Green | February 08, 2009 | 27 comments

Death toll rises in deadliest-ever Australian wildfires

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090208/ap_on_re_au_an/as_australia_wildfires

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JanforGore
Global warming is hitting Australia very hard.

From the article:

Towering flames razed entire towns in southeastern Australia and burned fleeing residents in their cars as the death toll rose to 84 on Sunday, making it the country's deadliest fire disaster.

At least 700 homes were destroyed in Saturday's inferno when searing temperatures and wind blasts produced a firestorm that swept across a swath of the country's Victoria state, where all the deaths occurred.

"Hell in all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told reporters as he toured the fire zone on Sunday. "It's an appalling tragedy for the nation."

Thousands of exhausted volunteer firefighters were still battling about 30 uncontrolled fires Sunday night in Victoria, officials said, though conditions had eased considerably. It would be days before they were brought under control, even if temperatures stayed down, they said.

Government officials said the army would be deployed to help out, and Rudd announced immediate emergency aid of 10 million Australian dollars ($7 million).

The tragedy echoed across Australia. Leaders in other states — most of which have been struck by their own fire disasters in the past — pledged to send money and volunteer firefighters. Funds for public donations opened Sunday quickly started swelling.

Witnesses described seeing trees exploding and skies raining ash on Saturday as temperatures of up 117 F (47 C) combined with blasting winds to create furnace-like conditions.
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27 comments // Death toll rises in deadliest-ever Australian wildfires

  • JanforGore
  • numinant
  • numinant
    • 0
      numinant  

    • better than complaining about climate change and water scarcity, you can all go vegan. seriously, i'm sick of hearing this shit when people refuse to make the simplest and most effective personal choice encompassing virtually every ecological and moral issue. you want a shit ton more water available? go vegan. you want a shit ton less greenhouse gas emissions? go vegan. you want the end of oil wars? go vegan. breathable air, clean water, a vast reduction in heart disease and cancer, retaining the rain forests? vegan, vegan, vegan, and vegan. otherwise quit complaining and enjoy armageddon.

    • 3 years ago
  • aquamammal
  • benzodiazepine
  • ras_menelik
    • 0
      ras_menelik  
    • Image

    • I watched the horrifying Berkeley Hills Fire burn back in 96

      it was fueled by eucalyptus trees a transplant from Australia the same trees fueling this fire, they are so full of resin(good medicine by the way) that they explode in to a ball off fire

    • 3 years ago
  • SW2
    • 0
      SW2  

    • The speed of the fire has been devastating and the news in Sydney is reporting over 700 homes have been destroyed and over 100 have been killed.

      The grim part is that the death toll so far has been made up of those found in cars, the police and fire service are having to go through the homes and buildings looking for evidence of others.

      There is an appeal if you feel inclined to donate.

      Individuals and organisations wishing to make a donation to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund can go to www.redcross.org.au or call the toll free number +61 1800 811 700.

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
  • GreenhouseNeutralFoundation
    • 0
      GreenhouseNeutralFoundation  

    • I can't express my feelings here. My heart is breaking for these families. Many areas are still not able to be accessed. Many homes that have been destroyed have cars sitting in the drive ways. These people are still likely to be in the ruins of their homes. We don't know the final death toll and most likely will not for several days.

      I am setting up a donation button on the Greenhouse Neutral Foundation web site. When I have done this I will ask for your help. Will you help these devastated lifes?

      Will you help me get the word out to others?

      You and I can't be there to reach out to these families but we can help to help them.

      Bob Williamson
      Greenhouse Neutral Foundation

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  

    • Click on the link to see the video.

      I read the bodies of four children charred after burning to death were found with an adult who was more than likely their parent. This is an immense tragedy and so sad. My prayers are with them all, and I hope that out of this horrror we will come to understand the urgency of what our future holds if we continue acting as if we have time to prepare for the effects of global warming/climate change. A couple of these fires are suspected arson, and all I have to say to anyone who would even think of lighting a fire in conditions such as this, what the hell were you thinking!?

    • 3 years ago
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  

    • Wow.

      I hope those that live in Australia (here) are safe as well as their families.

      I've never had a problem with fire. Where I live there is enough rain to keep that from being an issue. Dry spells happen, but no fire that breaks is as dangerous as this. I have no idea how it feels to be within so much damage.

    • 3 years ago
  • Tayllerand
  • Nancyf
  • loftyer
  • 24French
    • 0
      24French  

    • The Australian inferno is worse than Hollywood could have special effected it. Our failure to imagine the extremes possible from global warming is leaving us with gaping mouths and disbelief. We thought only our lawns were threatened...exploding trees and incincerated people in cars would have been dismissed as hype a week ago, at least by the same old dismissive politicians.

    • 3 years ago
  • artemis6
  • ras_menelik
  • mik661
    • 0
      mik661  
    • Image

    • Maude Barlow, The Age

      As water becomes rarer, it is being treated as a costly commodity by governments.

      Late last year, I had the great privilege of giving a presentation at the International Landcare Conference on the global water crisis. What I observed as well as what I have researched about Australia's water crisis disturbed me deeply and led me to write these words of warning.

      With a few exceptions, your politicians are not dealing honestly with you about the water crisis looming on your horizon. The use of the word "drought" leads people to believe that this is a cyclical situation and will end. That is not my reading. Annual rainfall is declining; salinity and desertification are spreading rapidly; rivers are being drained at an unsustainable rate; aquifers are way over-pumped - groundwater extraction skyrocketed a whopping 90 per cent in the 1990s - as well as being contaminated from the 80,000 toxic dump sites under the major cities; and many surface management areas now exceed sustainable limits. Ask any farmer: Australia is running out of water.

      Yet, at the very moment that massive conservation plans must be implemented and the need for public oversight of diminishing water supplies has never been greater, your governments are promoting or planning at least six ways in which your water is being wasted, exported and privatised for corporate profit.

    • 3 years ago
  • current89
    • 0
      current89  

    • I thought the following passage from the award -winning-masterpiece "The Gods Themselves" would be appropriate. It's brilliant and was written in 1972.

      "Practical Politics-and the death of a world" By Isaac Asimov

      "Let me give you a lesson in practical politics." Senator Burt looked at his wristwatch, leaned back and smiled. "It is a mistake," he said, "to suppose that the public wants the environment protected or their lives saved and that they will be grateful to any idealist who will fight for such ends. What the public wants is their own individual comfort."

      "Now then, young man, don't ask me to stop the Pumping. The economy and comfort of the entire planet depend on it. Tell me, instead, how to keep the Pumping from exploding the Sun."

      Lamont said, "There is no way, Senator. We are dealing with something here that is so basic, we can't play with it We must stop it."

      "Ah, and you can suggest only that we go back to matters as they were before Pumping."

      "We must"

      "In that case, you will need hard and fast proof that you are right."

      "The best proof," said Lamont, stiffly, "is to have the Sun explode.

      End of excerpt

    • 3 years ago
  • pjacobs51
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  

    • By the time humans get around to doing what must be done it will be too late. It is amazing how we sit here watching this unfold like a car wreck. I truly wonder if we are worthy of such a beautiful planet anymore. We surely don't respect her as a whole. And now more people are losing loved ones, losing homes and losing their livelihoods while people continue to sit and spew their flatearth nonsense.

    • 3 years ago
  • crazykatlady
  • current89
  • JanforGore
  • csmonut
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