BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009-2020

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Rowan
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 04:25 PM

More NZ firefighters, some from WA and a swag from NSW arrived in Victoria yesterday and are deployed today.

Hold tight!

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Riginslinger
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 10:18 PM

Has anybody shot an arsonist yet?

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 09:03 PM

Thanks, Ebbie. It would do for a victory sign anyway.
A friend of mine used to visit his aunt who had one of those holes in her yard. In Ballarat. She built an outhouse -- Dunny to us -- around it. Scared the hell out of the kids using it.
Useful those holes.
Another friend often gets to rescue wildlife from way down in a hole after a bushfire has passed. There aren't any of those holes in the current bushfire areas sadly.
Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 08:41 PM

The 150 year old miners must really be exhausted!

sorry, sorry.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Rowan
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 07:52 PM

I was fascinated by all the filled in holes around Bendigo & the graphic in the Museum showing the extent of the mines under Bendigo.

When I was running Steiglitz (a school camp in the Brisbane Ranges, halfway between Geelong and Ballarat) I was very familiar with such holes in the ground; there were five within 100m of my fireplace. None connected with others, because of the nature of the seams on that field but I recall a mining geologist describing the Bendigo field as a comparison. He reckoned there was so much water in the now disused Bendigo mines that, if you installed the biggest water pump ever made and set it running, it would take a year to drop the water level under Bendigo by just one foot.

It made my little "Star of Hope" adits and shaft pale into insignificance.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 06:25 PM

What I love about Bendigo is the way it changed from tents to High Victorian architecture in a few years. I have several hundred pics of old Bendigo from my 2 visits last year. My friends were living in a decrepit old weatherboard cottage but are now renting a more modern place while waiting for the builders to finish relocating their new old house, a Federation house that was moved from a demolition site in Melbourne.

And my friends have one of those holes on their land - tho it was filled in years ago! I was fascinated by all the filled in holes around Bendigo & the graphic in the Museum showing the extent of the mines under Bendigo.

We're eagerly anticipating the cooler weather.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 06:19 PM

\/ Well, that doesn't look much like crossed fingers but - best wishes to get you safely past Friday...

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 04:32 PM

Sandra, The forecast we're getting for beyond Friday looks better. Cooler and they're talking showers. Bendigo lost several 150 year-old miner's cottages among others. People died there. It was started by a cigarette thrown into grass. Not that a grass and brush fire can't be dangerous and can't kill. Bendigo is safer than the towns in the forest though and there's more escape routes.
I hope your stay is a wonderful one. Please say hello to Bendigo for me. It's the city my family made their home when it was just tents and holes.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 25 Feb 09 - 07:47 AM

Race to control Vic blazes before Friday's scorcher

Fire danger causes school closures - South Australia

I hadn't realised that fires were in South Australia.

I'm heading to Bendigo, 1.5 hours north of Melbourne, on Sunday for a week, & we're hoping the weather won't be as hot as forecast. There were some fires in the Bendigo area a few weeks ago.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Rowan
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 10:39 PM

The usual stint is three days at 12 hours/day Operational and then a day's Stand Down. It DOES get exhausting and, for volunteers, the behaviour of employers like Fosters exacerbates the difficulties. The Defence Act prevents employers from disadvantaging Reservists but there is no similar legislated protection for volunteers in the SES or any of the fire services. And Howard's WorkChoices (George Orwell would be rolling in his grave at that particular New Speak) removed whatever little support volunteers might have been able to garner previously.

Sorry for the thread drift but the chief wally at my workplace has just been presented Certificates of Appreciation by both the SES and the RFS local units for supporting staff members who are such volunteers.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Janie
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 08:58 PM

The professional and volunteer firefighters must be absolutely exhausted.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 05:51 PM

Bushfire threat eases but worse to come The seven bushfires still burning in Victoria are not threatening any townships this morning.
Firefighters have spent the night backburning and strengthening containment lines, as they prepare for more dangerous weather on Friday.

Bushfires

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Andrez
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 04:05 PM

Of course this is not to be confused with that famous Australian expression: "Having a slash" which is an entirely different kettle of fish!

:-)


Cheers,

Andrez


PS: By the way ABC news reported the Red Cross Fire Appeal has now officially reached $190 Million and is still rising.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 05:19 AM

Motor mowers are banned on total fire ban days. It's because of the danger of sparks from rocks. I believe slashers come under the same rules.
Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 04:40 AM

Richard, I'm guessing that it's an implement for clearing ground & I found a pic of one on a tractor sales site

Slashers are ideal for general farm use, cutting and clearing. They can also tidy up along fencelines, wall edges and roadsides and are good for creating firebreaks as well as being usable on rough terrain. They are the most frequently requested tractor implement in Australia and Sota Tractors carries both the AGMAX and Silvan brands in stock to suit both small and large acreages.
slasher

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 03:29 AM

What, in this context, is a "slasher"?

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Bill S from Adelaide
Date: 24 Feb 09 - 03:17 AM

Upwey flared up again, there were 31 fire engines till three were destroyed in the fire. All the firies are ok, just minor burns. I didn't think the slasher was on a TFB though.
Daylesford was ok last I heard but I think a trip to the city will be the go for more than a few. Black Saturday has really shaken peoples idea that they can defend a house and are working out what really matters
We had a choir concert at Burrinja on Friday to raise dosh for the firies, it was closed today due to fire risk.
BS from UFTG/Upwey

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 11:57 PM

You'd think everyone would know by now what is meant by "Total Fire Ban". Perhaps it should be spelled out along with the warning on the weather report. Haven't seen that done in a while.

Last year a farmer out here lit a big bonfire the afternoon before a day of total fire ban. There were advance warnings about the danger and about the probability of a fire ban for the next day. There was no way that fire was going to go out for days. One of the rules relating to fire bans is that allowing a fire to burn is also an offence. Seems he'd not been aware of that. He reasoned that as long as he lit it before midnight he was within the law.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 05:43 PM

Mild weather helps bushfire fight

News reports said folks who left their homes are returning, so I expect I'll hear from my friends sometime today

Yesterday I heard a news article that some idiot was dropping butts to see what would happen - result fire & arrest!

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Andrez
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 04:37 PM

DSE now suspect that the Upwey fire may have been caused by someone operating a slasher on a day of total fireban.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Andrez
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 04:09 PM

The snow dump melted before I could get to it. Could you send another over please?

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 03:53 PM

Oh dear! Still leaving letters out. Make that virtual.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 03:51 PM

Snow would be lovely, Mary. Enjoying your vitual gift very much. Thank you.
Fire crews did a great job last night and nobody seems to be under threat at the moment. Hope that goes for you too, Bill, I think it does. Stay safe. Friday will be another worry.
The whole state is so dry. Never been this dry. Yesterday here about 10 drops of rain fell.
"Mercy drops 'round us are falling but for the showers we plead"
Using our water carefully while the tanks get lower and lower.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 11:13 AM

I wish I could find a way to send our latest dump of snow to your fire sites. A nice 8" blanket of snow would put out the fires for good.
Stay safe, all.
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 06:05 AM

cfa.vic.gov.au

I heard Ferntree Gully mentioned in the news, best wishes to you & your family & friends. ABC news sez. loss at Belgrave Heights was a shed not a house. Reporter was speaking to folks at Ferntree Gully.

About 2 hours ago I spoke to friends in Daylesford who were packed & ready to go.

sandra

Same news broadcast said NSW has heavy rain causing problems.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Bill S from Adelaide
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 05:23 AM

Greetings from Upwey/ Upper Ferntree Gully, just in from ember watch and hosing the roof. The fire here is about 90 ha but so far only one house has been lost. There are 230 firies, 45 vehicles and helicopters trying to keep it at bay and stopping it from getting into the ranges. We are not in the fire path but it is snowing cold ash.
I came home early, I could see the smoke from the city and checked the location. The highway had seized in both directions, people trying to get home and people trying to get out and lots of road closures not helping. No fun for emergency services trying to get through.
And Friday will apparently be worse
If you want updates check cfa.vic.gov.au

Bill S from Melbourne

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 03:01 AM

School buses brought children home to Yarra Junction this afternoon and the road is still open. The main worry now for these residents is that the fire to the south-west will continue to head in their direction. My daughter says they are in the hole of a doughnut.
The fires in the Dandenongs look really bad.
Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 02:40 AM

Melbourne Local Radio coverage & articles

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Andrez
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 12:46 AM

Its too early to tell how this will pan out but for those who understand Melbournes local geography, as I write there are currently reports of fire in Upwey in the Dandenongs just near Ferntree Gully outside of Melbourne. This is a heavily treed and heavily populated area with only narrow windy roads.

Talk back radio is reporting road closures and traffic jams and the tone of the calls so far is along the lines of panic rising with reports of smoke rising and Helicopters all over the place. As I write, pre school centres in Wellington rd are being evacuated and people are being stopped from travelling into the area.

Hopefully there wont be any major cause for panic and the anticipated wind change will not make things any worse and that there will be enough resources dedicated to nipping the whole thing in the bud. If not a real fire scenario defies thinking about.

I have rels at the foot of the mountain. Guess I'd better call them now.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 11:25 PM

Yarra Valley awaits extreme bushfire conditions

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 07:16 PM

Thank you Sandra. And thank you for the hugs by email.
Waiting to hear from my daughter who's just south of the fire front. There's a strong north wind but the weather is not so bad as before and the warning system is working well. She rang last night. Lots of families around her moving out. Her children go to school well down the valley in a safe area. She'll be alright, I'm sure, but I'll be anxious to hear from her tonight.
Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 05:44 PM

It's not over yet - Bushfires - another week of dangerous fire conditions.

Towns on alert as bushfire threat rises see map -

Warburton Valley, Mallee and Enochs Point on flee alert

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Feb 09 - 12:59 AM

Thanks for posting the letter, Rowan. Still lots of tears here. I noticed there was a National Day of Mourning and that the flags will be lower to half mast on Feb 7th from now on. May all of those lost be well-remembered and those who survived continue to put one foot in front of the other with help from friends, family, and strangers from across the world. We are one with you, too.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 20 Feb 09 - 06:51 AM

Just about to send you this letter too, Sandra. Thanks Rowan. Amazing escape.
Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Feb 09 - 01:51 AM

Rowan, thanks for the letter -

Joy sent me some pics from Marysville, including one of blade & handle of a what had been a spade, & another of a round hole that had been a fence post. I seem to have deleted her email (oops), so I'm not sure who took them.   

Maybe they were Mary's pics as a chook & duck were in one pic, feeding amongst green shoots.

I remember pics posted by Valda of similar green shoots in her blackened garden in Sydney's Blue Mountains after fires there a few years back.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Rowan
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 09:45 PM

A letter from the Marysville mob to those who have been concerned. It's a little on the long side but it speaks volumes.

Hi all,
Lynne has kindly sent through the content of the letter.
It's worth the read!!
Brian

Thursday, February 19, 2009 3:27 PM
Subject: Here's the content of the letter from the Alleways

Dear Family & Friends,

We have been inundated with e-mails, text messages and phone messages
expressing your love and concern for our family and our friends in
Marysville, Buxton & Narbethong. We are deeply moved and humbled by the
outpouring of your love, concern and offers of help and thank you all
for your support. It will take us a long time to catch up personally
with all of you but I hope this letter will answer a lot of your questions.

To begin at the beginning, on Saturday 7^th February Claire was
bushwalking in the Otways which was cooler and pleasant, Murray was
staying with a friend in Narbethong and Diane & David were at home. The
weather forecast was for 46^o C & strong north easterly winds and later
in the afternoon a southerly change and cool change. In preparation for
the conditions Diane cleared our gutters and raked around the house and
David filled and checked our standby generator.

After that we closed the house and took it easy on what was going to be
a very hot day. Just after 3:00pm Diane received a S.E.S. pager call to
assist in removing a tree that had fallen on the Maroondah Highway near
Buxton, caused by the very strong winds. While she was on this call they
observed a plume of smoke over the Black Range to our North East. As
they proceeded to remove the tree the plume of smoke increased and
darkened and by the completion of their work it was clear that this fire
was moving rapidly to the south along the black range (30km? away).

Meanwhile, back at our house David receive a phone call from Murray at
Narbethong asking if he knew anything about the heavy smoke in the air.
David said he would look up the CFA web site and phone back. The phone
rang again; it was Jodie Murphy phoning from Buxton asking David if he
knew anything about heavy smoke in Buxton. At this stage the skies were
still blue and clear over our house. On the CFA website there was
information about a fire at Murrindindi mill but no nearer fires.

At this stage Diane returned home from her S.E.S. call and informed
David of the fire she had seen on the Black Range and it was decided
that David should go and collect Murray immediately and Jodie and her
1.5 year old twins should be asked to join us as her partner Leon was
away with work and her father Proinnsias and Mary were in Melbourne.
While David was away Diane busied herself filling all available
containers with water and clearing the area around the house.

While travelling over Mt Gordon to Narbethong David observed a line of
flames extending km's along the Black Range and moving very quickly.
David picked up Murray and advised the people he was staying with to
leave as they are surrounded on all sides by thick forest. After
leaving, within a kilometer, David & Murray noticed that a grass fire
extending 200-300m had started on the ridge line 500m to their right
between Narbethong and Marysville. David and Murray returned to their
friends' house and advised them and their neighbours to leave
immediately. Driving along David tried to phone 000 but the line was too
busy and rang out continuously. Driving through Narbethong they tried to
alert the CFA but they had departed already (to fight the Murrindindi
fire?) on reaching Marysville they detoured by the CFA shed and informed
them and they said they would investigate.

On arriving home the family, with the help of Murray's friends from
Narbethong, busied themselves with fire preparations (e.g. blocking and
filling gutters) hosing down, starting the generator when the power
failed, etc, etc. While this was occurring Lynne Stone, Gayle Walters
and other friends from Marysville drove in saying they were evacuating
from Marysville to Alexandra. At this stage we received a call from an
S.E.S. member that an accident had happened, a tree had crushed a
vehicle in Marysville and someone was entrapped. David was on call as
the local ambulance officer and felt obliged to respond. After a short
discussion with Diane we both realized our roles in the S.E.S and
Ambulance put saving lives above higher priority than fire plan. David
left Diane & Murray to make their choice of implementing the fire plan
or to leave but both feeling comfortable with option of leaving. While
David was away Diane & Murray decided to take refuge with our people in
our valley at a neighbour's farm and return after the fire front had
passed. Murray diligently collected all of our musical instrument and
computers and put them in the van while Diane packed clothes and
important photographs.

In Marysville the sky was black with rolling clouds of smoke, high winds
and embers. The patient was suffering minor injuries but took
considerable time to be extricated from the car. Four ambulance officers
were in attendance and it was decided that the two officers resident in
the township would transport the patient to rendezvous with an Alexandra
ambulance so that the Marysville ambulance would be available for any
further calls.

When leaving Marysville David observed a wall of flame twice the height
of the trees (60-80m tall) come rapidly over Mt Strickland and descend
at very high speed into Marysville.

On returning to our house David found that Diane & Murray had departed
but a fire trailer had been deposited in the driveway. Judging he had a
little time to spare David started the fire pump and proceeded to hose
down around the house. At this time Diane returned with a neighbour to
retrieve the fire pump and explained they had retreated with other
neighbours to a farm 1km further down the valley surrounded by well
irrigated paddocks. The plan was to wait there until the fire front had
passed then if possible to return to our house and fight any ember attack.

In less than five minutes Diane's S.E.S. colleagues drove in. They had
just come down the valley from Marysville and informed us, in the
strongest terms, not to stay but to leave while it was still safe. The
sky was black and the deafening roar of the fire could be heard although
no flames were visible, Diane, David, Murray and Jodie decided to
evacuate to Alexandra. Throughout the journey we were engulfed with
smoke but saw little of the fire.

Alexandra was organized chaos with the high school and basketball courts
acting as emergency refuge centers. Countless volunteers tried their
best to assist with no power, high temperatures, wind, smoke and very
limited information. Little did we know a lot of Victoria was in a
similar condition and that the authorities information was way behind
the conditions on the ground.

Thankfully our lovely friends in Alexandra who were away for the weekend
offered us the use of there house (a thousand thankyous Ron & Penny).
Diane, David, Murray, Lynne, Jodie and the twins went to their house.
David also had the Marysville ambulance which had been taken to
Alexandra by other crew members and was still on call to assist. After
an hour or so David was called to attend some other incidents occurring
in Alexandra Township.

In his absence everyone else had been listening to the news that the
Alexandra was going to be under further ember attack. With the poor air
quality and fire risks it was decide this was not a safe place
(particularly for the twins) so we called other friends (lovely Kristen
& Max) at Tatong, near Benalla, a further 100kms away who said we were
most welcome at their place. Unaware of this David had made arrangements
for other Marysville ambulance officers to man the vehicle at the refuge
centers where they were staying.

At 1:30am on Sunday a very weary convoy of travelers arrived at Kristen
& Maxs'. After bedding down the twins we were fed, watered and tucked
into bed and collapsed till morning (another 1000 thanks). The morning
sun was an eerie red through the thick smoke at Tatong. Via phone calls
and the radio the enormity of the disaster and the loss of life of our
friends in Marysville was beginning to become evident.

Proinnsias and Mary were still in Melbourne and Jodie's partner was en
route by plane from QLD, when Mary's brother, offered the use of a
holiday house in Mt Martha that could accommodate us all (thank you John
& family). The Hume highway had been re-opened by then so we headed off
to Melbourne for a re-union and for Lynne to leave us and to be with her
family.

On Sunday afternoon, amidst many hugs and tears, Jodie was re-united
with her family and we were united with our daughter Claire & close
friends, Proinnsias & Mary. We had once again moved into luxurious
refugee accommodation (another 1000 thanks John & family). With many
mobile phones and a land line the thoughts of concerned family and
friends and offers of help began to inundate us. The love and concern
shown by all of you was overwhelming and humbling (everyone take a 1000
thanks).

At this stage everyone thought they had lost their houses and
possessions, as had many of our friends in Marysville. None of us felt
particularly sad about this loss, the gift of still being alive when so
many were dead or injured made such things seem paltry in comparison.

As Monday progressed more information came through from Marysville that
Diane & David's, Jodie & Leon's houses had survived more or less intact
but that Lynne, Proinnsias and Mary like many others would have no home
to go back to.

Jody, Leon and the twins and Diane, David, Claire and Murray got the all
clear to go home on Monday afternoon. Sadly by the time we reached
Healesville further fire outbreaks had closed the Maroondah Highway so
we had to turn around and head back to Mt. Martha.

Later that week our family moved down to another friend's holiday house
at Sorrento (thanks Cathy & her family) to be with other close friends
who were trapped in Marysville and spent the Saturday night on the footy
oval. The experiences they had been through made ours seem trivial in
comparison.

Over the following days contact was made with many of our Marysville
friends. We shared our stories and grieved for those injured or who had
lost their lives, those orphaned and those who lost their children.

By this stage the scale of the devastation had become known to the
world. We were unable to return home as the area was closed firstly as a
crime scene and secondly to make it safe for people to return (and the
fire is still going although many km's away).

On Sunday afternoon we finally drove home through 70-80km of
devastation. It is a bare and black vision of destroyed houses, burnt
road signs, fallen trees and dazed people standing, trying to work out
where to begin rebuilding their lives.

As we came nearer to home we saw a strange new landscape mixing the
familiar with the totally new. Houses are gone, there are new views
through once dense forest, all the surrounding hills are brown instead
of green, smoke hangs in the air and very few songbirds are singing.

As we drove up our driveway to the left the neighbour's house & sheds
(which he stayed and valiantly defended) has gone. Instead there is a
charred and collapsed mess.

Our front paddock is unburnt, but the back paddock is charred, trees are
down, fence posts burnt to below ground level. The fire has come to the
back of the sheds, the heat has curled the iron sheets off the wall.
There is ash in between the flyscreens and window glass. There are burnt
leaves lying in the bushes near the dining room. The reeds in the dam
are burnt to water level. Along the road the trees and road reserve are
burnt. And………. our house and sheds are as we left them!

We are constantly talking to the people who stayed put and to those who
are returning. Every person you meet has to be hugged and touched just
to make sure they are really still here. We are all overwhelmed by the
generosity of spirit being showered on our communities. Local halls are
filled with donated food, clothes and household supplies.

The towns may have been destroyed but the communities are still very
strong and surviving thanks to the help of you, our much larger community.

We will be in touch with you all very soon.

Much love to you all

Diane, David, Claire and Murray, Buster & Inka, (much loved dogs),
DaisyDuck, April, Missy, Cassie(3 cows) & chooks.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Janie
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 07:52 PM

Sending songs and prayers up for the fire-ravaged land and all creatures who dwell there.

Healing begins even in the midst of destruction.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Andrez
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 05:31 PM

Speaking of vultures, not lawyers, some people are now "flooding" the local real estate agents looking for "bargains" in the bushfire zones.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Rowan
Date: 19 Feb 09 - 04:34 PM

A couple of days ago the police were hoping that some of their count of the dead had been double counted in the early and more confused stages; last night they discovered more uncounted so the official toll has risen to 208.

And there are now volunteer lawyer groups tackling the insurance companies on behalf of the survivors.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 07:47 PM

Thanks, kat. My daughter and grandchildren would welcome this idea. We aren't Christian either but I believe we can relate to it too.
Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 07:29 PM

I will, Joy, thanks. And, of course, please pass it on. It's something I taught my children to do whenever we saw something terrible, i.e. car wrecks, forest fires, etc. Morgan has a book, passed down from my kids, called "Meditation for Little People" which teaches them about their "god light" within and how they let it shine when being kind, etc. So, even though we are not Christian, we still talk about his "god light" and that is the Light he put around the koala, etc. He also knows it as the Cosmic Light and his angels help him to remember to let it shine, as in This Little Light of Mine.:-)

If you google the book title, there are lots of them available, in case you're interested in them for your grandchildren. It's published by Devorss.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 06:57 PM

kat, please tell your grandson thank you so much from me. I'll do that too if that's ok. And I'll pass on the idea to my girls and their children.
Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 06:41 PM

He works in Mitcham. I'm not exactly sure where he lives. Last we heard from him, he said that the towns surrounding his were burnt, but as of then, his was ok, but on a flying ember alert.

Thanks for the heads up about the Red Cross resource.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 06:38 PM

Out of the mouths of babes...I was just telling my five year old grandson about the animals and fires and the people lost and the houses etc. lost to fire. I broke down and cried about the koala and all. He hugged me and told me to "just keep thinking about the koala, nothin' else, and to put the Light around it" so I could feel better. So, here we are in Colorado, sending lots of Light, Love and Hugs to all of the critters and you all.

luvyakat

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Tangledwood
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 06:13 PM

Heard on the news this morning that the next concern is run-off from the fire areas polluting Melbourne's water supply reservoirs.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 06:05 PM

Cross-posting with Andrez and Rowan. Isn't Mucat a wonderful place.
Further to Carol's friend's remarks. My daughter in a suburb not far from Mitcham was put "on alert for smoke" around the same date. Later the whole of Melbourne got the same message. It's still current. She's a bit closer to the fires and I believe she did mention "embers" as well.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Andrez
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 05:41 PM

MItcham=20k east from the City Centre. It is strictly suburbia. There would be no direct concerns for this area unless the Dandenong ranges went up in flames and embers started to drop.

Regrettably its soooo dry up there and so treed that fires up there would take off with very little encouragement. The number of residents on Mt Dandenong and beyond would make the consequences of such a fire truly horrendous.

If your friend lives in Mitcham Carol I think he is quite safe for now.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Joybell
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 04:45 PM

Mitcham -- outer suburb of Melbourne Carol?
If that's the case he's OK. Unless of course he means he wasn't at home at the time. At various times all the areas east and north-east of Melbourne have been covered in smoke and sometimes embers but the fires have been heading away from the Micham area.
Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: Rowan
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 04:45 PM

Carol, I haven't seen his name on any of the lists of dead or missing. Mitcham is much further east than any of the affected areas and is surrounded by suburbs, any one of which would have had the headlnes screaming even louder than they have been. Andrez posted (above, in the thread) a link to the Red Cross site that is collating info and requests such as yours.

All the best.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires in Australia - Feb 2009
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Feb 09 - 04:08 PM

Do any of the Australians here know Matt Varga (wicked composer and multi-instrumentalist) who lives somewhere in the area around Mitcham? Last I time heard from him was on Feb. 10, and at that time he said his area was under an ember alert. I'm getting worried about him.