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

[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...