Australia Wildfires

[Bob_VT]

How are our iboats people doing down under? I see and hear that they are being hit hard


C&P
Wildfires in Victoria, Australia have killed at least 14 people, with high temperatures prevailing for several days. Strong winds are spreading the fire to the bush, while dozens of wildfires are still raging in the densely populated south-eastern part of Australia. In Melbourne, the biggest Australian city, a fire that broke out in a forest threatened electric power plants, while 10,000 volunteers are fighting the blaze in Adelaide. The authorities believe that at least half of the fires have been caused by arson, while in an attempt to solve the problem they blocked several motorways.

Sydney has recorded an all-times record low temperature of 40C, with strong winds and wildfires burning the country.

As per the authorities, dozens of fires are raging in the densely-populated south-eastern part of Australia, while the police have announced that at least one of the fires that had broken out in the wider Sydney area on Friday was caused by arson.

To discourage arsonists, the authorities have begun blocking several motorways.

In Melbourne, the second biggest Australian city, the fire that broke out in a forest threatened an electric power plant. In Adelaide, the temperature reached 37 C, while 10,000 volunteers are fighting the wildfires.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Australia Wildfires

In Melbourne (my town),

Last week we had a record run of consecutive days over 110F (near zero humidity), one of those days was 120F. Yesterday was 118F (my thermometer, not official). Everything was tinder dry, hundreds of forest/grass fires broke out in populated areas and quickly escalated due to high winds.

We were watching the smoke from our backyard porch, the sun was egg yoke yellow and everything had a yellowish hue - very weird.

Right now it is sunday morning and light rain, we are watching the news and getting the reports. Hundreds of fires (some are huge) are still raging, the rain is not everywhere.

They have arrested one arsonist so far, a firefighter!

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Australia Wildfires

25 confirmed dead.

2 entire towns completely gone. One of the towns is about 10 miles from our house.

Note for QC, Kinglake was one of those towns, 12 dead.

Yesterday was officially the hottest day on record (In Melbourne).

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Australia Wildfires

That is horrible news for those in the fires...... I am glad you are okay. I can not imagine that kind of heat.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: Australia Wildfires

Does Australia have the death penalty for those arsonists?

Set them on fire and wait 20 minutes to put them out.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Australia Wildfires

Here are news site for those interested.

Dunaruna, I don't think people take us seriously when we say things like "it got to 115 today".
Hot up here (not what you are getting) with high humidity, so just uncomfortable.
Bit further north, and the whole joint is underwater.
I see they are expecting NSW (state) to cope it today with fires.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/

http://www.abc.net.au/news/

cheers
Phillip

 

[bassman284]

Re: Australia Wildfires

Just checked Weather Underground. One of the weather stations (Brunswick) showed a high of 118.5 and a low of 70.2. wow.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Australia Wildfires

66 dead, 10 not expected to survive. Many more missing. The rain did not help, the fires have escalated.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Australia Wildfires

This one is a shocker, and it seems it will only get worse.
I see they now have 84 bodies and rising, and over 700 homes gone.
It's hard to believe complete townships have gone.
The horror those people went thru last night is impossible to imagine.
The audio reports in the links above are pretty chilling.
The school teacher that told the Rural Reporter he went for a walk....no real smoke or anything.... mins later the fire was there, and a few later again...his house was all but gone.
Cheers
Phillip

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Australia Wildfires

looks like one place has too much water, the other is burning up.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Australia Wildfires

News reports are saying that Kinglake was completely destroyed in minutes, not enough warning for people to get out, it was way too intense to try and defend - no hope. Bodies are still being discovered in their burned out cars, presumably trying to escape. Flying embers are creating new fronts miles away. Too many fire-fronts, not enough water bombers. Another 10 or 15 towns in danger, at least they have adequate warning.

More rain forecast for tomorrow.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Australia Wildfires

Keep you chin up people down under, i will be thinking good thoughts for you.

Hopefully this horror may soon pass.

Never met people from there i didn't like.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Australia Wildfires

My heart goes out to our Aussie friends. Wish I could load our Fire Department up and come over to help ... but we would not be prepared for the heat and the intensity that you are facing and would be useless, as I am reading about it.

Thoughts and prayers go out to you all down under!

 

[QC]

Re: Australia Wildfires

Note for QC, Kinglake was one of those towns

I just now started following this and I haven't been watching the news this weekend. Beautiful area and not unlike the older sections of Chino Hills here which saw similar this fall. Thankfully with no loss of life. Very, very tragic.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Australia Wildfires

Dunaruna...why is the Prime Minister tell the Nation to brace itself for the immediate future.
He didn't say why.
Are they expecting a lot more bodies, or are they expecting these fires to continue for another couple of weeks and take out more towns.
He looked pretty stunned to me.

Some of those fires must be pretty close to you.
Hope all is well for you, and it is cooling.
Looking at the map, some aren't to far from the city....mind you, when you look at the list of fires, they must number close to 100.

Here it is getting hotter and hotter, but still high humidity...... thankfully.
Good luck.

Cheers
Phillip

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Australia Wildfires

I have selected some pictures from a gallery that i felt had a slightly different impact.

This one stated these Constables had located the bodies of 4 children.

I feel still photos can often make you pause and think.

Cheers
Phillip

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Australia Wildfires

and the last 2.

Cheers
Phillip

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Australia Wildfires

160 dead, scores of people missing. It's gunna get worse before it gets better.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Australia Wildfires

I think they have fleet of those choppers, I've been watching them go overhead all day.

Dunaruna...why is the Prime Minister tell the Nation to brace itself for the immediate future.
He didn't say why.
Are they expecting a lot more bodies, or are they expecting these fires to continue for another couple of weeks and take out more towns............

Yes and yes
So far, 5 towns completely gone, nothing left standing.

Some of those fires must be pretty close to you.
Hope all is well for you, and it is cooling.
Looking at the map, some aren't to far from the city....mind you, when you look at the list of fires, they must number close to 100.

The closest is about 10 km (5 miles) from me but we are o/k, no immediate threat. My insurance is paid, first smell of smoke and we are out of here.




..........

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Australia Wildfires

The farm that I worked at a few years ago is gone. House, machinery, 200 acres of 30 year old walnut trees,raspberries etc. The farmers did not have time to get to their water supply (a small lake), they took refuge in their large refrigerated coolroom. They survived, the only structure left standing was the coolroom.