Australian Bushfires

I hear there is also flooding to the north.

Bad time for all.

If anyone knows of a fund that has been established to help the survivors, I would be glad to contribute.

I don't know of any, but you might look into the International Red Cross to see if they have something set up.

A kind thought Bricktop. I will see if I can track any of the respectable organisations who might be seeking some form of contributions and pass back any info.

In the meantime, if you are curious about realtime weather conditions, this is a super site for realtime radar data which is useful to remotely see how the weather is for the folks back home. From this page (hopefully) you can see the location of some of the towns around Melbourne which have suffered, and you should be able to navigate to other parts of Aust.

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR023.loop.shtml

Cheers,

Bob

Australians have donated more than $8.8 million in less than 24 hours to bushfire-ravaged communities in Victoria.

At 4.30pm, more than 38,000 people gave $6.8 million to the Australian Red Cross since the organisation launched its appeal with the Victorian Government yesterday afternoon. More than $2 million has been donated to the Salvation Army's appeal.

_______

Bushfire Hotline - 1800 240 667

Family Help Hotline - 1800 727 077

SES - 132 500

CFA website

Australian Red Cross - Donate by calling 1800 811 700 or online

Salvation Army - Donate online or phone 13 72 58

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It is believed the outpouring far exceeds all previous Red Cross appeals, including the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

Thanks for that info AussieBob, good thoughts and consideration Bricktop. As a past HotShot firefighter, I hope the best for those in the fire areas and those in the flooded areas as well. It's getting to be an annual issue here. We'll add a contribution along with our thoughts and prayers!

Yeah, it's awful..
Makes you realise how we are at the mercy of the elements.

On behalf of those in the affected areas, "Thanks all for the thoughts, prayers and best wishes."

I'm at thome at the moment and don't have access to the links, but there are multiple fund groups establishing specific donation links for such wonderful people as yourselves. International red cross, and a couple of federal co-ordinated funds that I'm aware of.

I'll get the links that I can find and post them tomorrow for you all.

I'm well away from both situations, but have an appointment next week to be at a town that is less than 20km from one of the fire devastated communities.

It's not over yet, there are now 131 confirmed dead and the number seems to be increasing by around 5 people per hour as more remote properties are searched. Some media is predicting as many as 250 dead. There are also many in hospitals with critical burns.

For the Australian counterparts, if you are able, please also contact the Australian Red Cross Blood service and become a blood donor. The burns victims will require huge quantities of this precious resource.

Hi All.

Thank you for your thoughts, all banks in Australia accept donations, if you make enquiry at your local bank they may be able to help. I live in SE Qld, and not effected, it heart breaking.

Regards JD.

On behalf of everyone in my country, full sympathies and condolences to the people of Australia for their tragic bushfires and flooding.

Nice of you to think to offer thoughts and prayers Bricktop, and I offer sympathy as well. As an engineer, I'm not always quick to think of socially correct things to do.

It was reported on our local news this morning that a large number of people have lost their homes and 83 had lost their lives.

To all of our Australian friends on CR4, I hope that you aren't in danger.

For those outside of Australia that wish to make a donation, the common thread seems to be the internationally recognised Red Cross organisation. The link below should bring up a home page where secure on line donations can be made.

http://www.redcross.org.au/default.asp

The official toll at 6.00 am today is 166 confirmed dead in the bushfires.

Again, thanks all for your thoughts at this time.

Hi Bricktop,

Although I am not personally affected by these horrendous fires, here in South Australia, thanks for your kind thoughts. We are thankful that we never had any fires in South Australia..........we invariably in this kind of weather.......we have escaped it for a few years now.........a special squad of police keep a good watch on about 50 suspected arsonists on extreme fire danger days........we have only had a few small grass and brush fires (fingers crossed).

This has been Australia's worst natural disaster.......by far. Most are well aware of the dangers associated with bushfires here...........we are still undergoing severe drought........the temperatures in the past heatwave have broken many records.........there was a high fuel load..........strong winds, gusting to 100k/h......the temperature was 46⁰C (115⁰F)..........the bush was tinder dry ..............and it appears a few demented people with "shit for brains"...........that's being kind..........they are mass murders............Some of these arsonists are volunteer firefighters and other arseholes.

People living in these area knew the protocols to follow in the evened of bushfires, but, under the afore mentioned conditions, these fires did not behave as they normally do..........they were wild, erratic and many eyewitnesses said the fire unexpectedly came upon them with the speed and noise of a freight train.........It was absolutely impossible to defend anything in these fires, such was the speed of the fire and the intensity of the heat. We have had some pretty bad bushfires here and HAD a good idea of how they behave............I am afraid that these fires never obeyed the rules............this is the reason why so many lives were lost 181 at 1930 on 10/2/09, some are saying it could reach 250, with those missing and many in hospital with horrific burns...........I think all the previous rules on bushfires will have to be rewritten. Why these fires behaved like this is anybodies guess...........as I said we have had condition very similar..........but the fire behavior was previously unknown here.

Last night I spoke to an old navy mate who lived in one of the worst hit areas )Kinglake)...........his was one of the few houses that was left standing..........how or why, he did not know........a large shed with tools their motor vehicles were just a charred mass.............the heat was so intense that all that remained of the vehicles was a burnt out shells, aluminium mags just a molten mass..........he said that he had experienced nothing like in his 70 years. There are still 31 fires still burning in Victoria, about a dozen still out of control...........one can only hope than the winds stay "relatively" calm and temperatures stay in the mid to low twenties........but the forecast is for further hot weather by the weekend.

Thanks for the report. Please keep us posted.

I was able to donate with a simple call to my credit union. A fund has been established through the Credit Union Association.

These unfortunate people are in my prayers.

Hi once again..........just watched the late news...........the Kinglake fire travelled 20ks in 2 minutes.........cause the self generated winds of the fire itself or more commonly known as a "firestorm"..........no wonder people fleeing in their motor vehicles never had a chance...............there were flames 4 stories high..........radiant heat at the firefront in excess of 1 000⁰C. They said that quite a few of the victims will never be identified, their bodies being charred beyond recognition..........starting to hear now some of the incredible stories of how some survivors escaped only with their lives and the clothes they stood up in.

The response from people in other states for clothing, blankets. food. etc, etc has been truly magnificent, as has monetary donations.

MOBI: Thank you for the update. BRICKTOP: Thank you for bringing this up. I have many friends in Australia and frankly they normally don't need any help - usually. These folks are mostly well to do. Your post reminded me that it is not all about my world. MOBI I am interested in The Gap area in Sidney where some younger friends are students and reside at that location. Also, the Perth area. Any word in general will be appreciated. Thanks.

....and on a lighter side, below is message from OZ,

It has been so hot in South Australia for over a week...40+ degrees Celsius everyday, very dry also.

A guy at work lives at Maude. His wife sent him these photos of a little Koala which just walked into the back porch looking for a bit of heat relief. She filled up a bucket and this is what happened! …

Hi, Bricktop, you are really good man.

We know this even from TV station, nature is not fearful. what fearful is facticious delict.

our prayer is stand up bravely and conquer the disaster .

Thank you Mate

Things are looking horrendous down south. It is a huge tragedy and we are all pulling together. Being flooded is bad enough but becoming a part of hell and not being able to flee is unimaginably terrifying.

I hear that some of the Government relief funds for the flood victims in Queensland are being redirected by the recipients, to help the ones much more worse off. I was not surprised about this very generous decision made by individuals but it confirmed my belief in this great Country.

Thanks all for your supporting comments.

And on a lighter note (We love it even in the hardest of times) a picture of how one can have fun even in hard times.

Thanks again Bricktop, Ky.

Hi ky,

I think I should have been a poet!!!!

Just a comment on the photograph............I hope that there is a reasonable depth of water under the skier........otherwise, if he came off...........ouch!!!!..........or maybe worse.

Hi MOBI

It was sent to me and I had no involvement. You are right......or maybe worse. But they must have thought it was a good idea at the time.

Once we were hreos, Ky.