A thought that needs to said to the aussies that are near....

[tig]

In times of crisis we all are sad by the devastation of what the world has brought us over the years.

Australia is now in serious crisis with one of the Aussie eastern states is in serious danger. In the last 24 hours their has been significant number of bushes fires that have been started. Almost 70 people have died with many injuries and over 700 homes lost through fire damage not to even mention towns that no longer exist.

Also to mention the north as they have been impacted with floods over the last week they have been flooded twice and it looks like it it isnt going down.

In times like these I would like to put out my thoughts and say we are all thinking of you all and please who ever is around these fires please be safe and to the people near the floods please take care as I am sure in saying that this community is thinking of every one of you all.

I will keep you all updated with as many updates as I can about the situation.

[tig]

As I was writting the start of this thread the lastest news has come with it now saying that almost 80 have died since the bush fires have started in the last 24 hours.

[DaBees-Knees]

For those of us sat in the comfort of our own homes, we can't even start to imagine the trauma of a huge fire, or a major flood, coming our way. My heart goes out to those that are in this position. We read the news, but that can only give us an indication of the disaster for those involved. Here's hoping that all those we chat with stay safe. We are thinking about you.   

[tig]

Latest in:


http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25026068-5005961,00.html

AT least 84 people are dead in the bushfires ripping through Victoria, in a disaster which has eclipsed the state's Ash Wednesday devastation of two decades ago.

Authorities are continuing a grim search for more bodies as horrific eyewitness accounts emerge from devastated communities.  It was estimated at least 750 homes had been lost - 550 of them in the Kinglake area.

These are Australia's worst ever fires and the toll keeps rising and yet the fires are still burning.

[Mick832]

Thank you.   One of the fires started about a kilometre away from us, but luckily the wind blew it away from us.   No deaths in my area, about 7 houses destroyed, and the fire is now contained, which means it is an area but cannot burn outside control lines, so will slowly be put out.   There are several small towns that I have been through many times that do not have  a house or building standing.   One is a town called Marysville where 500 people lived, and a fair few are still missing.

Some images:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/gallery/0,22010,5037339-5006020,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/gallery/0,22010,5037340-5006020,00.html

[Mick832]

These are Australia's worst ever fires and the toll keeps rising and yet the fires are still burning.

The fires will keep burning for at least the next week, if not longer if we do not get rain.   For those people who have never seen a bushfire, imagine a 4 storey wall of flame coming at you, with fireballs actually travelling through the air.   You cannot stand in front of it and try put it out as it comes at you, all you can do is try burn areas in front of it to contain it.  It is hard to contain something that sends burning leaves and sticks up 5000 metres into the air, to blow with the wind and land up to 2 kilometres ahead of the fire front, staring a fire in a new area.    Most big fires burn until the wind changes and they end up burning into areas they have already burnt.

95% of the firefighters are in the Country Fire Authourity (CFA), a volunteer group in each area, who in this case can be out fighting a fire in their country town while their own house burns down 500 metres away.

[Trestor]

Thank you all for your expressions of compassion; it means a lot.

I know the two towns that have been wiped off the face of the earth. Marysville, one of the towns destroyed, was the workplace of one who is special to me for about two years, and I have stayed there many times myself. I live within half an hour of another destroyed town, Kinglake, and in fact drove through there just a few weeks ago, and I was considering going there again the day it was burned down, to escape the 115 degree F heat in the air conditioned car. If I had gone I might have been caught up in the events there.

While I haven't personally been affected by the fires, I know people at my church who tonight said they know people who are missing or confirmed dead, and more of people they know whose properties have been totally destroyed. Our pastors are currently up at a camping ground they administer, to try and fight any fire that the wind may drive their way. One sent his wife home today, and she had to deviate many hundreds of miles to get around one of the fire zones that had caused the closure of several highways and main roads.

This is just what I am familiar with: there are many other fires throughout Victoria, as well as New South Wales and South Australia, and tig's previously mentioned floods in Queensland. As I write the death count is 84 from the Victoria fires, and this is only expect to climb.

One of the things I heard at church tonight was how dangerous it can be to try and drive out of the area too late, if the fire is already along the road side. It seems that the fire uses up the oxygen in the area and the car might stall because it needs oxygen to work, leaving one stranded in the worst possible place, as indeed has happened in some cases. So if you are ever in a fire situation - get out before the fire arrives, if you can.

[GhostShip]

It seems as human beings we face one adversity after another   

My thoughts go to all of you in the danger area, stay safe and continue the efforts your all making to secure your families and their lives, a disaster of this magnitude is something affecting a much wider community and should never underestimated.

[tig]

Looking at the news again... the toll has risen in Victoria fires to 96 and also their has been 3 go missing in the northern floods sad and unfortunate. My thoughts are with all the families in this horrible time and tragedy.

South Australia was lucky with the fires they had and they were contained quickly. New South Wales fires are under control as well. 

After seeing a news flash Australia Southern states are no going to be out of the woods as yet. Australia might have some relief at the moment with our temperatures but by next weekend they are going to be up again. Australia still has a few months to go with the extreme hot weather conditions.

Please be safe to everyone.

[tig]

As Australia got up this morning to hear that the deaths have risen to 108. With another few fires started over night from lightening. 

[tig]

Another rise to the death toll for Australia it is now up to 130 deaths and many fires are still out of control.

Many of us are worried about friends at this time and we are keeping positive hopes up that they are all ok.

[ñòóKýçrÕôK]

Yeah I would just like to add to all that's been said and say my heart goes out to Australia and I hope everyone there in danger's way will do their best to be safe and stay clear of it all. I would like to ask that anyone that can from Australia please leave us 1 line just letting us all know you're ok. To my friend Aussie and my babygirl Moo in Australia, gypsytaps, all of you that I know be safe and I miss you and would like to know you're ok.