Victorian Bushfires ***may make upsetting reading***

missannik

CF- Clayton is no where near the fires, it is a suburb of Melbourne. Google maps can be dodgy at times. But I know the feeling of not being able to get a hold of friends... hope you find your mate, safe and sound.

Overheal wrote: »

Id be skeptical of arson but anythings possible.

Every year we have bushfires because of these firebugs, it is sadly a very common occurrence. I sincerely hope that whoever lit them (and there would have been a few) that they face the highest possible penalty.

missannik

WhiteWashMan wrote: »

one girl i worked with told me that i was a hero

And she's right!

Overheal

finally got some good coverage on cnn today

but then again I had to post this thread on Rick Sanchez's twitter to do it.

Spud83

Sammag

Check out the video from that above photo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35FT5DymIHU

Was reading a whole loads of stories in the papers tonight about the animals affected - completely guts me, was sitting in the car crying like a baby almost. They're saying 5000+ koalas were burnt alive - God knows how many Possums and other creatures which don't bury themselves or can move fast. Makes me sick to my stomach that some of these fires were the work of arson. :mad::mad::mad::mad:

The Sweeper

One of my work colleagues/friends runs Clonbinane Wildlife Shelter. She picked up a koala yesterday - he was about 18 months old, she says, and sitting in the middle of a burnt out area, trying to pick through twigs for something to eat. She said he was picking up burnt twigs, tasting them, spitting them out and trying the next one.

She took him in and put him in a big pen with as much eucalyptus as he can nosh.

Sammag

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

One of my work colleagues/friends runs Clonbinane Wildlife Shelter. She picked up a koala yesterday - he was about 18 months old, she says, and sitting in the middle of a burnt out area, trying to pick through twigs for something to eat. She said he was picking up burnt twigs, tasting them, spitting them out and trying the next one.

She took him in and put him in a big pen with as much eucalyptus as he can nosh.

Ah God - the poor little bugger
Hey - it's probably a long shot but if your mate needs any help looking after any of the animals I'd be more than happy to help out. I am based in the city - well a few KM south in Elsternwick but have experince in veterinary nursing and can offer 24/7 care in a warm, safe, quiet environment. I'd be happy to come and pick up any smaller animals and take care of them etc.. I know they'd probably prefer people closer to the area but worth throwing it out there.

The Sweeper

I'll say it to her, but she was saying to me that initially the wildlife rescue plan hasn't been for many animals - it's been more 'find them and put them out of their misery'. The intensity of the fires was so great that most of the animals it touched, it killed, especially native animals. Domestic pets seemed to fare a little better on survival but worse on injuries - they had the speed sometimes to outstrip the flames and the comfort and familiarity in human surroundings to do things like shelter between a water tank and a concrete wall, or jump into a dam and so on.

My own pets and foster animals were like a little oasis of calm. I would come back into my house, while the outside was forty-ridiculous degrees and the sky was boiling with grey and orange smoke and the sound of the water-drop and spotter helicopters was all whum-whum-whum (because they refuel and restaff 800m from my house), and there they would be, fuzzy and asleep on the couch (and vaguely wondering why their cat transport cages were all lined up in the hall!)

brendansmith

WhiteWashMan wrote: »

i have had so many people phone me, mail me, facebook me, text me all with words of support, of concern, and of praise. i dont consider myself special or even heroic. i am sure that most members of an organisation such as this have moment of daydream where there are awards, and shulder carrying and the saving of seventeen cockerspaniel dogs under one arm whilst towing a broken down bus of old age pensioners with your teeth, but in reality, i think its the feeling of belonging.i do it because i feel like i belong to something. the emotion and the experience bonds you to people, a family. a community.
one girl i worked with told me that i was a hero and that it was people like me that australia was built on. which is a good thing really. because i like living in a country built on average people. i like living in a country where everyone gets a chance. i like living in a country where one person, no matter how small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, can make a difference when you work with so many other people.

You are the shining light that these affected people will turn to for salvation tbh

Sammag

Just sent these today - Man, how heartbreaking... The waterworks are about to start again...





http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055482847

The Sweeper

Sammag, those cyclist pics are from the heatwave before the bushfires started. The heatwave was so intense that there were a number of pictures of koalas behaving out of character seeking water and cool - there's another pic of a household that provided a koala who appeared on their deck with a basin of water. He started by drinking it, and ended up by sitting in it like it was a spa bath!

Gives you an idea though of just how hot and dry it was before the peak temperatures on Saturday 7th Feb.

Sammag

Yeah, cheers, I found that out after I posted those pics...(!) I was wondering I have to say when I originally saw them; "Who the f*** would thrown on their yellow jerseys and go for a leisurely bicycle ride in a bushfire affected area?!?"

I believe they're from Feb 3 in Adelaide. I saw the one last week of that little fella sitting in the bucket of water. They're such cute little things and seeing these pics no matter when they were snapped still just makes me so sad (and angry) about the whole bloody tragedy. I want to go and scoop all the little hurt animals up and bring them home and look after them all

Vested Interest

Minesajackdaniels and WhiteWashMan thanks for your all your efforts to suport your local community and keeping the rest of us informed through your posts. As an Aussie now living in Cork I feel a long way from home.

Keep up the good work.

LeahBaby

been reading this thread-breaks my heart.

Minesa, whitewash, you guys are inspirational!

Koala pictures are amazing.

Read this morning that they have charged a man with arson.

He also had child porn in his house. Hope he gets what's coming to him.

Dudess

Jesus Christ, puts the recession stuff in perspective.

Amazing work guys...

DeVore

Holy. Sh1t.

WWMan, I wanted say "dont be a hero" but its too late.

I've just realised that I read the last few pages with my left hand over my mouth.

This is a strange feeling, I have no idea what to say.

Majd, stay safe and keep him safe too. Fnck it, I dunno. Just.... we're all thinking about you guys.

Tom.

Sully

Really is an upsetting thread to read through. The news really doesnt give as much an indication of how bad things really are and how much work people do.

Keep up the good work and please whatever you do try and stay safe.

brendansmith

http://media.theage.com.au/?rid=46144

Sammag

brendansmith wrote: »

http://media.theage.com.au/?rid=46144

I watched that this morning - scary stuff

nowimtalking

I hope everyone who hasnt been affected doesnt get affected and that the people affected are able to rebuild their lives. I hope that the person who started it, if that was the case gets caught!
RIP all the dead, Heard its bordering on 100:(

Sammag

nowimtalking wrote: »

Heard its bordering on 100:(

Add an extra 89 (+) onto that number

JP Liz

Actor Anthony Lapaglia is planning a seven-a-side soccer tournament to raise cash for the victims of the Australian bush fires.
The Without A Trace star, a former soccer ace Down Under, has organised a Hollywood United Football Club day-out, dubbed Footy & Meat Pies, in Pacific Palisades, California to help out those caught up in the natural disaster earlier this month.
Announcing the tournament, which is set to kick off on Saturday, Lapaglia says, "The cost of relief for the victims and rebuilding all that was lost will most likely run at $500 million. Of course, no price can be placed on the loss of family and loved ones and the suffering caused by the loss of your community."
The actor will be joined by Without A Trace co-star Poppy Montgomery and fellow stars Donal Logue and Dominic Purcell.
Former European soccer stars Frank LeBoeuf and Richard Gough will also be among the action.

some good news

dSTAR

Victorians prepare for more bushfires

Victorians are bracing themselves for further bushfires tomorrow with forecast extreme weather again putting homes and lives at high risk. Friday has been labeled "spike day" when the Forest Fire Danger Index is set to climb with temperatures predicted to reach as high as 40 degrees in the north of the state coupled with north-westerly winds.

Full story

Trojan

How's it going now?

Any conclusions (e.g. set more controlled fires, more often, to avoid brush build-up?)

dSTAR

WWM is probably the best person top ask about any further controlled back burning and such. Thankfully the worst of the bushfire season is passed at this stage with the recent rain.

The Age - March 5 2009

whoopdefukindo

wow

That was some read Majd and wwhead. Unreal.

Hope you are both keeping well.