Death Toll In Australian Wildfires Climbs To 200

[Journalist]

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's comments hit the mark, but I thought the choked-up politicians speaking in the Canberra Parliament were OTT.

[GungaDin]

^^^ ^^^ Maybe they've seen things that we will never see.

[skippybangkok]

Just a stone throw ( if your Superman ) from my birth place, know all the names of the towns involved - used to play Footy at some. We were just missed by Ash Wednesday in the 80's too.

With the high temp, winds, low humidity, no rain and Eucalyptus trees full of oil, its a force to be reconned with.

Not sure any other country has the severity of bush fires we have.

[Anthony_Mustang]

Australia has always been there in times of disaster to help our neighbours in SEA when disaster has struck with financial and millitary assistance. As many of you would have seen the Australian state of Victoria has been devasted with 100 of homes and now over 175 deaths due to the fires.

May I suggest that it would be very much appreciated if the countries of ASEAN could offer some eningeering and construction troops with English speaking officers to assist. They wouldn't be expected to fight the main fires as that is much to dangerous but would be of great value in making fire breaks and helping put out spot fires thereby releasing and giving the locals fire fighters a rest.

Although they may not be needed just the jesture would surely be appreciated by the people of Australia to know that our friends are willing to help.

[bkkjames]

Australia has always been there in times of disaster to help our neighbours in SEA when disaster has struck with financial and millitary assistance. As many of you would have seen the Australian state of Victoria has been devasted with 100 of homes and now over 175 deaths due to the fires.

May I suggest that it would be very much appreciated if the countries of ASEAN could offer some eningeering and construction troops with English speaking officers to assist. They wouldn't be expected to fight the main fires as that is much to dangerous but would be of great value in making fire breaks and helping put out spot fires thereby releasing and giving the locals fire fighters a rest.

Although they may not be needed just the jesture would surely be appreciated by the people of Australia to know that our friends are willing to help.

Is this an official request to the ministry of foreign affairs or a request for TV members to jump on a plane and fly to Melbourne?

[teacup]

I have heard many have no homes no clothes, no food, and am sure there is not a lot that can be done from here that not being done over there already.

My heart goes out for everyone that has fallen victim to this tragedy.

[GungaDin]

NASA image of temperature extremes before the fires.

I guess SA & NSW will be next......... Jeeez!

[Old Croc]

I understand NZ is sending some Firies to help out, but there's probably not a lot SEasian countries can do to help at this stage. Food, clothes, toiletries, tents, etc are flooding in and have even overwhealmed the volunteers. Not needed from elsewhere at this stage.

Most appreciated would be cash donations to help with the rebuilding process a little later. Damage is estimated at around $A2 billion.

Australians raised around a billion dollars for the victims of the tsunami a few years back.

[kangeroo]

hello yes im nearly 100 klm from the fire zone ,as it stands at the moment there are more than 180 people tragically killed . Over 1000 houses destroyed , three government schools destroyed . everybody is in shock . But a strong community will survive . all the firefighters gave there all and a lot of them lost family and houses helping other people .

[Schillaci]

[neverdie]

^^^ ^^^ Maybe they've seen things that we will never see.

GungaDin,

Honestly you wouldn't have to worry about Pollies seeing anything, you don't actually believe they would get that involved do you? The pollies need to shutup, get organised & make sure theres full support on the ground for the victims, their families, the fire brigades, Police, Ambos & other emergencies services...end of story.

Edited February 10, 2009 by neverdie

[Anthony_Mustang]

Money, shelter and food is not the problem. With so many fires the fire services are rapidly becoming exhausted and need rest.

You can't tell me in that in all of ASEAN they cannot find enough engineering troops to fill one C130 to assist in the building of fire breaks to give some of the locals time to rest before going back to fight the larger fires.

Anyway it would not be the size of the help sent but the token of attempting to help a country that has helped them so often in times of disaster would be seen with much gratitude by the Australian people.

[BSJ]

The day after the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983 I was sent to Mt Macedon which was hit hard. It was there I learn death and destruction has a smell like no other...and you remember it for a long long time.

This is far worse. It's a bit of a stretch but the destruction is akin to a nuclear explosion. The death toll will be hundreds, hundreds more with burns/physical injuries and even more with mental trauma.

But those figures will pail into insignificance compared to what the farm and native animals are going thru. Thousands of animals are bound to have a horrible lonely death because there is no way we can find them all.

The once was a Buddhist retreat at Kinglake, but it is no more.

[bkkjames]

Money, shelter and food is not the problem. With so many fires the fire services are rapidly becoming exhausted and need rest.

You can't tell me in that in all of ASEAN they cannot find enough engineering troops to fill one C130 to assist in the building of fire breaks to give some of the locals time to rest before going back to fight the larger fires.

Anyway it would not be the size of the help sent but the token of attempting to help a country that has helped them so often in times of disaster would be seen with much gratitude by the Australian people.

Anthony: Don't get me wrong, we wish we could help but what I am getting at is most of us don't have spare C130's kicking around our houses here and that requests for the assistance you require should come from your Embassy here to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Perhaps this is already taken place and perhaps Thailand has offered aid.

[Anthony_Mustang]

No Bkkjames your missing the point. The governments of NZ, U.K and USA offered the assistance not because Australia requested it but because they are good friends and you don't need to ask a friend for help they just offer without asking.

Even if it turns out that the extra help is not needed even the offer would create alot of goodwill.

As for the C130 the Australian Air Force could have one in Singapore within a day to pick up the help.

[bkkjames]

No Bkkjames your missing the point. The governments of NZ, U.K and USA offered the assistance not because Australia requested it but because they are good friends and you don't need to ask a friend for help they just offer without asking.

Even if it turns out that the extra help is not needed even the offer would create alot of goodwill.

As for the C130 the Australian Air Force could have one in Singapore within a day to pick up the help.

I am not missing the point. But let me provide you with some final thoughts. The kind of aid that NZ UK and USA offered is not for labourers to go build fire breaks and give your boys a rest. Needless to say, Thailand (can't speak for ASEAN) is not overloaded with high tech fire fighting equipment that would be of use to AUS.

Now, if you are looking for 100 skilled labourers to manage a shovel (you cant fit anymore on a C130), does it not make more sense to get this from your immediate neighbors, ie New Zealand, Indo? Or do you expect Thailand to fly its soldiers down to Victoria?

I am sure Thailand would offer aid if it felt that it had sufficient expertise to help out. We don't have fire-fighting planes and choppers laying around. But building fire breaks doesn't require engineers - it requires labour - so if our response has not met your expectations, we are sorry.

Anyways, let's hope you guys get it under control as soon as possible.

[Old Croc]

It's thought the final death toll could be close to 300.

They showed footage tonight, taken by the owner, of his house erupting in flames.

The radient heat caused spontaneous ignition and it was similar to a bomb explosion.

Apparently anyone caught in the open would be killed by this radiant heat before the flames got to them. That's how people in cars get caught, the glass doesn't block it.

It's said it will be impossible to identify many from their remains. Just ashes and bone fragments are all that is left of many victims.

[Old Croc]

NASA image of temperature extremes before the fires.

I guess SA & NSW will be next......... Jeeez!

Also Western Australia. 40 degrees expected tomorrow and the South West is a tinderbox waiting to go up just like Victoria.

[Anthony_Mustang]

I am not missing the point. But let me provide you with some final thoughts. The kind of aid that NZ UK and USA offered is not for labourers to go build fire breaks and give your boys a rest. Needless to say, Thailand (can't speak for ASEAN) is not overloaded with high tech fire fighting equipment that would be of use to AUS.

Now, if you are looking for 100 skilled labourers to manage a shovel (you cant fit anymore on a C130), does it not make more sense to get this from your immediate neighbors, ie New Zealand, Indo? Or do you expect Thailand to fly its soldiers down to Victoria?

I am sure Thailand would offer aid if it felt that it had sufficient expertise to help out. We don't have fire-fighting planes and choppers laying around. But building fire breaks doesn't require engineers - it requires labour - so if our response has not met your expectations, we are sorry.

Anyways, let's hope you guys get it under control as soon as possible.

/quote]

Fine call them "construction troops" any trained soldiers will help. Many Australian soldiers that helped out after the Tsunami where just regular soldiers. No one would be expecting "high tech gear" to be available from ASEAN. The RAAF has several C130 flights per week shuttling between Australia and the Mid East so no problem about picking them up. Once again it is not the size of the effort given but the willingness to help out a nieghbour even if you have little to give that truly matters.

[BigSnake]

Yep, this is indeed a bad fire down under, hope they get this bad boy under control soon and no life is lost.

[sassienie]

I`ve just received this sad message from a family member:

Whilst trying to keep you in touch with good family news I have some very sad family news to impart.

My cousin John Barnett (who is also a Sassienie) and his wife Jenny were killed over the weekend trying to escape the bush fires.

When I hear the awful news of tragedies on the radio I am extremely sad for everyone involved, but this has knocked us all sideways and it affects us first hand.

I send my love and hope all is well with you. Gillian.

[Anthony_Mustang]

I`ve just received this sad message from a family member:

Whilst trying to keep you in touch with good family news I have some very sad family news to impart.

My cousin John Barnett (who is also a Sassienie) and his wife Jenny were killed over the weekend trying to escape the bush fires.

When I hear the awful news of tragedies on the radio I am extremely sad for everyone involved, but this has knocked us all sideways and it affects us first hand.

I send my love and hope all is well with you. Gillian.

I am so sorry for the loss of your family members. No words alone can console what it is like to loose friends and families in such a tragic way.

So many families have now lost loved ones and all we can hope for now is that the loss of life doesn't climb much higher.

All the best Anthony

[bruceboy]

This is a terrible ordeal for all involved. RIP.

[WaiWai]

Really sorry to read that, sassienie.

There are sure to be other TV members who are personally affected -- by loss of family, friends, places they have known and in various other ways.

Please donate if you can. There's a thread in the "News" section with details.

[fred2007]

Really sorry to read that, sassienie.

There are sure to be other TV members who are personally affected -- by loss of family, friends, places they have known and in various other ways.

Please donate if you can. There's a thread in the "News" section with details.

I am sitting here and crying, I lost one friend I just don't know what to say any more I am devestated.

[WaiWai]

Really sorry to read that, sassienie.

There are sure to be other TV members who are personally affected -- by loss of family, friends, places they have known and in various other ways.

Please donate if you can. There's a thread in the "News" section with details.

I am sitting here and crying, I lost one friend I just don't know what to say any more I am devestated.

I am really sorry, fred2007.

There really are no words.

[WaiWai]

For those following the news coming to us from Victoria and Australia, BBC World News television is giving good coverage, as are http://news.bbc.co.uk/ and http://www.abc.net.au/news/ online, in addition to the major Australian news websites*.

There are places to comment and interact online, as well as hear the stories of those who were there; it may help to do so.

*

http://www.theage.com.au/

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/

http://www.news.com.au/

are some.

Edited February 10, 2009 by WaiWai

[Chang_paarp]

NASA image of temperature extremes before the fires.

I guess SA & NSW will be next......... Jeeez!

NSW has fires in several places including Lane Cove Park, Peats Ridge and a couple of others. None of them as dramatic as the ones in Vic but they have lost property and bush. If you look at the map there is a hot spot around Sydney.

WA is due for some hot weather in the next few days so we will get some fires here too, departed member Terry57 will be busy. Then the hot weather will move east and the Vics and NSW will get it again. Pity it won't go to N Qld where they could do with some dry weather to give them a break from the floods.

[jackspratt]

^^^ ^^^ Maybe they've seen things that we will never see.

GungaDin,

Honestly you wouldn't have to worry about Pollies seeing anything, you don't actually believe they would get that involved do you? The pollies need to shutup, get organised & make sure theres full support on the ground for the victims, their families, the fire brigades, Police, Ambos & other emergencies services...end of story.

Your cynicism is uncalled for neverdie - what a surprise!

Unless the pollies get involved (as they absolutely should) things will not move at the required pace.

What planet do you come from?

[Mosha]

I understand you Aussies call the people who start fire, 'Fire bugs". To a Pom that's far too matey. Call 'em Arsonists. What the Brits did wrong was to cease calling it a specific offence in 1971. Prior to that it was a hanging offence. Me I wouldn't waste the rope. Throw 'em on the fire they started. Some folks have had to watch their victims die.