Attention, Aussies! Urgent!

[MO]

Will our friends from Down Under please check in here and let those of us from Up Yonder know that you are all okay? I have read about the horrifying fires, and I am hoping each of you and your loved ones are safe.

[jassian]

We're quite safe at the moment, although we do get the smoke.
Wow, looking at the up to date map one's just 200 km away.
The weather has cooled off for the next week, hopefully more.

It's possible they may come our way eventually. We're surrounded by farm land though, it's all cut down, so the fire won't rise too far. I wish the farmers would do their controlled burn already ( they do that every year anyway) then we'd be really quite safe.

I'm just really frustrated that they can't put them out already!
The number of dead just keep rising and the things keep burning.
All this technology and we can't stop these things.


How's everyone else?

[ohboy]

Oh lord, it sounds awful. Just like people were nice enough to wish us well during the Californian fires of the summer, I too wish that damages are minimal in Australia, and that as many people as possible are able to be saved. I'll pray for the best.

[Bexter]

Hi Guys!! Yes she's back, having a week off work and slowly trying to catch up with stuff, life is still really hectic here and very stressful with my marraige breakup and all. I live over the other side of the country, so am in no danger from the fires although it did rip through the town of bunyip where my ex-neighbour lives, thankfully i got hold of her and she's fine, also i promptly got hold of naggin-dragon (Lighting McQueenie) and he's just fine too but very hot where his new job is.

I would just like to point out that we don't get the fires here like the east because WE CONTROL BURN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok I'll get off my soapbox now!!

[ris768]

I live in Sydney so I am perfectly safe too. I remember the Sydney fires in 1992, I was holidaying up north and couldn't get home because there were fires all around Sydney.

I can imagine what the Victorians are going through, we had had a blood red sun for over a week, my house was about 50 kms away from the nearest fire but I had ash falling in my yard for days after the fires were contained. Sydney's fires were nothing compared to the current Victorian fires as we only had 2 deaths and 100 people homeless. The numbers in Victoria are currently 173 deaths and 5000 homeless. My prayers go out to them.

Glad to hear Lightning McQueenie and Jassian are safe, would love to hear from angvav, aussietrekker, prurple_rose and Brad & Zoe, they all live in Victoria. I pray that you and your families are all safe.

[leaper1]

Thoughts and prayers to everyone Down Under from the resident Brit.

[Ziggy]

Oh the gods... I really hope everybody's okay! This is so terrible! So glad that everyone who's posted so far is okay. I would pray for y'all, but I'm not religious, so... Yeah. Just my dearest hopes.

[angvav]

I live about an hour and 15 minutes away on the train.

From Bendigo, where a fire was.

My friend lives in bendigo. I have another friend who lives in craigieburn, which is about 25 kilometres from kilmore.

My friend from craigieburns ok but I'm still waiting to hear from my friend in bendigo.

[angvav]

Originally Posted by ohboy

Oh lord, it sounds awful. Just like people were nice enough to wish us well during the Californian fires of the summer, I too wish that damages are minimal in Australia, and that as many people as possible are able to be saved. I'll pray for the best.

Those are very kind words.

Thank you deeply.

[ris768]

Glad to hear you are safe angvav.

[Bexter]

To put this in perspective for others overseas, Australia in reality is nothing but a large country town, so everyone will know someone who is effected. I wrote the following poem Monday Night and posted it to my poetry site. As you can probably tell, I am rather passionate about control burning! It lessens the hazard and makes containment easier. The greenies over here kick the biggest stink over our controlled burns, but we still do them. I may be a bit biaised... I'm dating a firey.


NOTHING BUT MASS MURDER

What madness is there is this world
When lives are risked to save a tree
It's fine if you want to risk your own
But don’t risk the lives of my family and me

You can’t control burn the greenies cry
To lose even one tree is such a waste
And the councils clamber to back down
With surprising speed and haste

So the tree’s grow thick and oh so lush
An awesome sight to behold
But then the heat dries them out
And the green turns brown and gold

The land becomes a baking oven
And then there comes the wind
Now from the tiniest little spark
Hell on earth is what begins

There is nothing standing it its way
Nothing to hold it back
With ample fuel and no fire breaks
There is nothing that it lacks

A monster that consumes everything
Destroying all that's in it's path
Leaving death and devastation
Along its huge and ugly path

Gum trees explode, homes implode
and water holes turn to steam
there is no escape no matter where you run
like a never ending frightening dream

There’s a knocking on a neighbours door
And a man stands there with no skin
Here take my daughter and save her life
Thanks, i'd rather not come in

I’m lost my wife and my other child
She’s all that I have left
I know that i will not survive
I stand here totally bereft

The cars lie still and piled high
where people have tried to flee
Their burnt out shells and open doors
The most truamatic sight to see

All over this wide brown country
We are all reaching for our phones
Calling up our loved ones
And hoping to God they’re home

Hearing on the television
Their town is ingulfed in flames
There are very few homes left now
And you whisper your loved ones name

Oh but what about those greenies trees
At least they didn’t cook
But at last count over 200 lives
That’s mass murder in my books


Just to clarify, I don't beleive lack of controlled burns are the only reason for this tragedy, I could also write equally passionate poems about arsonists and lack of proper building restrictions.

[angvav]

Bex, I'm curious here as to what you think here. Even though you are not living in melbourne.

As well as anyone who lives in melbourne from this site.

Do you think somebody REALLY lit those fires? And how could you tell? What sort of proof would authorities look for?

Is that what you are saying Bex, that somebody did?

Would anyone have any idea?

If somebody did deliberately do this, it is completely unforgivable behaviour. I could never forgive somebody for this. As much a tolerant and forgiving person I am, I'm sorry, taking of life is unacceptable in my books.

And thanks riz768, thank you deeply.

I hope no body got harmed by the fires. In any way.

[ohboy]

I'm just going to say one thing here, and I'm not taking any sides here when I say this. About two years ago, there was massive fires caused in Southern California that lasted for days and destroyed numerous houses, spread rapidly, and killed people somewhere in the low double digits. It turns out that a little boy was playing with matches, and accidentally unleashed this catastrophe. My point is that arsonists (rather they intend to or not) can cause a lot of devestation if they are put in the right situation.

With that said, I agree with you that if this was an arsonist, it is unforgivable. I'm glad that you are alright, Angvav. After all, it would be an utter shame if if something happened and we weren't able to enjoy your conversation. Of course, I mean that for everyone here that lives in Australia. I hope as I type this, the fires are calming down, but my prayers are still with everyone.

[Bexter]

Apparently an arsonist did cause one of the worse fires... hope they burn in hell for internity!! I read one article which discusses the possibility of the arsonist when caught be made to pull the burnt bodies out of the cars, as part of his punishment. A fire caused by a child accidentally playing with matches is a totally different scenario, children play with mathes, I have a little fire bug in my house who seems to be able to find match boxes that don't exist and light anything she can get her hands on, but for a adult to deliberately set something alight just to cause mischeif is unbeleiveable, you have no idea how easily fires start in Austarlia. I mentioned to my boyfriend how much i enjoy watching lightening storms and he said 'you'd change your mind when you are a fireman' to them it's nothing but gut churning anxiety. A fire started up the road a few weeks ago from kids riding dirt bikes and a spark set fire to the dry grass and almost burnt down my friends house. Over here today it's 43c (109 f) humid as hell and the winds picked up, a storm is on it's way and guess what... one lighting stike and off we go again.

[angvav]

I heard a person dropped a cigarette butt

Also a person was caught on camera starting a fire whilst riding a motor cycle

Sorry to say this - Insane!

[angvav]

And thats the thing ohboy - finding out if a persn does light a fire on purpose or not.

And what action you take towards the person who lit the fire afterwards.

[sparkyclarkie]

I havent heard much on the news in the last day or two, but i just hope no more lives are lost and if someone did do this that they are brought to justice.
Thoughts and prayers to you all in OZ.

[Ziggy]

I heard it was arson. I don't think they meant it to kill anybody. But it did. And now they've got to live with that.

GREAT poem, Bexter. I'm a poet myself. That really touched me.

SOOO glad you're okay, Angvav!

Gah. All we've got down here is rain. And the rest of the country's covered in snow. We're, like, the only city that's got none. And then over on the other side of the world... There are the fires. And all we can do is complain about the cold.

Right. I'm not going to complain about the cold for at least two days now. Out of respect for all you guys Down Under.

[angvav]

I wish it rained here!

I am so not a heat person!

[angvav]

Everyone

Thank you all deeply from the bottom of my heart for all you beautiful nice messages towards everyone living in australia.

How very deep and sweet of all of you to to look out for us down here.

Thank you dearly

[Bexter]

Originally Posted by angvav

I wish it rained here!

I am so not a heat person!

Oh Baby!! you and me both, sweltering here too in the west!!

[Ziggy]

I'd gladly send some of our your way if I could!!!

[MO]

Someone mentioned aussietrekker. I haven't heard from her in several days. I don't know where she's from, but aussietrekker, if you're reading this, please post and let us know you're okay!

[Errowyn]

**Sending good and well wishes to everyone who lives down under** I've got family there as well and fortunately they're all okay right now.

[angvav]

Is it really hot in W.A. Bex?

My god. I haven't evennoticed!

You know what?

I mean it, if I had the money, I would live in Antarctica for 6 months and spend the rest of the time in Australia when it's cold!

I know it'll sound silly or strange here, but hot weather makes me physically ill - my tummy gets bloated. To the point where it looks as though I've gained weight when I really have not!

Eeeewwwww......