BS5_RED Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/bushfires/ At least 600 homes have been destroyed and 110 people have lost their lives in Australia's worst ever natural disaster. A dry January, 45C heat and 60mh winds all combined to create a deadly firestorm. At least one village has been wiped off the map completely. Unbelievably it seems that some of the fires were deliberately started. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/09/2485849.htm Murdering ***** My heart goes out to all those in Victoria who are affected. Weather conditions were very similar over the border here in South Australia and we were very very very lucky the same thing did not happen here. Anyway, I know its a long way from AG (plus 45C might seem like a made up temperature atm) but please all spare a few moments for those who's lives have been destroyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 There was a bloke on the news today, saying how all his best mates and their kids had been killed. Very sad news indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangers Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 rip to those who have lost their lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Belgrave Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 rip to those who have lost their lives. Hang on. There are nutters out there certainly, but there has been no proof hat all and even most of the fires were deliberately started:-the Gippsland, Churchill/ Traralgon blaze perhaps- but not the others- yet. That said, all the sites are being treated as "Crime Scenes" to establish how they actually were started. But really, it's been so dry and so hot over the past couple of Months, culminating with last Saturday when it hit 48C that anything could have set things off, even a disgarded piece of glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Belgrave Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/bushfires/ At least 600 homes have been destroyed and 110 people have lost their lives in Australia's worst ever natural disaster. A dry January, 45C heat and 60mh winds all combined to create a deadly firestorm. At least one village has been wiped off the map completely. Unbelievably it seems that some of the fires were deliberately started. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/09/2485849.htm Murdering ***** My heart goes out to all those in Victoria who are affected. Weather conditions were very similar over the border here in South Australia and we were very very very lucky the same thing did not happen here. Anyway, I know its a long way from AG (plus 45C might seem like a made up temperature atm) but please all spare a few moments for those who's lives have been destroyed. Sadly, the death toll will probably exceed two hundred. While we in Belgrave were spared this time (unlike the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires when a fortuitous change of wind direction saved our home). there is one person at Ashton Gate whose situation should be enquired into. ROBERT STAMBOLIEV- he hails from Whittlesea to the North West of Melbourne, and the Whittlesea/ Kinglake outbreak was one of the worst. Perhaps enquiries should be made into his family situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Hitler Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Many terrible stories coming out of these events. Focussing on whether some nutter might have started the odd one misses the point, as Philip says, all the effort should be going into protecting against the next one and helping the affected people. Not whipping the population up into hysteria. A cheap political play by Kevin Rudd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Belgrave Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Many terrible stories coming out of these events. Focussing on whether some nutter might have started the odd one misses the point, as Philip says, all the effort should be going into protecting against the next one and helping the affected people. Not whipping the population up into hysteria. A cheap political play by Kevin Rudd. True, there was no lack of politicans seemingly eager to be photographed amid the devastation, while professing deep concern, and Deputy PM Julia Gillard (who was born in Barry ,by the way, although you'd never know it to hear her) led Parliament in a sympathetic by-partisan debate , a rare thing in this country. But it doesn't do to be too cynical, hopefully ,something good will come out of it all. Incidentally, it is reported that HM The Queen herself dug deep in aid of the Bushfire Relief Fund. God Bless Her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS5_RED Posted February 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Hang on. There are nutters out there certainly, but there has been no proof hat all and even most of the fires were deliberately started:-the Gippsland, Churchill/ Traralgon blaze perhaps- but not the others- yet. That said, all the sites are being treated as "Crime Scenes" to establish how they actually were started. But really, it's been so dry and so hot over the past couple of Months, culminating with last Saturday when it hit 48C that anything could have set things off, even a disgarded piece of glass. Was certainly not saying that all the fires were started by firebugs. It just astounds me that ANY fire could be started by such people. Like you say though, conditions have been so dry anything may have sparked a fire. Lets hope conditions stay as they are (and the wind drops) to give the firefighters a chance to deal the remaining blazes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS5_RED Posted February 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 True, there was no lack of politicans seemingly eager to be photographed amid the devastation, while professing deep concern, and Deputy PM Julia Gillard (who was born in Barry ,by the way, although you'd never know it to hear her) led Parliament in a sympathetic by-partisan debate , a rare thing in this country. But it doesn't do to be too cynical, hopefully ,something good will come out of it all. Incidentally, it is reported that HM The Queen herself dug deep in aid of the Bushfire Relief Fund. God Bless Her. I think the politicans have handled the affair (so far) fairly well and I'm not convinced the whole "murderers" line was entirely politically motivated. However, I think the attempt to sneak through the stimulus packcage legislation on the back of the bushfires is poor form by Rudd. And would please John Brumby please take that CFA coat off. It's crass at best - especially when he's nowhere near a fire. And don't get me started on the media!! Think the response of the Australian people has been fantastic though. Over $31 million dollars in 4 days is a stunning effort. As you say PR hopefully something positive will eventually come out of the whole thing, although what that would be its hard to say at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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