I woke up the this morning here in Sydney to the news that 25 people have been confirmed dead (death toll could reach over 40) in bushfires in Victoria.Also a huge loss of property.Here in NSW it is our turn as temperatures reach an unprecedented 44degrees C.(111.2F) with fires burning not to far from Sydney.My thoughts go out to the families,relatives and friends of those concerned.I hope the toll will not be repeated here in NSW.

I've got someone very close to me in Victoria as well, so really keeping an eye on this one.  For everyone's sake I sure hope they can bring the fires under control soon.

I saw the news on CNN this evening about your situation there...

Best of luck and I hope they have these under control quickly! What a beautiful continent and lovely people. Stay safe please!!!

Hugs

Ariana 

I live in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne, yesterday the weather seemed to break all records (46.4 degrees C, or roughly 114 degrees F). We were surrounded by smoke haze, and even though I was not directly affected (ie was still safe) it was really frightening.

Thank God its much cooler today, but the truth is that numerous lives (as well as property) were lost in the rural areas yesterday in South-Eastern Australia.

OMGDDSS!!! I'm certainly keeping you all in my prayers!

Hugs

Ariana  

I have just been watching the news, a special broadcast.  As at 5pm Sunday 8th Feb the death toll from the fires in Victoria is a staggering 49 and the loss of property & homes is staggering.

The fire authorities are only just getting into these devastated areas and the extent of the fires is becoming known.  Truely devestating to see the loss and destruction these fires have caused with the high winds that are blowing and spreading the fire like quicksilver.  The toll is expected to rise more as more is known.

I am glad I don't live in these parts of Victoria.  I live on the South Coast of New South Wales and here we are getting cooling sea breezes.  There have been lots of fires around N.S.W also with the high winds and heatwave conditions in N.S.W also.

My heart goes out to any of our members who have been affected by the fires, and I pray you are safe.  Jan

It is up tp 50 now.. its absolute anarchy and some of the fires were deliberately lit! How can people be so cruel!

An update to my last post.  The Official Death toll is 66 but expected to rise to well over l00.  The loss of property etc has now passed to over 700 homes.  This is in Victoria. 

I wonder what it will end up at.  A tradegy  for those affected.  Stay safe for members in those areas, and don't forget - family or friends will have no phone, internet connections for the time being for people worrying. Jan

Quote - I live in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne, yesterday the weather seemed to break all records (46.4 degrees C, or roughly 114 degrees F). We were surrounded by smoke haze, and even though I was not directly affected (ie was still safe) it was really frightening.

Thank God its much cooler today, but the truth is that numerous lives (as well as property) were lost in the rural areas yesterday in South-Eastern Australia.

Not to pry, by where are you?  Glad to hear the area isn't in immediate danger yet.  My friend is in Rowville.

Fires are a part of every summer here in Alaska, tho they are not very publicized.  My first summer here we were at one point cut off by highway by the fires from any other main cities, and have seen firsthand the total devastation left behind. 

Death toll now officially at 108 and expected to rise as burnt out areas can be accessed.
This is easily the worst natural disaster in Australian history.
It's horrible to imagine the fate of those people who were stuck in their homes or huddled in cars as the fire swept over them and they burned to death.

I hope they will have some surcease from the heat and fires.  it gets hotter than 117 F in calif.
sometimes, but that's really unliveable IMVHO.  that and the same fires in the same places
every year.

I'm so saddened to hear of the losses to everyone!

*sad and worried....

Hugs

Ariana

Truly horrifying!  The stories emerging are heartbreaking.  A young father moving his 3 children and wife to what he thought of as a safe house at his parents and having that entire street burn down. He himself dying trying to defend his own property.  People trying to escape too late and burning to death in their cars.  Devastating!

If there's anything to be learned from this is that property can be always replaced but lives can not'. Get out grabbing the most precious thing or not, but get out early.

I cry for the lost ones and those left behind.  Please take care those still in danger and get your families out of there.   

Quote -
Not to pry, by where are you?  Glad to hear the area isn't in immediate danger yet.  My friend is in Rowville.

Fires are a part of every summer here in Alaska, tho they are not very publicized.  My first summer here we were at one point cut off by highway by the fires from any other main cities, and have seen firsthand the total devastation left behind. 

Lillaanya, I am in Ashwood about 10 miles from Rowville. Rowville is a bit closer to where some of those fires were, I think those fires are under control. However there are other fires in the state which are still blazing away.

Yes, I just spoke to him a little bit ago again, he's promised to check in with me a couple times a day now hehe.  He said 8 houses were lost just up from where he works, and they had a fire just up from his house, but that one got put down quickly.  Going to be scary until they get them all put down tho.

I posted this over on the DAZ site earlier :~

O.k. so here's a little blog of sorts.....

I'm in Victoria, and let me tell you we're all shellshocked down here. I live in the outer north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne (at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges, which themselves have been ravaged by fire in the past, but not this time around thank God). I'm also on the edge of the Yarra Valley which is one of the major winery areas in Australia, and the 'gateway' to the worse-affected regions.

While we were never in any immediate danger where we are, you could smell the smoke all weekend and last night the sky was an unbelievable shade of all kinds of pink above us (with the clouds reflecting both the fires and the setting sun). We couldn't tell though, if the smoke was coming from the north (Kinglake) or from the south (Gippsland fires).

The nearest fire to us would have been the the Kinglake one. Kinglake is several kms away from us by road, but closer as the crow flies. If you stand outside in the street in front of our house you can see the Kinglake National Park (mountain range) to the north of us on the horizon. (The closest the fire actually would have got to us was still several kilometres away. It reached the outskirts of a town called Yarra Glen which is about a 20 minute drive from where I am). So, like I said, no immediate danger for us, but that's about as close as I ever want to come, that's for sure.

I'm very familiar with the towns that have been wiped out, as I've visited them several times. (Towns like Kinglake, Marysville, Narbethong and Buxton are all within around an hour's drive to where I live). These are (or were) situated in beautiful rugged country, heavily forested with magnificent scenery, but are all quite remote, so it's not hard to understand why these were so vulnerable to the fires. These are all places (particularly Marysville) that I love and have spent a lot of time in over the years, so if it's possible to mourn the loss of a place, then that's what I feel like I'm exsperiencing a the moment.....I just cannot believe that beautiful little town has gone.

To give you an idea, this is what it used to look like:~

http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/marysville/photos/

And now there is NOTHING left. And so many people have died up there....it's just mind-numbing........

These are all places that are some distance from larger towns (not to mention the city of Melbourne itself) and so were popular with hobby farmers, weekenders and day-trippers, and of course the hundreds of permanent residents who lived there as well. These were very vibrant communities. I last visited Marysville a few months ago, and sat outside the bakery with a coffee and cake. From out of nowhere, this beautiful (lorikeet) parrot flew in, landed right on my plate, and then started to chow-down on my food, lol. It then flew off again without so much as a 'thank you'. I read a lot of unbelievable things in the paper this morning, but one thing has stayed with me and that is how someone described the birds being blown out of the sky by the fire.....I can't even begin to comprehend that.

The scope of all the death and devastation from these fires is mind-numbing. I don't know (or know of) anyone myself who has died or lost their home and all they have, but the size of it is so massive I have a feeling it will become one of those events where everyone will 'know someone, who knows someone'.... I'm finding I'm crying at the drop of a hat and that's quite weird, because as I said, we were completely untouched and I don't know of anyone personally who has perished or has lost anything....but I feel that (as a lot of other people, I'm sure) there's such a sense of loss that's so all-encompassing it's just...well, it's just indescribable and your heart just goes out to those people who have lost husbands, wives, children, parents....like I keep saying, the scale of this thing is mind-blowing.....it's incomprehensible.

There is one positive thing. SO many people have been volunteering to help and the relief centres and places where you make donations in the way of goods (clothing, etc.) are being overwhelmed by gifts. I'm not in a position to donate a lot of material stuff (or money) so I thought I'd do the next best thing, and donate blood. (It was initially suggested that this would be needed to, for burns victims in the hospitals etc.) Well....now they're saying that the Blood Bank have been so overwhelmed by offers they don't need any of that either. And THAT'S an amazing thing in itself.....

Adrella....Thank you for this update. I have a friend down in Tazmania and have plans to travel there the next upcomming year. I am so sorry for your country, and all of the loss of life and nature. I will be thinking of you all and hoping for true rain to come (*no lightning!).

Hugs and prayers

Ariana

Quote - Adrella....Thank you for this update. I have a friend down in Tazmania and have plans to travel there the next upcomming year. I am so sorry for your country, and all of the loss of life and nature. I will be thinking of you all and hoping for true rain to come (*no lightning!).

Hugs and prayers

Ariana

Thanks Ariana - that's very nice of you. :)  Yeah, we do need a lot of rain, that's for sure.  One of the reasons the fires were so bad is because we're going through the worst drought on record this summer.  You take that, and fact that we're having hottest weather we've ever had (48 degrees celsius on Saturday, which I think is around 116 farenheit??) and gale-force hot winds, and that unfortunately made perfect conditions for bushfires.  Also, it's becoming clear now that some of those fires were deliberately lit, and that's something that just defies all understanding....

 It is truly heartbreaking to learn that many of these victorian fires have been deliberately lit.
Also that in some areas once the fires have been put out they are being re-lit. Our Prime Minister has called these people Mass Murderers.

Yes I agree that anyone who sets these fires should face the stiffest penalties and punishments that is allowed.... (*or turn them loose in the outback with a few good men!)

*sigh.... take care and I really hope this will end soon.

Hugs and prayers

Ariana

 Thanks for hugs and prayers.

A special huge thank you to The American Fire Fighters that are on their way.

Try to stay safe and evacuate early if you need to get out. 

Quote - birds being blown out of the sky by the fire.....I can't even begin to comprehend that.

Adrella, during the WWII fire bombing raids of japan, B-29s shot up thousands of feet after the bombs were dropped and the fires started.  Now those were 35 ton aircraft and their pilots had to struggle to keep them under control.  Basically fire creates thermal columns and larger fires can create larger and more powerful columns.  Those basically push things upwards with the raising heat.  If the fires are large enough, a small bird might have problems flying about or find it impossible because the upward force is just too strong.

 Fortunately I live in western metropolitan Melbourne.  However,  there are concerns for many people.

sadly I see on the news that more fires are being added to the long list of existing fires out there... : (    

There are so few open true natural environments left to this earth. Losing such a huge part of one of the largest continents in the world is a loss that may never recover.

The loss of any life is just impossibly sad.... I check this post regularly, but I am so frustrated that there is nothing I can do to help. Is there a relief fund set up yet for the peoples, or country? Is there needs we can assist with? let us know.

Hugs & Prayers....

Ariana 

Quote - Try to stay safe and evacuate early if you need to get out. 

Quote - birds being blown out of the sky by the fire.....I can't even begin to comprehend that.

Adrella, during the WWII fire bombing raids of japan, B-29s shot up thousands of feet after the bombs were dropped and the fires started.  Now those were 35 ton aircraft and their pilots had to struggle to keep them under control.  Basically fire creates thermal columns and larger fires can create larger and more powerful columns.  Those basically push things upwards with the raising heat.  If the fires are large enough, a small bird might have problems flying about or find it impossible because the upward force is just too strong.

God...that's terrible.  Poor birds....:-(  They're saying the fires that wiped out Kinglake were so powerful they emitted energy the equivalent of 500 Hiroshima bombs dropped at once....that's just incomprehensible to me....

Ariana - that's so nice of you to want to do that....I'm not sure how people from overseas can help, but it's damn good of you to offer.  I'm thinking of signing up as a volunteer.  I'm not too fussed in what capacity, just anywhere where they decide to use me, I'm thinking.

Attached Link: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1008460/Sam-the-Koala-wins-hearts-as-emerges-from-Aussie-fire

Attached Link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/02/sam-koala.html

Yeah, I saw a picture of sam.

Ariana, as long as a species isn't killed off by this, I think that the areas will recover.  After Mt. Saint Helens erupted in Montana a large around around it was wiped clean.  There were also a big fire in yellowstone national park in the late 80s.  In both cases the environment began to recover.   Even though these fires were partly caused by people, when people aren't around large scale fires do occur periodically because of things such as drought and lightning.  It is just a part of nature, which is anything but static.

Adrella, I agree with you that it is sad that some birds will have died, but I am pretty sure they have a natual instinct to fly away so hopefully many fled before that could happen and most of them would have been flying away from the fires as soon as they saw something was wrong.  Animals are driven largely by instincts and one of them is to escape when signs of fire are near.  In order for a species to be successful, it has to have some copeing mechanism to deal with things such as fires.

Hi Everyone,

I live in Melbourne (Victoria) and want to thank all of you for your concerns and well wishes to ALL of us Aussies affected by this tragedy. The horrible scenes of carnage and the tragic stories emerging from this are heartbreaking. I have friends who, though thankfully didn't lose their lives, lost their family, pets and friends and absolutely everything they own.

Let me just say that at this point in time I am DAMN PROUD to call myself an Australian. The whole nation and some of the rest of the world have banded together and raised so much money and supplies. My colleagues and I went out the other day and accosted a store owner and told him we were spending big to by some much needed supplies for the victims and he'd better give us a good deal. He did. LOL.

I have cried every day since the fires began. Some happy tears for found loved ones and survival stories, then there are the sad and angry tears. Sad tears for the animals (I am an absolute animal lover), the victims, the injured, the compete loss. Then there are the angry tears for the as&^%%s who, with a simple can of Kerasene and a lighter, caused so much devastation. We are in the midst of a very bad drought and the whole state is completely dry.
Believe it when they say that it was raining fire here. It literally was.

Once again. Thankyou.