Our thoughts are with those in Victoria

bundaberg kid

just a quickie......just saw a news report and as a victorian I want to thank those in QLD that have suffered from the floods(esp Ingham) who donated some/all of their government funds to the victims of the bushfires

KudaPucat

Big thanks to everybody who cares :cheers:

donations, well wishes, prayers, thoughts are all welcome and appreciated. I know some ppl distraught about losing their houses, friends and family. We had a great many friends in King Lake, and whilst one family retains their house, some do not retain their brothers, sisters, parents or children.
It is a very hard time, and we thank you for all your kindnesses.

RupertofOZ

For those overseas.... official figures to date ...

186 confirmed dead
50 missing presumed dead
796 homes destroyed

Predicted death toll .... 300+....

Several major fires still burning, hopes of containment good... but severe winds forecast tomorrow in some areas...

KudaPucat

yes, at least half the fires will be contained by tomorrow I feel, as they've hit pastureland and highways. Some fires have burnt round in a circle, due to wind changes, so aught to run low on fuel shortly.
Beechworth is still out of control I fear, I don't know the lay of the land well enough to interpret the locations and directions. Same goes for Gippsland.
The black and blue range fires should become manageable soon, the fire in Panton hill/Christmas hills will be fine unless an unexpected northerly hits, then we'll be up shit creek once again.
But they're predicting solid southerlies for the next few days.

KudaPucat

For those who wish to give, but can't spare the money, I received this via email.

Quote:

Please contact me ASAP if you can help with the below notice.

Kellie

URGENT NEED FOR BUSH FIRE VICTIMS -
Sunday 8th February, 2009
DOMESTIC & NATIVE ANIMALS NEED YOUR HELP!
I have this morning been in contact with the RSPCA to offer assistance.
Over the coming days the RSPCA expect to be inundated with animals requiring help and care - both domestic and native.
FYI - THEY CANNOT take outside volunteers who have NOT ungone the manditory RSVPA Training Program.

BUT for those of us in the city area, we CAN help!
THE RSPCA VICTORIA ARE IN URGENTneed of the following items:
OLD BLANKETS - if you don't have .. a neighbour might.
OLD TOWELS any size
OLD SHEETS
BAGS OF CAT FOOD - please purchase - just one bag will help
BAGS OF DOG FOOD - as above
DRINKING VESSELS - old bucket, plastic dish (ice cream container)

IF YOU CAN HELP, please confirm your involvement as ASAP so collection of goods for delivery to the RSPCA shelter can be arranged. NOTE: the RSPCA are
co-ordinating with all other relevant authorities regarding the care of injured animals, BOTH domestic and native. Goods will be distributed where the need is most urgent. THE NEED FROM TODAY WILL BE CRITICAL so carers will have enough resources to work with.

THE MATTER IS URGENT and QUICK ACTION IS ESSENTIAL. TO JOIN IN AND HELP .. YOU WILL NEED TO DO THE FOLLOWING >>>
Immediately FORWARD this email to friends & relatives in the Melbourne area.
Please copy sbyron@dodo.com.au so I can track involvement.
NOTE: THERE IS THE NEED TO STAY WITHIN THE MELBOURNE METROLITAN AREA TO ALLOW FOR COLLECTION AT PICK-UP POINTS.
Request your contacts to urgently forward on to their friends and relatives.
Make contact to friends by phone to say you need their help.
Co-ordinate a group (see info below.)
Try to door knock neighbours.
Be able to use your place as a drop-off & collection point.
Collection of goods will need to be arranged immediately.

If you can act as a Co-ordinator, advise your friends to deliver goods to you TODAY or tomorrow!:
GOODS WILL NEED TO BE COLLECTED AND DELIVERED WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
Please confirm if you can act as a Co-ordinator by emailing ASAP your name, address and contact number/s to -
sbyron@dodo.com.au
Suzanne Byron
Southbank
M: 0419 38 12 12

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER ...

KudaPucat

Of course the timeframe is achievable only by Melbournites...

Vegieman

As catastrophic as the fires consequences are in terms of loss of life and property, here is some very interesting details about the power associated with the Black Saturday Fires.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 23,00.html

Alice Coster

February 11, 2009 12:00am

Quote
"CONDITIONS for a perfect firestorm led to Australia's greatest natural disaster at the weekend.

Drought, hurricane-force wind and record temperatures after a record heatwave combined to create Victoria's deadly Black Saturday bushfires.

The University of Melbourne's senior lecturer in fire ecology and management, Kevin Tolhurst, said conditions on Black Saturday were some of the worst the world had seen for a potential outbreak.

He said the fires were so hot the energy they released could have supplied Victoria with electricity for at least two years.

Up to 80,000 kilowatts per metre of heat was expelled as the fires raged on Saturday.

Dr Tolhurst said this equalled about 500 atomic bombs landing on Hiroshima."
End Quote

Warmest Hopes & Wishes

KudaPucat

yes, megawatts per square metre. 80,000 times greater than the sun on a hot day.

hydrophilia

Just did a boe calc and 1Mw per square meter is very roughly 5kg(10lbs) of fuel/minute. That is doable in a firestorm, but not for long before fuel runs out. Truly frightening in intensity when they go nuclear like that. :shock:

My condolences for your losses, KP. Not much I can put into words, but.....

Ashes whip in the wind;
Dust of many hopes and dreams.
Our hearts are with you.

KudaPucat

Thanks, only problem is, the fuel hasn't run out yet. :-(

Soon, soon we hope, unless it jumps the road... winds are picking up again death toll at 181 found so far. I do not expect many if any more ppl to die, however there are upwards of 100 bodies not yet located imho. perhaps 200.
We were planning a kayak hike down the river soon, but the guy who rents the kayaks was in the path of the fire, they're all just puddles of plastic now, if any trace remains.

Stuart Chignell

The worst things is its not over yet. Yes the temps are cool but the winds are strong and everything is so dry that even with temps as they are the possibility of further cataclysmic fires is significant.

The area around me isn't quite as bad as the area around Kinglake. Things is though not quite as bad is still really bloody awful. If there is a fire around here we will be running because we just don't have the water to put up any sort of defence.

For some good news though.....my daughter was born yesterday

RupertofOZ

Congrats on the birth of your daughter Stuart... and yep don't take any chances...

Sadly the figures now show nearly 1100 homes have been raised to the ground... and as Kuda points out the death toll will exceed 200... and may climb to 300... :cry:

creative1

Congrats SC to you and the misses :cheers:

Mmm... feeling pretty useless over here :cry:

Have done all we can think(or has been suggested) of doing.

http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/services ... l-2009.htm
or
http://www.redcross.org.au

Is a place anyone can donate....
But be patient the site is having difficulties handling the load.
That is a good thing :cheers:

because every cent will be need to rebuild
lives torn apart.
Please give :wink:

KudaPucat

I'm in Port Macquarie, NSW atm.
Approximately 16 hours drive from the site of the fires, and it warms my heart to have seen many tins on counters asking for donations for the Vic Bushfire appeal. Thanks once again from the bottom of my heart to all the people who have given assistance, in whatever form.

Stuart, I would never recommend a man keep his family within a house in the path of a fire. You have chosen well, congratulation on the little girl.
It is most disappointing that the winds have risen again, I had hopes that the black range fire would run out of fodder. If it jumps the highway, things will become more unfortunate for the entire state. Despite the 'whole state being ablaze' as I have heard it put, there are massive tracts of land ready to go up still. Despite the thousands of houses razed, there are thousands more left for the fire to burn.
If we're not cut some slack soon, despite the fact that further loss of life is unlikely, the entire state will be ash. Then food will become a serious problem, not just for people displaced from their houses, but everybody.
The fire is traveling slowly still, as far as I can tell, but it's way too hot for firies to have a chance. we desperately need a wind change, the same wind change that will be most unfortunate for those areas near to melbourne. It's a lose lose situation, but a northerly imho would probably be slightly better than continuing southerlies.

KudaPucat

First hand information puts the Black range fire, 7km south from Whanregarwen road yesterday at 13:00.
CFA still saying the community b/w Whanregarwen and 7km south is under threat.
Extrapolating from that, Fire has not yet broken containment lines in over 24hours, despite still being an urgent threat to the local community.
Let's pray it stays south of the Goulburn.
Stuart, which fire could threaten you? There's so many the names are lost on me. I just want to keep tabs on you ;-)

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Our thoughts are with those in Victoria

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