Thousands of people trapped in Australian coastal town by huge wildfires

By Sonali Paul

 

The sky glows red as bushfires continue to rage in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia, December 31, 2019, in this photo obtained from social media. Jonty Smith from Melbourne/via REUTERS

 

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Thousands of tourists and residents in an Australian seaside town hunkered down in public buildings or waded into water at the seafront on Tuesday as wailing emergency sirens warned of a looming, fierce firefront.

 

With the coastal town of Mallacoota ringed by wildfires and the main road in and out of town cut off, residents and holidaymakers were forced to head to the local gymnasium or waterfront as embers swept through the town.

 

Robert Phillips, co-owner of a Mallacoota supermarket, told Reuters he was sheltering around 45 people in his store, while others had headed to the town's main wharf.

 

"There are spot fires all over the place - the embers are blowing everywhere down the main street," Phillips told Reuters by telephone. "There are a lot of kids in here that can't breathe properly."

 

Social media posts by some of the thousands of people still in Mallacoota showed blood-red, smoke-filled skies.

 

One photograph of the town's beachfront, which is hugely popular during the current summer holiday season, showed people laying shoulder-to-shoulder on the sand, some wearing gas masks.

 

Victoria state fire commissioner Andrew Crisp said 4,000 people were sheltering on the beach.

 

Among them was Mallacoota resident Mark Tregellas, a retired policeman, who had packed up his most precious possessions in his campervan to head to the overcrowded boat ramp car park.

 

Tregellas said the scale of the threat and evacuation was unprecedented, adding that he'd heard around a dozen gas cylinders exploding throughout the morning.

 

"Hearing gas cylinders exploding means they are more than likely attached to a house, which is not boding well," he told Reuters by telephone from the waterfront, where winds were whipping audibly in the background.

 

Local community radio presenter Francesca Winterson, who was hunkered down in a building on the town's main street, told Australian Broadcasting Corp that emergency sirens were accompanied by loudspeaker announcements throughout the town warning people to take shelter immediately.

 

"It's absolutely horrific at the moment," Winterson told ABC. "We have got blustering winds, we are surrounded by red sky, choking dust, choking smoke and embers are falling on the town and we are completely isolated."

 

Australia has been battling huge bushfires, mostly across its east coast, for several weeks. The blazes have destroyed more than 4 million hectares (10 million acres) - an area the size of Japan - across Australia in recent weeks.

 

The fires claimed their ninth victim on Monday when a firefighter died after his truck was blown over in high winds.

 

The Mallacoota fires are part of several burning across Victoria state's East Gippsland region, an area encompassing two national parks, lakes and coastal plains that is half the size of Belgium.

 

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said four people were unaccounted for across the region and "there has been a very significant loss of property, very significant loss of stock."

 

FIREWORKS AND LIGHTNING

Authorities said the main firefront was moving up the coast and warned people in its path to seek shelter close to the beach.

 

NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said fire crews described the scene of the overturned firefighter's truck as "truly horrific, a fire tornado".

 

"Under the hot, dry windy conditions we're expecting today there's every chance we could see new fires start as a result of some of that activity," Fitzsimmons said.

 

Bushfires were also burning on the outskirts of Sydney, cloaking the harbour city in smoke ahead of planned New Year's Eve celebrations, which authorities said would go ahead despite some public calls for them to be cancelled in solidarity with fire-hit areas in New South Wales state.

 

"Many of us have mixed feelings about this evening, but the important thing we take out of this is that we're a resilient state," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters. "I don't want to take a second away from the deep sense of loss and tragedy many people are feeling across the state."

 

Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that many of the recent blazes have been sparked by lightning strikes. Much of the eastern part of the continent has suffered under years of drought that has created tinder-dry conditions susceptible to flare-ups.

 

(Reporting by Sonali Paul in Melbourne; additional reporting and Wayne Cole and Paulina Duran in Sydney; Writing by Jonathan Barrett and Jane Wardell; Editing by Gerry Doyle)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-31

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I fail to understand how a fire can get that close to a population center without the chainsaws and bulldozers removing the fuel BEFORE it could be a problem. Do they not have chainsaws, bulldozers and people to use them in that town, or is there some reason they could not attempt to save the town?

10 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I fail to understand how a fire can get that close to a population center without the chainsaws and bulldozers removing the fuel BEFORE it could be a problem. Do they not have chainsaws, bulldozers and people to use them in that town, or is there some reason they could not attempt to save the town?

They are doing it but too little too late by the looks of it and the embers are in front of the fire front rendering buldozed sections relatively useless. I have some relatives out there fighting it. Why dont people have filled water tanks at the ready with petrol powered 2" or more water pumps and hoses and masks to match is my question. Boggles the mind how unprepared a lot of people are. I guess there arent enough men left to use the chainsaws, bulldozers and such. A catastrophe...

 

Just wondering whether the armed forces and their resources have been mobilized?

I hope this isn't a terrible tragedy unfolding here - the pictures are that of an absolute hell. 

 

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I fail to understand how a fire can get that close to a population center without the chainsaws and bulldozers removing the fuel BEFORE it could be a problem. Do they not have chainsaws, bulldozers and people to use them in that town, or is there some reason they could not attempt to save the town?

What you don't understand is that these fires are massive.. the whole country has been in drought for a long time.. everything is tinder dry .. lightning strikes start many of the fires in inaccessible country.. strong winds spread the fires rapidly.. they impossible to control.. 

 

https://www.insider.com/australia-bushfires-generate-pyrocumulonimbus-thunderstorm-clouds-2019-12?utm_content=buffera3a15&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer-ti&fbclid=IwAR3N_e1u2TuFzDJdIsqKfVY1REnPHpoSQN37KnUptaZynPlBvDZA_pBx_6Q

Edited December 31, 20196 yr by Laza 45

 

Gotta love the aussies there's one guy preparing to have a smoke and in another video one says I've paid for my holiday I'm staying here !

Just curious; do the Aussie's have Smoke-jumpers?

Edited December 31, 20196 yr by evadgib

It could be horrendous this if the fire burns to the shore people will boil in the sea,a glimpse of things to come for all the world,terriyfying ,half of a continent is burning.

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I fail to understand how a fire can get that close to a population center without the chainsaws and bulldozers removing the fuel BEFORE it could be a problem. Do they not have chainsaws, bulldozers and people to use them in that town, or is there some reason they could not attempt to save the town?

Not sure where you hail from, the East Coast of Australia is 3000km made up of rainforest and National Parks that stretch 200km inland. there are cities and towns cut into these forests the problem is that Australia has been in a drought for the last 5 years and the build-up of dead vegetation that has not been cleared by legislation brought by the Labor and Greens Parties in 2005. Thi9s fire is only a small part of the millions of hectares that has be burning since August 2019.

3 hours ago, evadgib said:

Just curious; do the Aussie's have Smoke-jumpers?

No, Not sure where you hail from, the East Coast of Australia is 3000km made up of rainforest and National Parks that stretch 200km inland. there are cities and towns cut into these forests the problem is that Australia has been in a drought for the last 5 years and the build-up of dead vegetation that has not been cleared by legislation brought by the Labor and Greens Parties in 2005. Thi9s fire is only a small part of the millions of hectares that has be burning since August 2019.

8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I fail to understand how a fire can get that close to a population center without the chainsaws and bulldozers removing the fuel BEFORE it could be a problem. Do they not have chainsaws, bulldozers and people to use them in that town, or is there some reason they could not attempt to save the town?

You had me at you "fail to understand".

 

How many Kms around the town do you think they should flatten? Here's a hint for you, ember attacks have been known to be 40 Km in front of the fire.

20 hours ago, unamazedloso said:

They are doing it but too little too late by the looks of it and the embers are in front of the fire front rendering buldozed sections relatively useless. I have some relatives out there fighting it. Why dont people have filled water tanks at the ready with petrol powered 2" or more water pumps and hoses and masks to match is my question. Boggles the mind how unprepared a lot of people are. I guess there arent enough men left to use the chainsaws, bulldozers and such. A catastrophe...

 

Why don't people have filled water tanks at the ready with petrol powered 2" or more water pumps and hoses and masks to match is my question.

That makes sense. At the least either a swimming pool or a large water tank.

Years ago I read about a guy that had a large water tank with sprinklers along the roof. When the fire came the sprinklers saved his house by keeping the walls wet.

At the very least all houses in a fire zone should be built from or clad with fireproof material.

 

Boggles the mind how unprepared a lot of people are.

I gave up wondering at human willful blindness and unwillingness to face reality. People build houses in fire zones because it's beautiful, but they don't want to think about possible consequences. I think it's because the nanny state has removed people's critical thinking- it's all someone else's job to think about consequences.

12 hours ago, Salerno said:

You had me at you "fail to understand".

 

How many Kms around the town do you think they should flatten? Here's a hint for you, ember attacks have been known to be 40 Km in front of the fire.

As far as possible in the time available and the people able.

Everyone has a bucket with sand or dirt and something to attack spot fires.

or, would you prefer everyone to stand around crying and waiting to burn because it's someone else's job to save them?

12 hours ago, Barry343 said:

No, Not sure where you hail from, the East Coast of Australia is 3000km made up of rainforest and National Parks that stretch 200km inland. there are cities and towns cut into these forests the problem is that Australia has been in a drought for the last 5 years and the build-up of dead vegetation that has not been cleared by legislation brought by the Labor and Greens Parties in 2005. Thi9s fire is only a small part of the millions of hectares that has be burning since August 2019.

I think you posted the wrong response to him. It's the same as the one you used for my question. He asked about smoke jumpers, and you didn't answer that question.

 

Does Australia have the large flying boats that scoop up water to dump on fires like the US?

 

I hope the greens are exposed to public outrage if they stopped undergrowth clearing.

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Why don't people have filled water tanks at the ready with petrol powered 2" or more water pumps and hoses and masks to match is my question.

That makes sense. At the least either a swimming pool or a large water tank.

Years ago I read about a guy that had a large water tank with sprinklers along the roof. When the fire came the sprinklers saved his house by keeping the walls wet.

At the very least all houses in a fire zone should be built from or clad with fireproof material.

 

Boggles the mind how unprepared a lot of people are.

I gave up wondering at human willful blindness and unwillingness to face reality. People build houses in fire zones because it's beautiful, but they don't want to think about possible consequences. I think it's because the nanny state has removed people's critical thinking- it's all someone else's job to think about consequences.

You obviously have no idea of what a firestorm is like..  it is overwhelming and impossible to control no matter how much water and how many pumps you have.. It is an inferno pushed by its own strong winds with flying burning debris raining down ...nothing can stop it.. 

1 minute ago, Laza 45 said:

You obviously have no idea of what a firestorm is like..  it is overwhelming and impossible to control no matter how much water and how many pumps you have.. It is an inferno pushed by its own strong winds with flying burning debris raining down ...nothing can stop it.. 

I'm well aware. I grew up on stories of the firestorms in Germany and Japan in WW2.

That's why I posted the bit about the guy who saved his own house.

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm well aware. I grew up on stories of the firestorms in Germany and Japan in WW2.

That's why I posted the bit about the guy who saved his own house.

...no you don't understand.. even properties that have the very best fire suppression systems and have take every possible precaution have been totally destroyed.. these fires are overwhelming.. I have seen it first hand.. I lived in the Adelaide Hills during the Ash Wednesday  fires in 1983.. the fires came right past where I was living at the time.. fortunately the wind direction saved our town.. the destruction was horrific.. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday_bushfires

 

21 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

Just wondering whether the armed forces and their resources have been mobilized?

..they have been now.. better late than never..

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm well aware. I grew up on stories of the firestorms in Germany and Japan in WW2.

That's why I posted the bit about the guy who saved his own house.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-01/stories-of-survival-emerge-from-victorian-bushfires/11835160

 

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

As far as possible in the time available and the people able.

Everyone has a bucket with sand or dirt and something to attack spot fires.

or, would you prefer everyone to stand around crying and waiting to burn because it's someone else's job to save them?

 

Sorry mate, but you don't have any understanding of the conditions. Fires like this aren't stopped by buckets of sand and dirt. Plenty of footage online to see how that isn't the best idea and evacuation is.

 

Fires of this ferocity create their own weather systems, their own clouds, their own dry lightning that starts new fires. The latest firefighter killed was killed when the "weather" created by the fire actually picked up the fire truck and overturned it.

 

 

6 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Sorry mate, but you don't have any understanding of the conditions. Fires like this aren't stopped by buckets of sand and dirt. Plenty of footage online to see how that isn't the best idea and evacuation is.

 

Fires of this ferocity create their own weather systems, their own clouds, their own dry lightning that starts new fires. The latest firefighter killed was killed when the "weather" created by the fire actually picked up the fire truck and overturned it.

 

 

I was under the impression from the OP that they were trapped and not evacuated, which was what I was addressing when I said better to do something than stand around waiting to burn.

If you are an Aussie..... what do you think about having a fireworks display??   of course i think it was dumb, but i will listen to people who know more about it than i do.....

51 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

...no you don't understand.. even properties that have the very best fire suppression systems and have take every possible precaution have been totally destroyed.. these fires are overwhelming.. I have seen it first hand.. I lived in the Adelaide Hills during the Ash Wednesday  fires in 1983.. the fires came right past where I was living at the time.. fortunately the wind direction saved our town.. the destruction was horrific.. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday_bushfires

 

He's been told that many times over the past few months (by people on the ground)...no effect it seems..

 

My friends from Cobargo were evacuated yesterday and half the town was lost..

 

Meanwhile water bombers frantically landing and loading up for another trip.. 3,000 litres in 30 seconds..a trip of 10 minutes and then dive down again..a very hazardous and heroic endeavour..bless 'em.

 

The fresh water is all gone now..they are loading from a salt water river..note the sky.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

He's been told that many times over the past few months (by people on the ground)...no effect it seems..

Who does "he" refer to? If it's me ( he quoted my post ) either provide links to where that is so, or stop telling lies.

 

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

He asked about smoke jumpers, and you didn't answer that question.

We don't have smoke jumpers, we use different tactics that the Americans. We have had smoke jumpers come across from the States to help though in the past.

 

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Does Australia have the large flying boats that scoop up water to dump on fires like the US?

We have various water bombers available over the fire season, helicopters and fixed wing. The problem is where to get water from. Salt water is avoided if possible due to environmental issues.

 

Few years back we had an American mob spruiking their huge waterbombers (the ones you see used in California etc. impressive footage but not really that effective) when asked where they would scoop water from they said Lake Tyrell, which does look like a decent sized body of water on the map:

 

 

But in reality is dry most of the year:

 

 

14 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I was under the impression from the OP that they were trapped and not evacuated, which was what I was addressing when I said better to do something than stand around waiting to burn.

"Trapped" as in fires had cut off the way out. It's pretty isolated there. Trapped doesn't mean not safe though. They followed advice and had firefighters to protect them. 

 

6 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

If you are an Aussie..... what do you think about having a fireworks display??   of course i think it was dumb, but i will listen to people who know more about it than i do.....

Why not? Life has to go on.

 

 

15 hours ago, Barry343 said:

Not sure where you hail from, the East Coast of Australia is 3000km made up of rainforest and National Parks that stretch 200km inland. there are cities and towns cut into these forests the problem is that Australia has been in a drought for the last 5 years and the build-up of dead vegetation that has not been cleared by legislation brought by the Labor and Greens Parties in 2005. Thi9s fire is only a small part of the millions of hectares that has be burning since August 2019.

In another thread about this it has been made clear it was not labor and the green parties responsible for this.

It looks like your dislike for certain policies is clouding your judgement. Which is ok, but spreading the same untruths again is not.

FYI 

23 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I fail to understand how a fire can get that close to a population center without the chainsaws and bulldozers removing the fuel BEFORE it could be a problem. Do they not have chainsaws, bulldozers and people to use them in that town, or is there some reason they could not attempt to save the town?

I read once one hectare of bush on fire puts out as much energy as the atom bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.

Unless the authorities cut every tree down near population centres, there will be crown fires. No fire fighting force can stop a crown fire, all anyone can do is let it burn out.

Most Australian bush is eucalypt, which produces oil to protect itself from insect predators. There is also the factor of wind in Victoria, which can change from a 50 km/hr hot northerly to a 50 km/hr southerly in ten minutes. A fire burning for days on a 1 km front becomes a fire on a 50 km front with the wind change. Impossible to defend.

Radiant heat is the real killer in bushfires. If one can survive until the flame front passes, the aftermath can be dealt with. According to a CFA study years ago, 95% of residents who defended their property saved it. Under these unprecedented conditions, I am not sure that is valid any longer. Dare I mention climate change?

Best option for Mallacootans is to get into the water, and wait it out.