.livejournal.com]

hopefully al queda dont realise that they can do more damage with a box of matches than tonnes of bombs

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I imagine that such thoughts are indeed in their mind already...

Mike Rann's comments that arsonists are 'terrorists' really isn't hyperbole..

[darknova666.livejournal.com]

just found this c/o a link from the drudge report:

http://www.theage.com.au/national/islam-group-urges-forest-fire-jihad-20080906-4b53.html?page=-1

interesting that no virtually no mention of the possibility has been aired on tv or the papers - perhaps deliberately following a directive from the federal government

posibly to avoid retaliation and or encouraging them.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Nice catch.

If it is under investigation it wouldn't be reported yet; quite possibly for the very reason you have suggested..

[nvcarnie.livejournal.com]

Been trying to follow this story from a-far. Sending you - and your countrymates - all my support and well wishes. As little as that really does.....

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Thanks, it's all appreciated down here :)

[anote77.livejournal.com]

well, i am sorry with your country fire.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It's appreciated.