Bushires in Victoria Australia

Discussion in 'Barracks' started by spidge, Feb 8, 2009.

  1. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    The bushfires here have now been classed as Australia's worst ever natural disaster. Twelve fires are still highly dangerous and 26 still burn out of control and the Kinglake fire is running on a 80 kilometre front.

    312,000 hectares (3120 square kilometres) are now alight or have been burnt.

    There are many friends that have lost their homes - My daughters boyfriends' auntie lost their home however they are safe. There are too many others to list however at this stage, no personal friends have lost their lives.

    Latest is 84 confirmed deaths and over 700 homes lost. Deaths are likely to grow to over 100. Kinglake has lost 550 of those homes.


    One of our oldest towns in the Yarra Valley (Marysville) not that far away from Kinglake has been totally destroyed.

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  2. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    Thoughts and prayers are with you Geoff and the many other 1000's there .... please be careful !
     

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  3. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    To put the extent of the fires in perspective, an area twice the size of "Greater London" or the combined area of Surrey and Hertfordshire has now been burnt.

    In the New South Wales fires (nothing to do with the Victorian ones) a 31 year old man has been arrested and charged with arson for lighting one of their fires. A young lad has also been arrested there for lighting another fire.

    What are these people thinking?
     
  4. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    The small hamlet town of Yackandandah where my great grandparents emigrated to from Ireland in the mid 1800's has now come under threat.

    This fire is in North East Victoria and about 250kms away from the Kinglake fire near Melbourne.

    http://www.uniqueyackandandah.com.au/index.php
     
  5. John

    John Active Member

    The latest total is 108 persons are dead and there are reports that the expected toll could reach 170.
    I really hope the expected toll is wrong. To see the news and watch people walking around in a daze is heartbreaking. Police have said some fires were deliberately lit by firebugs.
    John

    Toll has now reached 128 dead

    http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/gallery/0,22010,5037339-5006020,*.html
     
  6. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    The total death count at present is 181 however it is tipped to exceed 300.

    Like many others, I have never been more proud to be an Australian.

    I know many people that have been affected, especially in Wandong and Kinglake.

    The Australian communities and corporations have donated nearly $50,000,000 to the Red Cross Bushfire Relief Fund and tomorrow every government school in Victoria (1600+) will have a plain clothes day where the students donate a gold coin to the appeal to be out of school uniform.

    The grocery chain that I work for will donate all the profits for Friday from all of their 740 stores around Australia as well as taking monetary donations.

    The banks have frozen repayments of mortgage loans for three months for those who have lost their homes and businesses.

    The State Government is providing a Computer and a mobile phone to all those that have lost their possessions and the Federal Government is providing monetary payments of assistance through their "Dole" office.

    I have heard that in Marysville, over 80 people gathered in the church to escape the fire and it seems all perished.
     
  7. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    It's wonderful how people come together in times of trouble isn't it ??

    That happened here on 911 !

    Just stay safe Geoff .... hope things start getting better now !

    Annie :)
     

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