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Parts of Australia have had terrible wildfires, over 130 people have died and many folks were burned, some may not make it.
Kristina LS and our other pals from Oz, are you okay, family alright?
Sounds terrible though I imagine Erin and the other California crowd can sympathize.
JOhn in Wauwatosa
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Thanks John
I don't know of any BCers living where the fires are (which is not to say there may not be somebody). I think Swishy may live in Victoria, but maybe in a seaside place (only guessing). Roundtree Dawn lives in Central Queensland and is more likely to be flooded. From the Tropic of Capricorn northwards Australia is under water. That's how weird our continent is. Kristina is in Sydney and there are no SERIOUS fires in that area. When I'm home I come from Brisbane and we're not on fire and we NEED rain badly.
I'm sure everyone would thank you for your concern. I know I've missed a couple of names and I beg forgiveness, but I think everybody's OK. From what I'm told the latest death toll is well over 100. The Prime Minister and the Premier of Victoria were both so overcome after seeing the aftermath that they were near tears on TV and when that happens to a politician things are really bad.
You have to see an Australian bushfire to actually believe in one and when you've seen one you don't want to see another one. Kris said they showed one small pretty town on TV and then showed it after the fire and you couldn't recognise it as the same place.
What can you say? That's our country,
Joanne
Fire is such an awful power
the horror stories that are emerging are nightmarish. Yet, hearing the survivors talking of rebuilding and starting again - that's resilience. Ockers are a tough lot, all I can say is, 'Good on yer mate.'
Angharad
Angharad
Aussie Bushfires
Thanks John for your concern about BCers in Oz.
I live in Western Sydney and have been trying not to melt in the very hot and humid conditions prevailing here for the last 10 days or so.
I, like many others have been shocked and saddened by what has happened in Victoria. I am a Victorian and although I might live elsewhere, I will always be Victorian.
I have an Aunt living near the fires in north-west Vic but they are safe. I have an Uncle who lives in Bendigo who is safe as are my two cousins there. The death toll will rise significantly as Police examine every burnt out house and car. The media have reported that about half of the State of Victoria has been declared a crime scene. Many of the fires have been deliberately lit.
If only we could get some of the rain falling in Queensland a little further south.
Last Friday I renewed a friendship that lapsed over thirty years ago. It was terrific. Her family live in Heathcote, near Bendigo. There is not much left of Heathcote. I haven't yet heard if her family is okay. She was unaware of the bushfire situation when I rang her on Sunday evening. She was at the airport waiting to fly home to Melbourne.
Aussies are a bunch of knockers, ockers and general teasers, but in situations such as the firestorms in Victoria, the floods in northern Queensland, the searing heat in the south-east of late, we rally together in support of each other - even people we don't know.
Thanks again John.
Robyn B
Sydney
Robyn B
Sydney
Hi John
Pretty nasty scenes and some serious horror stories. I don't know anyone in the immediate affected areas but even so it brings tears as you see some of the scenes and hear a few stories. I have seen a few fires, but never a really bad one and I don't want to... ever.
I've been a little out of touch of late having to move again for the third time in 18 months, the heat didn't make things easier. Nth Western Sydney where I am is not a problem area though one fire about 30k Nth did send us plenty of smoke on Friday night. Pretty much under control now I think, yet Victoria is still in trouble in many areas. The expected death toll is likely to top 200, one small town of a few hundred has 30 dead, trapped in homes or cars as the flames just whipped across paddocks and brush in minutes to indiscriminately wipe out anything in the path. One house here, skip that one take the next four.... One women was speaking to her husband and asked him about should she stay, he was out fighting fires. He didn't know but suggested she check with the local CFA (Country Fire Association - all volunteers) She packed the kids in the car and drove the few minutes into town. In that few minutes her home was obliterated and she, her kids and others were stuck in the CFA hall as they hosed outward to keep the flames at bay. Lucky? Yes, but.... One story of thousands.
Thanks for the thoughts guys
Kristina
Both drought and the plant life contribute
Southern California has chaparral, grease-bush and other waxy/oily coated plants as do other desert/near desert areas.
It makes sense, to survive between infrequent rains plant must ether exist as tough seeds, store water – like some cactus – have deep tap roots down hundreds of feet to permanent water like Mesquite trees or and or minimize water loss with fine unreflecting spines/hairs – the silver sword plants high on Mount Haleakala on Maui, Hawaii -- papery outer layers or waxy/oily coatings.
All these burn like, well, waxy/oily coated rags.
We have the occasional grass fire and forest fire but as built up as Wisconsin is and with so many rivers and lakes, even in drought years they usually can be quickly controlled. At the end of the big logging years -- the late 1800 – we had a *little* forest fire. The Peshtigo fire, almost forgotten because of the Chicago fire – Mrs O’Leary’s cow --the next day, It burnt one million, three hundred thousand acres and obliterated everything in it’s path including the town of Peshtigo. People fled to the river to survive by submerging under it as much as possible. . Hundreds or more died due to careless forestry practice, sparks form railway engines and possible arson.
Best wishes to you all. This must be difficult for you.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Update on deadly weather for some of our friends & their familys
The death toll in Australia is around two hundred as they find the burnt out wrecks of cars and the like. Severe drought, 60 MPH -- nearly 100 KMH -- winds and possible arson were deadly in the extreme. There were something like 400 fires at the peak which have burned 1100 squarer miles and the hot weather may rerun soon pushing the risk back up. With forage burnt away the surviving animals are in a bad way.
Now in the US tornado season has started in the Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas tornado alley. Karen_J's brother is risk tonight as are others in parts of Oklahoma. If you are so inclined, pray for those in harm’s way.
John in Wauwatosa.
John in Wauwatosa
It's Not Much Fun in North Texas Tonight Either
Severe Thunderstorms and some tornado warnings. The thing that makes this stuff so scary is that you watch (TV and Internet) it coming for literally hours.
A Person From San Diego
A person that the press/TV here in San Diego, CA have ID a person whom was killed there was a native of San Diego County along with his Campanion from there plus his dogs were all killed in the fire and the home he built there was also destroyed! Richard
Richard