I've never seen anything like it..... talk about HELL

[fraggle]

Victoria has just had the worst bushfires in history, we have had hundreds of thousnands of hectares burnt, whole town wiped out, and 65 dead and rising.

It was over 48C (118F) with winds at 200km/h (125m/h). I've been a fire volunteer for nearly 10 years and I've never seen anything like it. Houses burnt to the ground in 6 minutes.

The noise and the heat and the smoke......it was HELL

[Demi ^_^]

Oh yes! I was going to make a thread about this yesterday!

How horrible! My nan and pa are from Victoria and are helping out with everything.. Their house was this close to becoming rubble and ruins, but thankfully the house wasn't damaged.. However many of our and their friends houses' have been destroyed, so Nanny and Pa are helping out heaps..

I burst into tears when I heard about the fires.. Its just sooo bad!!!!

[escamosa]

I've been watching on the new's, and here i was thinking that we might be lucky this year with fires, how wrong was i?
Hope your Grandparents are going ok Demi.

[Mvjnz]

Yeah, it's madness:(

Here's a link to the news story for people in other countries...

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Lady Hobbs]

How awful. I have my face in the news constantly and not heard one thing of this. Thanks for the link!

With winds at that speed, people wouldn't have had a chance. Going in search of more news on this. So sorry everyone.

[fraggle]

over 330 000 hectares burnt now, dozens of fires still going, 86 dead with heaps more missing and emergency services only just being able to go in to the towns wiped out to see if anyone was caught up in it. 750 houses gone and climbing.

It was sooo quick!!!!

It's horrible

[Lady Hobbs]

I always think of field animals too. They have no where to go. In Mvjnz link, there's a picture there with everything gone but the trees are standing. Just like a flash fire.

[Deleted User]

That is absolutely awful Fraggle. I have been watching the news. I just hope none of this was caused by arsonists. That would be the worst thing.All those people. It is just so sad. :scry:

[fraggle]

They think most of them were started by arsonists!!! They even tried to relight places that burnt yesterday again today!!!!!!!!!!!!! *&%* (*&*& $%^%$#

Stick them in their house and light it up around them and let them flaming burn to death, &%^$%&^ $#@%$#^&!!!!!!!!!!

They don't deserve a single breath of oxygen and what they've already consumed is a complete waste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sharon]

I saw it on the news last night...It does look like hell visited, as one of the articles says. Terrible and sad!:scry:

[Lady Hobbs]

People are very sick in the head. Years ago, one of the worse US fires in history was in CA (Malibu) and later learned, started by a part-time fireman looking for overtime pay.

One of our towns here in Pennsylvania has arsonists setting homes on fire at a heck of a click. 18 fires already just this year.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Deleted User]

They think most of them were started by arsonists!!! They even tried to relight places that burnt yesterday again today!!!!!!!!!!!!! *&%* (*&*& $%^%$#

Stick them in their house and light it up around them and let them flaming burn to death, &%^$%&^ $#@%$#^&!!!!!!!!!!

They don't deserve a single breath of oxygen and what they've already consumed is a complete waste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hear you. For me Easter is the start of the "burning season " here. The l;ocal kids set light to the whole mountain sides. It stops around the end September when it starts getting cold. I see no point in it at all. What I would like to do to them I could not put into words. :scry:

[Lady Hobbs]

On CNN right now and it's terrible.

[fraggle]

108 dead, and there is burnt out cars just littering the roads, more inside them, and they haven't even searched what's left of the houses.

1 guy put his kids in the car, ran back into the house to get something and when he came back out the car's on fire with the kids in it.

I can't believe it. I really can't. I know people who live in Kinglake, my Grandma's family is from there!!!!!

Sitting here just bawling my eyes out, this is terrible!

[Lady Hobbs]

It's totally heartbreaking what some people must bear. We fret over such trivial things in life until you hear of the ordeals of others and our problems are so minor that no longer are worth mentioning.

People need to leave their homes now even if the fire is some distance away with the speed it is traveling. Could be that the roadways are jammed up with traffic, too, and they can't get out soon enough. Awful!!!!!

I've been wondering about Crackatinny, too. I don't know what part in Aust. he lives.

[Gemini]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
This is just so awful. I dont' even have the words. I put the link up for anyone else who wants to see. But make sure you have a stomach because it is just black, charred, once was buildings and cars.
Demi - I hope your grandparents, their friends and everyone else is ok.
Two towns have been totally wiped off the map - nothing there anymore but charred memories.
I hope they charge the arsonists with multiple murders. (*&#(*&$(*&#(*& arsonists.

[Ryuu]

Crazy... Thats to bad...

[troy]

Horrible weather. Any idea when it is going to cool off?

[fraggle]

It's cooled a little bit since Saturday, but there's been thunderstorms, with only a sprinkling of rain and now more fires from lightning strikes.

It's been so dry here with the drought it's been going on 11 years now, we've only had 1.2mm of rain this year that's .04 inches.

Hobbs Crack lived in New South Wales. There's fires there at the moment too, as far as I know there's been no houses burnt and no one's died, but it's a bit cooler there and the winds not as bad as what it was on Saturday. They have 8 out of control fires at the moment, but the weather has been OK for them Sunday and yesterday, today is bit worse with higher temps and the wind pickin up, but no where to what it was here on Saturday. Saturday was the worst fire weather anyone can ever remember or been recorded.
They've charges a 31yo bloke with starting one of those.

It came through so quick, saw the smoke and the next thing it was on top of you, sounded like I don't know what a whole bunch of jets taking off! Seriously never seen anything like it.

The stories some are telling are terrible. There was one guy who saw the smoke getting really thick, loaded the kids in the car, went back inside to grab some photos etc and when he came back out, his car was on fire....absolutely devestating.

There's people who the last they heard from family and friends was them saying that it was getting too hot and telling them that they loved them.
Then not hearing from them since, and you aren't allowed back up there to see if anyone is still alive. How do you cope with something like that?!??!

There are 36 out of control fires here in Victoria, one at Beechworth in the north east is posing the most threat at this point in time.

[Lady Hobbs]

Thanks for the news of Crackatinnys area. I've been pouring over news articles from Aust and they say this may keep up for many more days. Those poor people and those poor firefighters! Le'ts just pray that wind stops so they can get a handle on it and soon.

[Lady Hobbs]

You probably recognize this guy.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Sharon]

This is just unbelievable. I can't imagine the terror that these people are going through! :scry: I've been trying to get in touch with a friend in Australia. I don't know where exactly she lives, and we've never met in person. We actually were moderators on another forum together, and we talk often through email. No response to my emails and I am getting worried....

[fraggle]

He was the news guy for years. "May your news be good news and goodnight" was his sign off.
Poor bugger.

To give you an indication of how fast this was moving, it travelled 52km (32.something miles) in 12 and a half minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!! Over 50km in 12minutes!!!! You wouldn't have even thought about leaving hearing it was 50km away, but 12 minutes!!!!!!!!
And that wind would have blown a brown dog off a chain, it was unbelieveable. One guy hid in his cellar with wet blankets over him. 3 minutes he said from the time he went down there to the time it was quiet and everything was gone, his house, the neighbours houses.


I was talking to one of the fulltime fireys at the station I volunteer at and he worked the Ash Wednesday fires in the 80's and he said that they paled in comparison to Saturday.

I tell you what, I'm on my knees praying that this eases up, for eveyone's sake. The people under threat, the fireys, the SES, the cops, the Doctors and nurses, everyone.

[Lady Hobbs]

I always thought fire would be the absolute worse way to go. I just hope it was so fast that people hardly knew what hit them and it sounds as it was. I really pity the medical examiner having to identify all those people. People won't know about their loved ones for some time.

[Gemini]

People won't know about their loved ones for some time.
Last night when I went to bed it was only 45 dead, I woke up and it was 108. It is just getting worse and worse, the storys on the tv are enough to make you bawl your eyes out. Just so awful.
My thoughts are with everyone who is involved in any way.

[fraggle]

It's now up to 131 deaths. Can't believe it.

[Deleted User]

It's now up to 131 deaths. Can't believe it.

My news in the UK are saying 131 dead. Many taken to hospital with severe burns and some are so bad they could still die. All fire areas have now become crime scenes as they are sure there arsonists and if found will be charged with mass murder.

[fraggle]

Charging them will do nothing. The justice system over here is CRAP. Too lenient. Sentences served concurrently, so at the same time, not one after the other, so if they get 25 years for the murder of 1 and then 25 for each of the other 130, they still only serve 25 years, then they'll get 17 years before they can apply for parlole, then get time off for good behaviour. As well as having free medical, free dental, free food, free elcetricity, free EVERYTHING and then if they "work" in the industries THEY GET PAID!!!!!!!!!!! It might only be $10 a day, but they still get paid. THE SYSTES STINKS!!!!!!!

Burn em alive I say. Stick em in their house and set it alight around them, then let them run out to their car, while on fire, and let them burn to death while the car exploded from the heat.

OK I'm mad, I'm furious, I'm..............words can't explain. There is NO JUSTICE for something like this.

The are saying that the total could go above 230 dead.

[escamosa]

Charging them will do nothing. The justice system over here is CRAP. Too lenient. Sentences served concurrently, so at the same time, not one after the other, so if they get 25 years for the murder of 1 and then 25 for each of the other 130, they still only serve 25 years, then they'll get 17 years before they can apply for parlole, then get time off for good behaviour. As well as having free medical, free dental, free food, free elcetricity, free EVERYTHING and then if they "work" in the industries THEY GET PAID!!!!!!!!!!! It might only be $10 a day, but they still get paid. THE SYSTES STINKS!!!!!!!

Burn em alive I say. Stick em in their house and set it alight around them, then let them run out to their car, while on fire, and let them burn to death while the car exploded from the heat.

OK I'm mad, I'm furious, I'm..............words can't explain. There is NO JUSTICE for something like this.

The are saying that the total could go above 230 dead.

Totally agree with ya Fraggle, the powers to be say that it costs around AUS$51,000 a year to keep this sort of animal in prison, why waste the money?

[Rue]

Yes...we've been watching it on the news...horrific...:scry:

They need stronger sentences - here as well.

In the North we'll have people start forest fires, so that they can make money while they work to put it out...unreal...

[fraggle]

It's only our full time fireys that get paid, even if the volunteers are at the fires for weeks we don't get paid, we just that...volunteers. The State Emergency Service is made up of voluteers, the Country Fire Authority is voluteers. You do have some basic staff that are full time and paid, but otherwise no one gets paid. I love being part of it I must say, the comraderie is fantastic. I feel really useless being at home this time around with the kids. I just want to go and help!!!

173 dead now, with the army just called in yesterday, starting today to help search the burnt out houses and cars and sheds etc.

[Gemini]

Thank you and the others fraggle that are out there doing something. The rest of us lucky enough not to be in Vic - I hope you have all sent in your $$$.
And I'm with you two (fraggle and slimey), we do not have harsh enough sentences and whoever started these fires I'd be happy to see put into a furnace. The stories coming out are awful - the couple found burnt curled up together, the twins that died trying to save their horses, fathers dead after trying to save the homestead. It's all just so awful.

[Red]

I got a quick question. How does someone die during these things? Does it spread so fast that it burns the house down in a rather of minutes where they can't get out? Sorry if i sound like a jerk or something i just have never been around wild fires like this..

[Northernguy]

The fire has been able to cover 50 miles in 12 minutes.It really does not take long.125 m/h winds will get that flame so hot that nothing will stand in its way.
Instant death penalty to anyone who starts a fire like that.
I know I worry about them every summer here.

[Gemini]

Don't worry Red I didn't understand until I saw all the news. A lot of people have actually died trying to get away. They are finding cars burnt out with families inside. There was no warning. It was gong to be a hot day - but then as NG has said the fires started and within 12 mins have covered 50kms. This area is country so it is bushland and we have been in drought for so long, and the area had temps over 40oC for most of last week so it was just very, very dry tinder. It just started like that.
I read one story - a woman went to have a shower, she didn't even have time to grab any clothes when her hubby busted in and said there was a fire.
People thought they had time and they didn't. And also last time we had a big fire (Ash Wednesday in 1983) we were told after to stay and fight. So sadly a lot of people did.
I've put some more links up if you want to see/read more. The pics are just awful!
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Northernguy]

I thougt the fire was more contained to the north central area,not the south.
I hope they figure out something out!:11:

[Red]

holy cow, thats terrible :/
Fraggle god bless you and all the other people you work with, we need more people like you and them in this world, and stay safe. Thats for the explantion gemini..

[Gemini]

I thougt the fire was more contained to the north central area,not the south.
I hope they figure out something out!:11:
It's everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need new adjectives - I just read Williams reminder on rule 2.

[Sir Tristen]

Wow! I just read through this thread. I'd originally left it alone as I thought it was just another fire, but this is horrible! I had to leave out some of the details as I told my wife about it, because it really is awful beyond words. I'll be sure to remember this in my prayers. I hope things can be remedied soon. . .

[osomxl]

my prayers go out those all those affected directly and indirectly. I lived in San Diego for 27 years and witnessed first hand the absolute destruction firsthand and have worried many a night waiting for day to break to find out if friends and family have made it through the night. It is hell! please keep safe and be prepared to leave before it is too late! You cannot believe the speed at which these fires can move. I have personally seen fires move faster than you could drive on a good day. God bless us all.

[Lady Hobbs]

I got a quick question. How does someone die during these things? Does it spread so fast that it burns the house down in a rather of minutes where they can't get out? Sorry if i sound like a jerk or something i just have never been around wild fires like this..

The speed of this fire is what's caused so many lives. The wind alone spreads the flames, embers flying into other areas and starting new fires, etc. What some people do not know if a fire itself starts it's own wind tunnel. You end with the normal wind plus fire wind and have a total inferno that is being pushed forward possibly at 200 miles per hour.

People see the fire a long way off thinking they have a few minutes to get out.....and they don't. You also had roads packed with traffic and accidents. Those were trapped. You have cars stuck in traffic and the flames barreling at them.

[Demi ^_^]

Everyday I have been haunting the news.. Some of these stories are horrific and so damn sad!

The people who have done this should die, what they have done is horendous and has cost Victoria and Australia many lives..

I have sent my pocket money over to Victoria, in hopes that my donation will help... <crys>

[Demi ^_^]

Over 31 million dollars has been raised!

[Gemini]

Everyday I have been haunting the news.. Some of these stories are horrific and so damn sad!

The people who have done this should die, what they have done is horendous and has cost Victoria and Australia many lives..

I have sent my pocket money over to Victoria, in hopes that my donation will help... <crys>
It will help. What a lovely thing to do Demi - I have done the same (well not my pocket money but my play money ;))
It is so good to see how many people are willing to donate.
I hope that the arsonists are forced into areas that used to be towns and are forced to sit and listen as people tell them what they have lost. Then I hope they go to jail - with someone who lost loved ones in the same cell.
Some towns have lost 20% of their populations to these fires.

[fraggle]

People really are digging deep. So good to see!

Then you have the scumbags looting places, they need shooting as well. You're house survives, and you go back to find everything gone anyway!

It's going to take ages for these poor people, first they have to find everyone, then the fires have to be put out, then the wreckage removed and then the homes rebuilt.

There's 450 000 hectares burnt, 1200 houses gone and over 5000 people homeless. It's going to take a long time.

I tell you the stories that are coming out about how people survived, (or didn't ) are just harrowing, it gives me nightmare just hearing about it, how is affecting them?!?!

[fraggle]

And all the poor animals that are caught up in it too.

Here's kind of a good news bit, have a look at the link, it's one of the CFA fireys giving a koala a drink. Poor little bloke (actually it's a girl according to the article!)

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Demi ^_^]

Poor Koala - Saw that on utube!

Nothing makes you feel better then donating money - even if I am much poorer for my fish hobby, I am helping people and that is a good deed...

[Mvjnz]

I don't think they will need any more money. I was gonna donate some when I get paid next, but after hearing how much has come in I won't bother.

Most of the houses which burnt will have insurance, so they will be paid for anyway. The few that weren't insured won't cost more than $30 million to rebuild.

[Demi ^_^]

Even if they don't NEED any money, I still feel like I should donate omething, afterall, so many have lost families... Just feeling that people care would help them considerably..

[Lady Hobbs]

This fire will not be tallied into the millions of dollars but into the billions. 30 million is a sneeze in the wind. People have lost everything but the clothes on their back and their jobs are gone as well. Insurance, if they have it, replaces only a small portion of a persons loss. It does not replace their livelihood, does not pay funeral expenses, hundreds of injuried animals that will need medical care much less all the people who had no medical insurance themselves and have suffered burns and injuries.

It cost 30 million to replace two schools! You're talking hundreds and hundreds of people here with nothing to their names now.

[Mvjnz]

Insurance will also replace their furniture, and Australia has free health service, so no one will have to pay to be treated for burns/injuries.

Centrelink exists to give money to people with no income. That's what I pay tax for.

[Gemini]

Insurance will also replace their furniture, and Australia has free health service, so no one will have to pay to be treated for burns/injuries.

Centrelink exists to give money to people with no income. That's what I pay tax for.
Yes it does.
However insurance I think will take a long time to come through. Feeding these people, giving them something other than the clothes they are wearing, water, rebuilding the community will take so much more than $30M. Feeding, watering and homing the volunteer firies costs money.
Wildlife Victoria is trying to care for hundreds of animals that need medical attention - we dont' have a free health service for animals.
Hospitals have run out of morphine - I'm more than happy to help get more sent down.
I feel my monetary and blood contribution is so minimal when what they have lost. $30M is a drop in a well melted bucket.

[Mvjnz]

Even if no one donated anything, the government would use our tax money to pay for everything. Obviously they would not leave everyone stranded with no homes or food etc simply because no one donated.

The only reason I would donate is for the animals, and I may donate directly to the animal rescue organisations to make sure the money benefits the animals. The people are already sorted.

[Gemini]

I like to feel like I"m contributing to help them. If I could or had any required skills I would be down there. If I had the required skills I would be up north helping there with the floods.

[fraggle]

I know I've donated, I haven't been able to go and actually HELP physically this time round, so the least I can do is donate some money.

But different people deal with it differently. Donating is just that, you want to so you do, if you don't you don't.

Just a little bit more info....

They've declared that the main fire (Kinglake) that has killed the most people was not deliberately lit, which in some ways make it a bit better, knowing that this was not the cause of some person.

The Churchill fire that killed 21 people was deliberatley lit though, but from the sounds of it they are getting close to catching this person.

The deaths are still at 181, but they haven't actually increased that since they actually started searching for bodies.

[Lady Hobbs]

Insurance companies are rip offs just like most big companies. That's why they have money and we don't.

Not only do they want receipts for everything you claim to have lost but everything is depreciated down to nothing. You buy a new bedroom suit and pay $3000 for it, it's 5 years old, the insurance company figures the valve is now $700 but......no receipt?........how do they know this is a true statement so may end up giving you $300.

The list goes on and on. Everyone should have a CD of all their household items and kept in with emergency items you grab and a copy given to another person. What we should do but usually don't.

Insurance companies let so many people down that many don't even bother with paying their premiums anymore. I don't know how the insurance is run there but here they have let down thousands in FL after the hurricanes and in New Orleans. You can not even insure a mobile home here less than 20 years old no matter how much you have into it.

[Owlbehere]

Wow. This is horrific. I live through hurricanes here but at least we have a warning and now how big it is etc. Wild fires come out of nowhere and you have no warning or control. It has to be one of the worst things. The only major hurricane I remember are Katrina and Gustav (lost my uncle in Gustav) but was lucky with little to no damage. (I think I was around for andrew but don't remember) I live 45min from Baton Rouge and 1hr30min from New Orleans. People are still displaced from Katrina and still trying to get FEMA help from Gustav.

Still I can't imagine the hell they are going through with the fires... my thoughts are with everyone.

[osomxl]

Even if no one donated anything, the government would use our tax money to pay for everything. Obviously they would not leave everyone stranded with no homes or food etc simply because no one donated.

The only reason I would donate is for the animals, and I may donate directly to the animal rescue organisations to make sure the money benefits the animals. The people are already sorted.

Actually it happens all the time. Insurance is an absolute joke. And in areas where wildfires are likely to occur it can be impossible to insure your house. It happened in San Diego in 2003 and again in 2007. Thousands lost thier homes and more than 10% of the county was consumed by wildfires in both cases. It has taken people who had insurance two years to start building because they had to wait for insurance to pay before they could afford all the permits. It is more costly to rebuild since you have to pay someone to destroy what is left of the house and pay an engineer/architect to design another house and pay all the permits so on and soforth... 30 MILLION DOLLARS may only rebuild about 10 houses... they are saying 5000 houses have benn lost and that does not include all of the businesses, schools, vehicles, etc... and please be a little more sensitive towards your fellow mankind. Someday you will need a hand and how would it make you feel if someone told you that " I dont need to help you, that what I pay taxes for".

[geowashlaw]

Actually it happens all the time. Insurance is an absolute joke. And in areas where wildfires are likely to occur it can be impossible to insure your house. It happened in San Diego in 2003 and again in 2007. Thousands lost thier homes and more than 10% of the county was consumed by wildfires in both cases. It has taken people who had insurance two years to start building because they had to wait for insurance to pay before they could afford all the permits. It is more costly to rebuild since you have to pay someone to destroy what is left of the house and pay an engineer/architect to design another house and pay all the permits so on and soforth... 30 MILLION DOLLARS may only rebuild about 10 houses... they are saying 5000 houses have benn lost and that does not include all of the businesses, schools, vehicles, etc... and please be a little more sensitive towards your fellow mankind. Someday you will need a hand and how would it make you feel if someone told you that " I dont need to help you, that what I pay taxes for".

If it costs $30 million to rebuild 10 houses, I would hope to heavens the government wasn't helping them out ... taking money from poor saps like me to rebuild $3 million dollar homes ... I don't care what the insurance costs, as far as I'm concerned you better be paying for it ... if you can't afford it, then don't live in a $3 million dollar house in a fire-prone area because you think the G-man has your back, live in a $1.5 million house so that you can still afford your own insurance ... if it actually is impossible to get private insurance, then and only then, the Government should be offering insurance at a premium that will not cost taxpayer $ to rebuild such a home ... maybe even turn a profit so that they can offer housing assistance to low-income citizens! When did Americans get so deeply ingrained in this stupid belief that the Government is their savior? Why live on the brink so that if something happens you have no recourse to feed and clothe your family except to leach off the government? This mentality is disgusting and it is going to be the demise of our nation.

[geowashlaw]

I should add before you all go off: I am not opposed in any way to the government providing emergency relief, i.e., putting out the fires, emergency shelters, water, food, medicine, etc. I was just disgusted by the suggestion that I, who live in a humble little home, should be forced to help pay for the rebuilding of someone's $3 million mansion because they weren't carrying enough insurance ...