The Victorian Bushfires.

[Disease]

In my home state of Victoria Australia they are encountering the most savage buss fires of all time. Bushfires are common in an Australian summer, sometimes deliberatly lit, but this year it has gotten out of hand. On Saturday the 7th of Febuary Melbourne recorded it's hottest day on record of 46.4 d.c, this day saw a lot of fires take off, So far 96 people are confirmed dead in the state.

The fires are still not under control, and some towns have been completley wiped out.

There are some near Bendigo where a few of my brothers live but they they seem to be safe.

It's not only in Victoria, there are also fires rageing in N,S,W but not to the same extent.

I just thought I'd fill you all in, since it is my home. Where I am at the moment though in Scotland we are actually getting some snow, but I have experienced enough hot smokey days in an Australian summer to know what it's like there at the moment.

[ferretchucker]

Yeh, I saw it on the news. Have you got family out there?

[Disease]

Yeh, I saw it on the news. Have you got family out there?

Well yeah, most of my Family live in Victoria.

[ferretchucker]

Well, I hope they're all okay.

[Kemal]

They're now reporting over a hundred dead.

[Elvis_Christ]

This is really tragic, hope your family is ok dude.

[Disease]

All my Family are o.k, hopefully it stas that way. The worst thing about this is the volunteers who lose thier lives...

Here is a map of all the fires, more keep apearing...

http://www.theage.com.au/national/police-taskforce-to-hunt-arsonists-fears-bushfire-toll-may-double-20090209-81ix.html

[crabapple]

I just read about these, I sure hope that they can be put out soon. Sending good wishes for you and your family and everyone else.

[cheebacheeba]

http://au.yahoo.com/?p=us - The latest.
131 confirmed human fatalities, 700+ homes, whole small sized towns have been raised. Volunteers, children, pets, husbands & wives, livestock, friends, masses of wildlife, have just gone.
It's about as bad as it has been since I've been around.
Victoria has been absolutely slaughtered...My state (NSW) has had a lot of fires too but nothing in too many populated areas have got this out of control.
I really hate to see this...and only hope the cool change that arrived here today also made its way to Victoria...we have rain, I pray it finishes this off.
This is so bad to see happening right now.
Best to your family, Disease...if they're rural, their life is the only thing they need to be protecting.

[_____V_____]

Sorry to hear your family caught in the middle of this, bud. I would suggest relocation asap if they can afford it.

All the best to them.

[Disease]

The fires that were down near my family seemed to have been dealt with, A lot of houses lost and some lives though... If only it would rain, but I don't think there has been any rainfall in Victoria for a month or more.

I've been watching some videos of survivors storys on the news websites... Some real horror storys.

[stenchofdeath]

I live in Victoria, there was 2 fires around near me, but not really close enough to cause any real concern. One had 6 fire units attending it, and i don't know the other one. I was watching fire trucks go past my friends place on saturday when i was there. There was also smoke blotting out the mountains where i live from the fires that were burning in other parts of the state. Those firefighters are real heroes, imagine wearing fire suits on a day as hot as that. Everyone seems really affected by it. Unfortunately some people get too emotionally involved. I have someone texting me, telling me she is crying because of it. Sure it's bad, but what can the normal person really do except make a donation, or post a comment on a site? I don't allow myself to get that emotionally involved in it. I just keep it in perspective. Lets not forget that some of these fires are suspected of being deliberately lit. Our PM is calling those responsible "Mass murderers". It will be very interesting to see what justice will be handed out to those responsible. Our country is generally very weak when it comes to jail terms or punishment. Apparently in N.S.W they have caught a 31 yr old and a 15 yr old who are suspected of lighting fires up there.

[Azazel005]

It's an incredibly dire time for those people in the affected areas. The sheer horror and speed of the flames has been almost unimaginable. Stories of people begging to be let past barricades to still fire torn areas so they can search for there missing family members are just shattering.

I buzzed a bank transfer over to the appeal as much as I could afford and I just hope that the weather ligthens up and things can come back under control for them in Victoria and the effected towns and begin to re-build.

[Disease]

There is over 170 confirmed dead yet, I was just watching a story where they can only gues with some by jewlery that has been found, I guess some people have been cremated.. the true death toll of all this won't be known untill all fires are shut down and every missing person is acounted for...

I'm a very proud Victorian and this makes me pretty sad... I hope the CFA can hold thier legs and win this over...

[missmacabre]

Wow, that's so depressing. Only knowing your loved ones are dead by finding wedding rings and jewelry, I can't imagine.

Disease, has your family found somewhere safe to stay, or are they relatively okay where they are?

[Elvis_Christ]

I was watching the footage on the news and it was really heartbreaking seeing people who and lost loved ones and everything they own.

[Disease]

Wow, that's so depressing. Only knowing your loved ones are dead by finding wedding rings and jewelry, I can't imagine.

Disease, has your family found somewhere safe to stay, or are they relatively okay where they are?


I just spoke to m,y mum, there were fires 50 kilometers one side and 50 k the other but they have been taken care of. The rest of my family seem safe as well, Victoria is a big place.

When I was talking to one of my brothers the other day he told me how the tar from the road had spat up onto his car when he went to visit one of our other brothers in N,S,W last week due to the heat, the god damn roads were melting...

[Disease]

I was watching the footage on the news and it was really heartbreaking seeing people who and lost loved ones and everything they own.

It will make it somewhat better if we beat the Kiwis in the cricket today...

All the profits from the One Day International in Adelaide between Australia and New Zealand today aregoing towards the crisis...

[fortunato]

It's just crazy that there are these awful fires in southern Australia, and awful flooding in northern Australia.

[Disease]

It's just crazy that there are these awful fires in southern Australia, and awful flooding in northern Australia.

Yeah, it's the wet season in Queensland, it's more tropical up there... If somehow the two could meet.

[fortunato]

Yeah, it's the wet season in Queensland, it's more tropical up there... If somehow the two could meet.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

[cheebacheeba]

God FUCKING damn it
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/750113/fires-may-have-killed-a-million-animals
I knew the numbers would be greater than humans...but that many...and shelters?
Could barely even read through that.
Happier, but got me a little choked up too http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/750089/koala-rescued-in-forest-near-mirboo
I hate this...


Glad your peeps are well at hand, D, glad there's no bad news there man.

[hellfire1]

Couldn't watch that without tearing up. I fucking hate people. Glad yours are alright though, Disease.

[cheebacheeba]

It's strange...lately having seen my people going through so much shit is pretty hard for me to do, not to mention my personal favourite state go up in flames in a HUGE way (yeah I lived in VIC for about 5 years m'self), so much of an area destroyed...but the whole animal thing, that just smashes me apart.

Wanna hear some shitty timing?
I read the report on animal fatality projection today, it was the first thing I came home to see after my first day at the animal studies course:(

I hope the PM makes an exception to our laws and burns any arsonist fuckheads alive, what he said was right - we are now dealing with mass murderers.

[Disease]

! mil, that's a lot, I had no idea the numbers would be so high.

[roshiq]

That's sad & depressing. Hope everything will back in normal in short times.

Best wishes to your family & others who witnessed & suffered in this situation.

[cheebacheeba]

I have a theory this guy was onto something/someone
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/751307/fatal-house-fire-suspicious-police-say

[Disease]

I have a theory this guy was onto something/someone
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/751307/fatal-house-fire-suspicious-police-say

What, you think he knew something about an arsonist?

In that case why not assume he burnt his own house down so he wouldn't get caught...

I think it is going to be pretty hard to prove anyone started a certain fire, unless there are admissions.

[cheebacheeba]

Just saying, it's not unheard of for firemen/volunteer ffs/SES folks to occasionally end up nutjobs...it was post-investigation that they're considering it suspicious, to me that says that there's a small chance this guy was one of the arsonists and decided to off himself, or perhaps it was someone else who was caught out or confided in him...?
Agreed, proof is difficult...but yeah for this to happen in a place that wasn't on fire, makes me ponder.

[newb]

MELBOURNE, Australia – Authorities charged a man Friday with lighting one of the wildfires that killed a total of more than 180 people in Australia, and whisked him into protective custody to guard him from public fury.

Police said the suspect was charged with one count of arson causing death and intentionally lighting a wildfire near the town of Churchill that killed at least 21 people. It was one of hundreds of fires that raged through southeastern Victoria state Feb. 7, leaving 7,000 people homeless and razing entire towns.

The suspect also was charged with possessing child pornography.

The disaster's official death toll is 181, but efforts to find and identify victims were continuing and officials expected the final tally to exceed 200. More than 1,800 homes and 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) of forests and farms were burned.

The suspect's identity was being kept secret for his own safety, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Dannye Moloney told a news conference. He was brought to the state capital of Melbourne from Morwell, 75 miles (120 kilometers) to the east and near the the town of Churchill.

"He has been moved from that area and moved to the Melbourne metropolitan area for security reasons," Moloney said.



they should turn this asshole lose to the public

[cheebacheeba]

Yeah there's been a court order not to release any information on the accused.
I say if they've got whatever evidence they need, do, just...whatever.

[fuglystick]

The suspect also was charged with possessing child pornography.


Pedophilia. That'll win some sympathy.

[stenchofdeath]

I have some news and points to make. It is reported that he is psychologically unstable. Now does the responsibility for this guy out there lighting fires come back to the government? The mental health system here is too poorly equipped to handle the amount of people that need to access it. I know for a fact that if you go to a certain local psych ward, they will medicate you until you are stable and then put you back into the community. The amount of crimes commited by mentally unstable people has risen sharply in the last few years. If they find the arsonist mentally unfit, chances are he will rot inside an institution for the rest of his days. Then, where will the justice be for the families? I think this whole situation has brought up the question, "should Australia bring back the death penalty"? I've always been ashamed by how soft our laws are, all round. Latest news another fire had broken out in the town of Belgrave, which is up the mountain from me. Again it looked like the fire was deliberately lit. The fire has now been contained. Sometimes i find the behaviour of people so disgusting, that i want to distance myself from being part of the human race. :mad:

[Disease]

THat's fucked, I love Belgrave, I used to visit there a lot and have thought about moving there a few times...

[Disease]

Check this guy out, What an Ass!

http://au.yahoo.com/ go to the Australia abused article.


Why doesn't he and his little community do us a favour and comit suicide allready.

[stenchofdeath]

THat's fucked, I love Belgrave, I used to visit there a lot and have thought about moving there a few times...

The fire was around Terry's Avenue, and i heard that it was not the first time that someone had tried to light a fire there. Apparently a woman who lives in that area doesn't feel safe anymore and will not go back there. Going along Burwood H'way near Upper Ferntree Gully train station it is quite scorched along there. That fire broke out on the saturday when the country fires were first reported. I don't know if it was deliberately lit or not.

[stenchofdeath]

Yeah there's been a court order not to release any information on the accused.
I say if they've got whatever evidence they need, do, just...whatever.

Someone released his photo and adress on some chat group site. Of course the site was innundated with hits and people posting with threats of retribution. The governing body of that site shut it down. The guy is locked up and is being kept away from the general prison population. His ex girlfriend and her family have been copping threats and abuse. They found out info about him on some Facebook type page. There is a strong lynch mob mentality amongst people here. The bushfires have been the first stories in the news since they happened. It has been front page headlines in the papers too. The death toll just seems to be climbing all the time. I heard the guy is facing one count of a number of crimes yet the fire he lit killed 22 people. If the Australian justice system doesn't lock the guy away for life there is going to be a huge backlash here. Also with the arson, has come stories of looting, and some people have been charged with theft of donated monies from hotels and R.S.L. clubs. You can always trust a tragedy to bring out the scum and trash.

[milktoaste]

The mental health system here is too poorly equipped to handle the amount of people that need to access it. :mad:

Just watched Disease post: http://au.yahoo.com/
Yeah, we have that 'mental health 'problem here too apparently.

[Elvis_Christ]

MELBOURNE, Australia – Authorities charged a man Friday with lighting one of the wildfires that killed a total of more than 180 people in Australia, and whisked him into protective custody to guard him from public fury.

Police said the suspect was charged with one count of arson causing death and intentionally lighting a wildfire near the town of Churchill that killed at least 21 people. It was one of hundreds of fires that raged through southeastern Victoria state Feb. 7, leaving 7,000 people homeless and razing entire towns.

The suspect also was charged with possessing child pornography.

The disaster's official death toll is 181, but efforts to find and identify victims were continuing and officials expected the final tally to exceed 200. More than 1,800 homes and 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) of forests and farms were burned.

The suspect's identity was being kept secret for his own safety, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Dannye Moloney told a news conference. He was brought to the state capital of Melbourne from Morwell, 75 miles (120 kilometers) to the east and near the the town of Churchill.

"He has been moved from that area and moved to the Melbourne metropolitan area for security reasons," Moloney said.


Fucked up. I'm speechless.

[Disease]

Here is a before and after video of some parts of Victoria...

http://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2009/national/bushfire-before-after/index.html