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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive: 2009 » Archive through February 25, 2009 » Bush fires Victoria Australia « Previous Next »

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slawie
Member
Username: slawie

Post Number: 53
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 11:17 pm:   Edit Post

Over this last weekend Victoria has experienced its worst natural disaster in recorded history with lives and property lost.
Please spare a moment for some positive thoughts and/or prayers to those who are left behind.

See http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/ for information.

slawie
white_cloud
Senior Member
Username: white_cloud

Post Number: 607
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Monday, February 09, 2009 - 1:13 am:   Edit Post

I was shocked when I saw the news footage over here in the UK - very tragic.

The fact that many of the fires were considered to have been started by arsonists really saddens me - what the hell is wrong with these people?? How can they sleep at night??

Sometimes I really question human nature.

John.
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 2282
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Monday, February 09, 2009 - 11:52 am:   Edit Post

That's a real shame. I have friends in Vic (Melbourne-area) that I haven't heard from.

Having spent two months in Aus in '03, I can tell you that they don't need arsonists to start bush fires. It's a wide open country with land mass nearly equal to the USA, but only as many people as the NE Corridor. During the dry season, it's super easy for bush fires start and the openness coupled with winds and lack of precip cause them to spread quickly out of control. I was nearly overcome riding my (rental) 100th Aniv. Wide Glide on the motorway heading north form Surfer's Paradise towards Brisbane from the wildfire smoke on the Gold Coast...and the fires were miles away!

Anybody who deliberately started those fires that claimed lives and property should be punished to the full exten allowed by law.
terryc
Senior Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 708
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 7:02 am:   Edit Post

I would tie them to trees as the fire apporached.
B*****Ds they are
terryc
Senior Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 709
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 7:03 am:   Edit Post

I would tie them to the trees as the fire approached..
B******ds they are for doing that
olieoliver
Senior Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 2042
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 7:19 am:   Edit Post

We get that same problem in Texas during the summer. Dry hot spells that create ideal circumstances for wildfires.
We'll be under a burn ban with new stories left and right about grass fires and such and you'll still see schmucks thumping their cigarette buts out the window.
In my opinion just as criminal as setting the fire on purpose.

OO
hydrargyrum
Senior Member
Username: hydrargyrum

Post Number: 461
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 7:32 am:   Edit Post

I am very saddened to hear of this, and my condolences go out to the victims and their families.

Is this region prone to wildfires? So many ecosystems that are attractive to humans have a reliance on periodic fires to clear underbrush, start seed germination etc. I've always wondered why the park systems didn't try to have yearly controlled burns in these areas to try to discourage gigantic runaway fires. Clearly I am missing something.
white_cloud
Senior Member
Username: white_cloud

Post Number: 609
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 11:36 am:   Edit Post

I saw the Australian Prime minister on the news describing the tragedy as "mass murder" by the arsonists. He is spot on.

He also visited some of the worst hit areas and was visibly in tears as he tried to comfort victims - I am greatly impressed by his response and reaction.

Such tragedies often highlight the worst and susequently the best in people.

John.
dnburgess
Senior Member
Username: dnburgess

Post Number: 589
Registered: 1-2003
Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 12:06 pm:   Edit Post

Kevin, there is going to be a big government enquiry which will look at all those kinds of things. One of the issues may be the extent to which "tree changers" (people moving to the country for life style reasons) are not as "fire aware" as long term country folk. (e.g. maintaining clreance between forest and house, fire breaks, etc.)

But when whole towns are wiped out its clearly a bigger problem than a few people not being careful.

The perils of the human / nature interface...
georgie_boy
Senior Member
Username: georgie_boy

Post Number: 652
Registered: 8-2005
Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 6:49 am:   Edit Post

We have friends who moved to Victoria a few years ago, and have heard nothing lately.
It's such a sad time for everyone.
My heart goes out to all those people connected to such a disaster.

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