# No let up from the fires in Australia



## Warrigal (Dec 22, 2019)

This thread is for stories about the catastrophic situation many Australians are facing right now. I will try to keep things as uplifting as I can but there are many tragedies happening at the moment.

*As Balmoral* burned, one man survived by hiding in a makeshift 'coffin' in his backyard*

Steve Harrison is lucky to be alive.


The 67-year-old artist became trapped on his property as the Green Wattle Creek fire roared towards his home in Balmoral in the NSW Southern Highlands on Saturday afternoon. His wife had already evacuated but Mr Harrison had stayed to defend the property. By the time he changed his mind, it was too late.

"I ran to my ute but my garden was already on fire, the driveway was on fire, the road was on fire so I couldn't evacuate," Mr Harrison told the ABC.

With nowhere to go and no firefighters to help, the professional potter hid inside a makeshift shelter made out of fireproof ceramic fibres as the flames approached.

"The day before I had actually built myself a small kiln down the back — a coffin-sized kiln — just big enough for me to crawl inside," he recalled while fighting back tears.

More story and video here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-22/tales-of-survival-from-balmoral-bushfires/11822210

** Balmoral is a small hamlet south of Sydney. There is not much left of it today.*


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## Ruthanne (Dec 22, 2019)

I realize this is about Australia and it's so tragic this is happening but I do have an experience with fire.  I lost everything I had including my sweet cat back in 1986.  It's very traumatic to go through fire and loss.  I'm so sorry people are going through this now.


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## Warrigal (Dec 22, 2019)

It is. So many people have been left with nothing but the clothes on their back as their homes, businesses and crops have been incinerated. These fires come on top of a relentless drought and many rural communities are suffering badly. We greatly appreciate the assistance offered by US and Canadian volunteer firefighters who have arrived in the last couple of days. Our men are beyond tired. They are exhausted yet still front up each day to fight the monster fires.

This photo from a couple of days back shows just what they are up against.
Enlarge the image to see the men in the photo. I've counted six.


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## Ruthanne (Dec 22, 2019)

I can't see the men. I am on my cell now.  I believe you.  Great that other countries are helping. Very bad situation there!  May God help them all!


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## Warrigal (Dec 23, 2019)

Another unbelievable photo. A volunteer fire fighter waits to defend what I think is a vinyard and beside him on the road sits a koala. This is most unusual animal behaviour.


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## Pappy (Dec 23, 2019)

Warrigal, are there many koalas in the wild?


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## RadishRose (Dec 23, 2019)

Just terrible!


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## rgp (Dec 23, 2019)

As with our California fires, I just have no words.........nothing can make it better , short of the fires being put out. 

My best wishes to everyone there.....Stay safe.


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## AnnieA (Dec 23, 2019)

Horrible!   Pray they're extinguished soon!


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## Pinky (Dec 23, 2019)

I recall the fires in the Adelaide Hills and how the smoke covered the city. That was scary enough for me. The one time it hit 40C, I couldn't breathe.

What will become of Australia, and what can be done? 

Warrigal, I hope you and yours are keeping safe.


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## Warrigal (Dec 23, 2019)

> Warrigal, I hope you and yours are keeping safe.



I'm Ok and so are all of my family members although one granddaughter has been hospitalised twice with asthma from the smoke. Air quality in Sydney is atrocious and on some days has been worse than Beijing or Cairo. A cricket match in Canberra had to be abandoned because the players couldn't see the ball.

Firefighters are concentrating on saving lives and where possible, properties. The fire grounds are so extensive that they are allowed to burn while measures are taken to contain them. They will not be fully extinguished until either there is nothing left to burn or we get heavy rain. None of that is expected for another six weeks.



> Warrigal, are there many koalas in the wild?



Koalas are very specialised in their habitat. They live in the eucalypt forests which is where the fires are raging. We don't know how many have been incinerated. Those that survived a fire now have nothing to eat and face starvation. Wild life people, as soon as they are allowed into an area that has been burnt out, go in looking for survivors and take them to specialised animal rescue centres to attend to their injuries and to feed them up. Even the seriously injured animals are needed as breeding stock if we don't want to see them lost as a species.


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## Kadee (Dec 23, 2019)

Pinky said:


> I recall the fires in the Adelaide Hills and how the smoke covered the city. That was scary enough for me. The one time it hit 40C, I couldn't breathe.
> 
> What will become of Australia, and what can be done?
> 
> Warrigal, I hope you and yours are keeping safe.


@Pinky we have ongoing fires in the Adelaide hills now 90 homes have been destroyed and one person was killed trying to save his horses ,it was Very smoky in Adelaide yesterday from the fires it’s has caused millions of $$$$$$ in damage to allot of grape / fruit growing areas as well as the devastating loss of so many homes  

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news...d/news-story/a43aad3dd1d97f4ea18906d0b2efa511


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## gennie (Dec 23, 2019)

Warrigal, please stay safe.  My heart breaks for Australia.


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## Pinky (Dec 23, 2019)

Kadee46 said:


> @Pinky we have ongoing fires in the Adelaide hills now 90 homes have been destroyed and one person was killed trying to save his horses ,it was Very smoky in Adelaide yesterday from the fires it’s has caused millions of $$$$$$ in damage to allot of grape / fruit growing areas as well as the devastating loss of so many homes
> 
> https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news...d/news-story/a43aad3dd1d97f4ea18906d0b2efa511



This concerns me a great deal as friends and previous family members live all over Adelaide, as well as in the Adelaide hills.

This high heat is so bad considering it is only mid-summer there.


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## Kadee (Dec 23, 2019)

Hope your family/ friends are safe and have not been effected by these horrible fires @Pinky
they are still on watch and act alert as we have the high  40’s forecast for next weekend with high winds
Just what we don’t want or need


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## peppermint (Dec 23, 2019)

Prayers for everyone....

We only had one horrible fire in our area....I remember my husband hosing down the roof....We have a lot of pine trees....They were burning..
We were lucky we were a couple of blocks away...But the whole town was covered with smoke....We thought we would have had to evacuate....

God Bless the people that are losing their homes....Very devastating...


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## Kadee (Dec 23, 2019)

Warrigal said:


> Another unbelievable photo. A volunteer fire fighter waits to defend what I think is a vinyard and beside him on the road sits a koala. This is most unusual animal behaviour.


@Warrigal  this photo you posted is the Adelaide Hills  ( South Australia )
Fire
(Lobethal) which is famous for its Christmas lights / and many wineries
Devastating for all concerned including NSW & Qld


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## Pinky (Dec 24, 2019)

I texted my sis-in-law last night. She's in Hawthorndene and says the fires aren't near them.
So sad about Lobethal @Kadee46. I visited one of the wineries there. My heart goes out to
all.


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## Kadee (Dec 24, 2019)

Great to hear your family haven’t been effected by the fire’s in Adelaide Hills @Pinky 
I love the hills as well we used to go up pick our own strawberries  buy fresh apples and the most important stop was the chocolate factory


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## applecruncher (Dec 24, 2019)

Terrible situation. Those koalas must be so frightened, poor babies.


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## Warrigal (Dec 24, 2019)

Kangaroos may be dumb but they aren't silly.
This one has found respite from the heat.

https://www.facebook.com/abc/videos/422647438662386/

Yesterday I heard one man from Sth Australia on radio talking about his decision to stay and defend his property. He hoped to save his shed where he makes wine from his vineyard crop.

 As it turned out the fire came quickly, consumed the shed and he had to run for the dam. He jumped in, with the mob of kangaroos already there. Never mind any port in a storm. Over here it's any pool in a bushfire.


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## OneEyedDiva (Dec 25, 2019)

Ruthanne said:


> I realize this is about Australia and it's so tragic this is happening but I do have an experience with fire.  I lost everything I had including my sweet cat back in 1986.  It's very traumatic to go through fire and loss.  I'm so sorry people are going through this now.


OMGoodness Ruthanne! So sorry to read you've gone through such a tragedy.  Losing one's beloved pet is loosing a family member.  These fires are frightening. I feel so bad for the people who are affected by them.  I saw a video of one of the ones in California where people were literally driving through fire....I would have been scared to death.


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## Ruthanne (Dec 25, 2019)

OneEyedDiva said:


> OMGoodness Ruthanne! So sorry to read you've gone through such a tragedy.  Losing one's beloved pet is loosing a family member.  These fires are frightening. I feel so bad for the people who are affected by them.  I saw a video of one of the ones in California where people were literally driving through fire....I would have been scared to death.


Yes, it was my cat Tom who was only a year old.  He didn't try to escape but hid under the bed sheets.  Yes, it is very scary.  The entire house was engulfed in flames.  After everything had the stench of being burned--an awful smell that is hard to get out of your nose.  Sigh..


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## Butterfly (Jan 1, 2020)

Warri, I hope the area you live in isn't threatened by those fires.


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## Rosemarie (Jan 1, 2020)

I wonder about the water situation. If the firemen are taking water from the reservoirs to fight the fires, won't this result in a shortage of water for  domestic use?

I have a lot of family in Australia. I pray they are all safe.


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## Loreen (Jan 1, 2020)

Just a horrific situation going on in Australia. I pray that for the safety of all and that this gets resolved very soon.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jan 1, 2020)

I'm so sad hearing of what is going on in Australia. Such a tragic situation. My thoughts are with all of you. The loss of wildlife must be tremendous.


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## peramangkelder (Jan 1, 2020)

I experienced 2 Ash Wednesday Bushfires in the 1980's with one so close it burnt the paddock across the road from our home.
We had 2 small children and I had the car ready to leave but at the last minute the wind changed. Bushfires have a habit of making their own weather systems. The photo of the 'Firey' (firefighter) and koala says it all really. The vineyard is right against the boundary and should never have been allowed. The greedy Developers and Councils in the Adelaide Hills and in the other bushfire ravaged Australian States will insist on building right against a National Park boundary which should never be allowed. 
I am an Aboriginal Elder and there is a 60,000 year answer to this tragedy.
Indigenous Australians have been using controlled burns to reduce the fuel load for 60,000 years. 
Over the last 10 years Councils have refused our Indigenous Rangers to carry out the controlled burns so necessary here.
10 years is all it takes to undo 60,000 years of controlled burns. I guess a lot of you will be angered by my post but even the Fire Services themselves said they knew this was coming.


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## Kadee (Jan 1, 2020)

I have to agree with you about the greedy developers and more so the councils for selling the land that belongs to the community,
some of the land councils are selling off to developers was left in wills to be used for community use not to,be sold to greedy developers

I live in the same state as you ,where I live our council sold a huge area   ( in Kadina ) with lots of trees that could be used by the public anytime ,developers purchased the land knocked over all the trees , now it’s a huge recreation centre that is to expensive for the average working person to use / afford
@peramangkelder


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## peramangkelder (Jan 1, 2020)

@Kadee46 such a sad state of affairs when thoughtless development is allowed to go on.
The Councils are only in it for the money. Instead of one lot of Council Rates they subdivide a farm and get 100 Council Rates.
Near where we live they are developing an area called Mt Barker. Mt Barker used to be a nice place to visit.
My 1st husband and I lived in Mt Barker when we were caught in the 2 Ash Wednesday Bushfires.
The Council was originally going to limit the population to 2,000 in Mt Barker.
Now it seems like 2,000 people move in every week.
I recently read that these developments have been approved up to 5 years before the development begins.


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## Kadee (Jan 1, 2020)

I still remember the Adelaide hills fires like it was only last year ..many perished on the southeast freeway fleeing from the hills areas OMG  with so many housing estates in the hills now what would happen if a fire was to get out of hand in the area .

The developments are  getting closer and closer to Murray Bridge  so much so MB will be a suburb of Adelaide. one day

We had a home built in Andrews Farm in 1988 soon after getting married ( 2nd for both of us )
We was assured at the time a   substantial  “green belt“ would be left between Munro para and Gawler
( about 10 Km ) for open space no it’s all been  sold off to developer's.
We sold that home in 2004
Gawler is about 45 km from Adelaide city it was once a county town ..it’s now a suburb of Adelaide

Pera you would know the areas on Pt Wakefield road that was used for growing veggies / hot houses  general open spaces   ..the areas have been sold to developers ..However I’m waiting hear  to the screams when that area floods if we happen to get lots of rain in winter
@peramangkelder


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## Pappy (Jan 1, 2020)

This is a photo from Huracki Plains, NZ showing the haze from the Australian fires.


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## peramangkelder (Jan 1, 2020)

Kadee46 said:


> I still remember the Adelaide hills fires like it was only last year ..many perished on the southeast freeway fleeing from the hills areas OMG  with so many housing estates in the hills now what would happen if a fire was to get out of hand in the area .
> 
> The developments are  getting closer and closer to Murray Bridge  so much so MB will be a suburb of Adelaide. one day
> 
> ...


Yes @Kadee46 you're right about Gawler now being a 'suburb' of Adelaide with so much development there
I know the area around Pt Wakefield well because we used to pass through there on the way to see my Mum
You know my huz Bob reckons the Developers will cause more problems by developing good cropping land
and Councils will eventually have to demolish homes so we can grow fruit and vegies
Cock-Eyed Thinking and Bureaucracy gone mad 
I hope I have 'gone back to The Dreaming' before that happens


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## Mike (Jan 2, 2020)

I don't like fire unless it is in a fireplace and these
fires are everywhere, they are very frightening and
I am sorry that all of our Australian friend are in it
no matter where they live in taht vast Country.

The news broadcast on the radio here this morning
says that the New South Wales Government is telling
everybody, locals and tourists to leave the coastal
areas and move inland, I don't know why nor do I
understand why, unless the scrub and bush comes
to the waterside, I would have thought that that was
the place to be.

Stay safe.

Mike


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## Warrigal (Jan 2, 2020)

In some threatened coastal communities, many of which are full of holidaying families, there is only one road in and out. If that is too dangerous because of the fires then the beach is the only place of refuge.


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## StarSong (Jan 2, 2020)

This is just so terrible, @Warrigal.  We in CA suffer from wildfires, but nothing on this order - at least not so far.  When are the politicians going to wake up, smell the climate change coffee, and LEAD US out of this mess?  We are destroying our planet.


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## Warrigal (Jan 2, 2020)

When are the politicians going to wake up?
Only when they stop accepting money from the fossil fuel industries.
Perhaps when the people realise the cost of doing nothing far exceeds the cost of transitioning to renewable sources of power.

Sorry if my post is drifting into politics. I am not pointing to any particular political party. In my country both sides of government are equally cowardly on the subject of climate change. The people are the ones who suffer the consequences.


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## StarSong (Jan 2, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> When are the politicians going to wake up?
> Only when they stop accepting money from the fossil fuel industries.
> Perhaps when the people realise the cost of doing nothing far exceeds the cost of transitioning to renewable sources of power.
> 
> Sorry if my post is drifting into politics. I am not pointing to any particular political party. In my country both sides of government are equally cowardly on the subject of climate change. The people are the ones who suffer the consequences.


Fully agree that this is not a matter of political party, there is plenty of blame to go around.


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## peramangkelder (Jan 2, 2020)

Unfortunately when all this horror is finally behind us everything will go back to the way it was.
What is it they say...Ignorance is bliss. Yes the people in Government in Australia are ignorant.
They will say the fires have burnt away the fuel load but Government will not consult with Aboriginal Rangers who could have
helped with controlled burns over the last 10 years and the fires would not be so massive now and still ongoing.
Government should consult with Councils regarding Developers putting in place an exclusion zone around National Parks and Forests preventing building on the fence line of these protected areas.
Did you know while these bushfires were raging on our Prime Minister decided to take his family on an overseas holiday?
He was prompted by public outcry to cut the holiday short....that was big of him 
I am aware of the non political nature of this Forum and I do not want to step on any toes


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## Robert59 (Jan 2, 2020)

News, 
*500M Animals Feared Dead in Australia Fires*
https://www.newser.com/story/285092/500m-animals-feared-dead-in-australia-fires.html


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## Kadee (Jan 2, 2020)

New South Wales and Victoria have been declared a state of emergency ...it’s a bit late in my opinion...Agree 100% with @peramangkelder .
My SIL is in NSW they are right in the line of the fire, packed ready to flee ..but where to ?? roads are blocked by cars trying to get out of the area and no petrol as power lines have been burned
(petrol pumps operate on power)

We are holding our breaths here in South Aust , as we face another day of 42c with strong winds We are hoping we don’t get any flare ups from the Adelaide  hills fires we had just before Christmas.
Pera you would know Portrush road where the freeway and PR road meet ,  We was travelling  behind a car on that road yesterday  , the passenger flicked a still burning cigarette
onto the road..... totally irresponsible IMO don’t they watch TV ....grrrrrrr


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## peramangkelder (Jan 2, 2020)

How totally irresponsible @Kadee46 and it happens all too often
I heard recently the laws surrounding tossing out lit cigarettes will be toughened but not till 17/1/20





Lit cigarette butts have caused many grass and bushfires. Photo: File.
Fines for tossing cigarette butts in the ACT were toughened in October, but remain well short of the fines being introduced in NSW which has declared war on tossers.
Motorists caught discarding a lit cigarette from a car in NSW from 17 January 2020 face heavy fines and the loss of five demerit points, the first time a demerit point penalty has been imposed on this type of offence.
If a motorist commits the offence during a total fire ban, the penalty will double to 10 demerit points and a fine of up to $11,000.
Penalties will also apply to passengers caught tossing a lit cigarette on or near the roadway. They will be fined $660, which will double during total fire bans.So far in 2019, more than 200 people have been caught tossing a lit cigarette out of a vehicle in NSW.
NSW Rural Fire Service Association president Brian McDonough welcomed the government’s move to crack down on fire starters.
“This reckless behaviour puts the safety of firefighting volunteers at risk,” Mr McDonough said. “I hope this makes people think very carefully about the consequences of their actions next time they go to discard a lit cigarette.”
Enact this law all over Australia and the sooner the better....C'mon Aussie C'mon C'mon....C'mon Aussie C'mon


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## Gardenlover (Jan 2, 2020)

My thoughts are with them, having breathed the smoke from fires in Florida (to a much lesser degree).
Mother Nature will have her way I suppose.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 2, 2020)

The fires in Australia have been horrific, such a tragedy for the people and the animals.  My heart goes out to all who have been affected, my sympathy for the families who have lost loved ones.  May those who perished rest in peace.  Please try to stay safe.


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## Kadee (Jan 2, 2020)

Its been quoted by medical authorities that people living in Smokey conditions as a result of  the bushfires have lungs equivalent  UP TO 40 cigarette a day smoker


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## Warrigal (Jan 2, 2020)

Not sure that that statement is entirely correct but I do know that the lives of people with asthma or emphysema are at risk from the smoke.

 One elderly woman, after alighting from a QANTAS plane in Canberra became very ill and died a few hours later in hospital. OK, she was old but my 32 yo niece has been hospitalised twice during the time fires have been burning near Sydney. She is asthmatic.


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## Kadee (Jan 2, 2020)

Here’s the information I read in the Local papers and found online
about the effect of smoke from bushfires ....it’ mentions Sydney however I’d think the effect would be the same anywhere if people are exposed to smoke from the bushfires for a period of time
*******************************************

*A respiratory diseases expert has estimated the effect on your lungs of inhaling Sydney’s current fire haze is the equivalent of smoking 32 cigarettes.

And hazardous chemicals in the smoke could adversely affect the babies of pregnant women or cause heart attacks in people with underlying cardiac conditions.

Associate Professor Brian Oliver has analysed the levels of smoke-related particulate, or soot, pollution since the acrid-tasting air from the state’s bushfires moved over the city this week.

Dr Oliver, a University of Technology respiratory diseases scientist, says the current air quality conditions are “as bad as they get”.
He has analysed the latest smoke particle pollution – called PM2.5 – reading from the NSW Department of Environment.


Compared with a normal reading of between five and eight, it was a whopping 641 on Thursday, which Oliver says is the equivalent of spending the day smoking 32 cigarettes.
On Tuesday, greater Sydney’s highest-polluted areas clocked a reading of 734, the equivalent of lighting up 40 cigarettes.
And even short-term exposure to the bushfire smoke can be worse than a daily smoking habit for certain people inhaling the hazardous components.


Prolonged exposure for pregnant women for, say, a month in an area where bushfires have been continually burning could allow dangerous chemicals to enter their unborn baby's bloodstream.*


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## Furryanimal (Jan 2, 2020)

My Australian opponent on Words with Friends has told me she is packed and ready to evacuate at a moments notice.


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## Kadee (Jan 2, 2020)

The link to the above information to read  the full story / information 
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/h...s/news-story/7ab680a39edd6d87ae76e35894f949f6


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## Warrigal (Jan 2, 2020)

Kadee46 said:


> The link to the above information to read  the full story / information
> https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/h...s/news-story/7ab680a39edd6d87ae76e35894f949f6


Yes, that makes sense. I think I was misinterpreting the statement.


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## Keesha (Jan 3, 2020)

peramangkelder said:


> Did you know while these bushfires were raging on our Prime Minister decided to take his family on an overseas holiday?
> He was prompted by public outcry to cut the holiday short....that was big of him
> I am aware of the non political nature of this Forum and I do not want to step on any toes


WHAT? 
Wow! 
A holiday?

I’m so sorry to read this. Since I don’t watch the news I don’t often know what’s going on around the world. This is heartbreaking. I pray for your safety.


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## Keesha (Jan 3, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> Not sure that that statement is entirely correct but I do know that the lives of people with asthma or emphysema are at risk from the smoke.
> 
> One elderly woman, after alighting from a QANTAS plane in Canberra became very ill and died a few hours later in hospital. OK, she was old but my 32 yo niece has been hospitalised twice during the time fires have been burning near Sydney. She is asthmatic.


Im so sorry to read about your asthmatic niece. 
You are in my prayers.


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## Sunny (Jan 3, 2020)

Was just reading about the horrendous situation in Australia. I hope all the Aussies on this forum are safe and accounted for. 

The article said they expect it to get even worse, as the summer is just beginning, and they are expecting strong winds in the next few days. Horrible.


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## Liberty (Jan 3, 2020)

peramangkelder said:


> Unfortunately when all this horror is finally behind us everything will go back to the way it was.
> What is it they say...Ignorance is bliss. Yes the people in Government in Australia are ignorant.
> They will say the fires have burnt away the fuel load but Government will not consult with Aboriginal Rangers who could have
> helped with controlled burns over the last 10 years and the fires would not be so massive now and still ongoing.
> ...


Suggestion:  Vote that vacation guy out of office?  Or, what am I missing here?


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## Kadee (Jan 3, 2020)

I didn’t vote for him in the first place  I’d like to say more about our PM .but no politics on this forum


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## Warrigal (Jan 3, 2020)

Liberty said:


> Suggestion:  Vote that vacation guy out of office?  Or, what am I missing here?


We had an election last May so no chance to vote him out of office just yet. However if he continues to be on the nose with the electorate he can be dumped as PM by his own parliamentary party. This is a feature of a Westminster system of government that does not exist in US. Unfortunately we had had too much of this instability with six changes of PM in the past 12 years.

The other complication is that we don't actually vote directly for the Prime Minister. We vote for our local representative and for senators. The party with sufficient numbers in the lower house to form government then elects their leader who becomes the prime minister. He/she then selects the other ministers from the elected members and the Governor General appoints them on behalf of the Queen. For people who find this confusing look up the Westminster system or read this infosheet - https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parlia...heet_20_-_The_Australian_system_of_government


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## Liberty (Jan 3, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> We had an election last May so no chance to vote him out of office just yet. However if he continues to be on the nose with the electorate he can be dumped as PM by his own parliamentary party. This is a feature of a Westminster system of government that does not exist in US. Unfortunately we had had too much of this instability with six changes of PM in the past 12 years.
> 
> The other complication is that we don't actually vote directly for the Prime Minister. We vote for our local representative and for senators. The party with sufficient numbers in the lower house to form government then elects their leader who becomes the prime minister. He/she then selects the other ministers from the elected members and the Governor General appoints them on behalf of the Queen. For people who find this confusing look up the Westminster system or read this infosheet - https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parlia...heet_20_-_The_Australian_system_of_government


Thanks, Warrigal.  So sorry for the impact that is being felt by so many from these fires.
Hopefully, corrections will be made in the future.  We pray!


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## Catlady (Jan 3, 2020)

I read that HALF A BILLION animals have perished, including 8000 koalas.  What a disaster!!!!


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## Kadee (Jan 3, 2020)

Most of us dislike creepy things like spiders / snakes / lizards/ worms/ frogs / insects , 
however as much as most of us don't like them they still play an essential part in keeping our environment healthy ...can you just imagine how many have perished in the fires along with other wild and domestic birds / animals

We drove through allot of the areas in NSW that has been effected by the fires while traveling to / from  Queensland / July ~ Sept  2019. 

The fires started two weeks before we left  Queensland  6 km from where we were staying

During our journey home to SA  ( about a 2200 km trip) we were turned back twice due to burning trees falling across the road
I can tell you it was frightening traveling in thick smoke for over 400 km


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## Warrigal (Jan 3, 2020)

Catlady said:


> I read that HALF A BILLION animals have perished, including 8000 koalas.  What a disaster!!!!


No-one knows how many native animals have perished. It is estimated to be an horrendous figure.  Many more will die of starvation and thirst after the fires have passed on.


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## Catlady (Jan 3, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> No-one knows how many native animals have perished. It is estimated to be an horrendous figure.  Many more will die of starvation and thirst after the fires have passed on.


I was surprised they mentioned the estimated animal deaths.  It always irks me when reporting about wildfires they never mention animal casualties, only the human ones.  I'm sure they can't be accurate about them, but I'm also sure the firefighters find the bodies and perhaps count the estimated tally for the forest service?


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## chic (Jan 4, 2020)

It's an incredibly scary situation. I'm not in Australia, but I do watch the Aussie Open Tennis grand slam in January from Melbourne Park, further north from the fires maybe. In seeing all the smoke and devastation, I wonder how Australia can host a tennis tournament this summer? It doesn't seem safe at all for the players or spectators.


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## StarSong (Jan 4, 2020)

@Warrigal, when did these fires begin?  It seems like they've been raging for a couple of months.


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## toffee (Jan 4, 2020)

been watching the fires on the news updates -- my heart goes out to you all 'animals running not knowing to where '
just heart breaking to watch , we moan in the UK. about the rain and nothing compared to what you are all going 

through ' today I saw the winds have come up and making life worse ' praying it will die down soon 'never stay to protect the home 
lives are more precious ..x


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## Liberty (Jan 4, 2020)

toffee said:


> been watching the fires on the news updates -- my heart goes out to you all 'animals running not knowing to where '
> just heart breaking to watch , we moan in the UK. about the rain and nothing compared to what you are all going
> 
> through ' today I saw the winds have come up and making life worse ' praying it will die down soon 'never stay to protect the home
> lives are more precious ..x


We went through a drought in 2011 and lost 40 big trees on the property.  To us, drought is the worst, been through rain deluges &  hurricanes - hey, even a blizzard when we lived up north, but drought is beyond bad. Imagine coming back to all that scorched earth and trying to live there?

 Suppose an earthquake might make it a tie for the worst...nothing like having the earth move beneath your feet!  Just pray they all have good homeowner's insurance.  Toffee is right - your life is worth way more than your home.  It is what it is when a crisis strikes like that.


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## Warrigal (Jan 4, 2020)

StarSong said:


> @Warrigal, when did these fires begin?  It seems like they've been raging for a couple of months.


September, which is a very early start to the fire season. It is very unusual to have this many out of control fires all at once. The number of people needing to be evacuated is also unusual.

It will take heavy rain before they are extinguished and there is none coming any time soon. We are in the grip of a terrible drought.


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## RadishRose (Jan 4, 2020)

I have no words. Honestly.


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## peramangkelder (Jan 4, 2020)

None of us do @RadishRose but this is what happens in Australia
This is from a poem called My Country by Dorothea Mackellar published in 1908
'I love a sunburnt country
A land of sweeping plains
Of ragged mountain ranges
Of droughts and flooding rains
I love her far horizon
I love her jewel-sea
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me'
As I stated before Governments both Federal and Local will have a lot of explaining to do
While they are not directly responsible for this horror they did little or nothing to prevent the sheer magnitude of it


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## CrackerJack (Jan 4, 2020)

I am thinking of my Australian friends on and off line and words fail me at the horror of this outbreak and early in their Summer isn't it?


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## Warrigal (Jan 4, 2020)

A forum friend of mine evacuated last night with his very frail wife. These are his posts

43 degrees outside, 23 degrees inside.
 Air Con is cruising.
 King Parrots have taken refuge in my large garage/ workshop. 
 No smoke here yet because the strong northerly is holding the Currowan fire back. 
 Some town folk reckon we've dodged a bullet ...
 but, when the southerly change kicks in soon, we'll face it head on.
 I'm no hero...I'm ready to go !
 The farm manager has given me the nod to stay at the homestead.

The strong southerly wind did arrive around sundown

Barely got out of Bundanoon before we copped a fiery blast, a scary firestorm that engulfed our street in minutes.  We tried to drive to Exeter but fire was raging across the road in front of us.
 Did a U turn and drove to Bundanoon oval but that was starting to burn with a massive ember attack.
 Highway Patrol cop said, follow me so we snuck in behind him and led about 100 cars to safe refuge.
 Hard to keep up with the cop...we travelled about 30 kms inland, cross country on corrugated dirt road with trees down.
 Eventually he led us to safety at Sallys Corner roadhouse at Sutton Forest. They then directed us up the Hume highway to Mittagong RSL, the evac centre.
 No food...just tea, coffee and water.  I found a couch and made a bed for missus T.
 Very scary....  don't know if we have a home to go back to.

Bundanoon is a lovely small town in what is referred to as the Southern Highlands, although highlands is a bit of an exaggeration. It is picturesque. Mittagong is a larger centre north of Bundanoon.

Finally this morning

Didn't get much sleep...I purloined a three seater sofa from the club foyer and  moved it into one of the large function rooms in the RSL club.  My wife kipped down on that and I moved four chairs together to sorta make a bed...didn't sleep much.
 Just having breakfast in the club dining room. 
 Cooked and served by the Sallies (Salvation Army) ...God bless 'em.
 around two hundred people here....and provision for their pets, dogs, cats.
 Don't know about our home....most of the roads are closed. 
 We are well.

When it is someone you know, it starts to get very real.


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## Pinky (Jan 4, 2020)

Warrigal, good to hear you were able to get out, and are safe. I know that flood, fire and drought are a given in Australia, but this is so extreme. I hope that your property was untouched.


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## nan (Jan 4, 2020)

peramangkelder said:


> I am an Aboriginal Elder and there is a 60,000 year answer to this tragedy.
> Indigenous Australians have been using controlled burns to reduce the fuel load for 60,000 years.
> Over the last 10 years Councils have refused our Indigenous Rangers to carry out the controlled burns so necessary here.
> 10 years is all it takes to undo 60,000 years of controlled burns. I guess a lot of you will be angered by my post but even the Fire Services themselves said they knew this was coming.


You are so right peramangkelder if only our government would listen to our aboriginal elders, instead of the Greens,then these fires might not have been so devestating, and as for climate change climate has been changing ever since the earth began, heating and cooling,we have proof of the terrible droughts that have happened from way back in 1896 where hundreds of people died from the heat,all found in old news  papers on hometrove.gov.au
Dorothea Mckeller was right also.


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## nan (Jan 4, 2020)

I feel so sorry for all the people who have lost everything,and also the animals,the Cuddely Creek fires were only about 10 kilometers from us as the crow flies but we were lucky,not to have the fires come close to us.if only the powers that be in government would listen to our indiginous people.


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## nan (Jan 4, 2020)

Weather conditions in years past in Australia.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/...imits=dateFrom=1896-01-01|||dateTo=1896-12-31


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## Kadee (Jan 4, 2020)

A well known  Adelaide plastic surgeon was killed in a horrific bush fire  on Kangaroo island  ( South Aust ) along with his father on Friday ,from news reports they became trapped by flames  while trying to return to,the fathers property  ( the son  was found 200 mtrs from the car ) so he obviously ran for his life

https://au.news.yahoo.com/wellknown...d-in-kangaroo-island-bushfires-083151097.html
*Copied this statement  off net *
Clayton, 43, was one of Adelaide’s leading plastic and reconstructive surgeons, specialising in hand surgery.”
********
I live in South Australia ,we had quite a bit of smoke blanketing the city and county areas in the last few days  including where I live 2 hours from Adelaide

yesterday was partially bad where i live due to a strong cool cool change blowing the smoke in our direction

KI as its quite often referred to by locals  is a very popular with tourists particularly tourists from overseas countries wanting to get up close to wildlife


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## peramangkelder (Jan 4, 2020)

This shocking disaster has been going for months now in various places all around Australia.
This is the busiest time of the year....they don't call it the 'silly season' for nothing.
Any bookings in fire affected areas should have been refunded long before Christmas 2019 and New Year 2020.
There would not have been so many to evacuate out of these fire ravaged areas.


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## chic (Jan 4, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> A forum friend of mine evacuated last night with his very frail wife. These are his posts
> 
> 43 degrees outside, 23 degrees inside.
> Air Con is cruising.
> ...



One of life's worst fears is not knowing if you've lost your home. Of course losing a loved one or one's life and limb would be worse. But still. My heart just breaks for all of you down under, because this was a man made problem.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 4, 2020)

The news about the terrible fires in Australia is very disturbing, wishing the best for everyone dealing with this.

https://www.npr.org/2020/01/03/7932...eningly-quick-bushfires-advance-toward-sydney


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 4, 2020)

The Irwin family is helping.

*



			Since Half A Billion Animals Were Potentially Lost In Australian Bushfires, The Irwin Family Stepped In And Already Helped Over 90,000 Animals
		
Click to expand...

*

https://www.boredpanda.com/australian-bushfires-the-irwin-family-help/


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## Ruthanne (Jan 4, 2020)

Catlady said:


> I read that HALF A BILLION animals have perished, including 8000 koalas.  What a disaster!!!!


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## Pappy (Jan 5, 2020)

This photo is so devastating. It breaks my heart to see so much death, man and animals.


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## Don M. (Jan 5, 2020)

The bulk of the fires in Australia are nowhere near containted, and the weather conditions are expected to bring even more fires in coming weeks and months.  The smoke, etc., is creating conditions leading to more thunder and lightning storms with little humidity in the atmosphere to allow for rain to form...and the lightning will start even more fires.  Fires of this magnitude will most likely have global implications, especially in the Southern hemisphere, as the jet stream carries this smoke across the Pacific.  The airborne pollution from these fires will quickly exceed the amounts of carbon, etc., being released by the use of fossil fuels.  This could become one of the most historic events, with regard to "climate change", in decades....if not centuries.


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## Butterfly (Jan 5, 2020)

The whole situation is absolutely terrifying!  I can't even imagine being in the middle of it.


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## AnnieA (Jan 5, 2020)

Pappy said:


> This photo is so devastating. It breaks my heart to see so much death, man and animals.
> 
> View attachment 86770



Heartbreaking graphic.   Am praying!


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## Warrigal (Jan 5, 2020)

Pinky said:


> Warrigal, good to hear you were able to get out, and are safe. I know that flood, fire and drought are a given in Australia, but this is so extreme. I hope that your property was untouched.


That wasn't me Pinky. The person evacuated is a forum friend. I'm perfectly safe in Sydney although we are getting plenty of smoke from nearby fires.


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## Warrigal (Jan 5, 2020)

Don M. said:


> The bulk of the fires in Australia are nowhere near containted, and the weather conditions are expected to bring even more fires in coming weeks and months.  The smoke, etc., is creating conditions leading to more thunder and lightning storms with little humidity in the atmosphere to allow for rain to form...and the lightning will start even more fires.  Fires of this magnitude will most likely have global implications, especially in the Southern hemisphere, as the jet stream carries this smoke across the Pacific.  The airborne pollution from these fires will quickly exceed the amounts of carbon, etc., being released by the use of fossil fuels.  This could become one of the most historic events, with regard to "climate change", in decades....if not centuries.


You're not wrong, Don.


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## Pappy (Jan 5, 2020)

Let this speak for itself:


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## AnnieA (Jan 5, 2020)

Scrolling through facebook this evening, seeing so many people in Mississippi praying for Australia.  The link below has been posted by several and this is the Bible Belt!    At times like this, I think most know deep in our souls that whatever universal God is out there hears our prayers by whatever name we call from an honest heart, even if it's a quantum mechanics collective consciousness.   We weep with you and wish all our tears could change to rain for Australia.

Worldwide Collective Prayer for Australia


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## grannyjo (Jan 5, 2020)

I have just heard,  via the Red Cross that my brother and his wife are safe.  They were in Exeter and managed to get through to Canberra before the bushfires hit.

Australia is a large continent,  but for the most part,  we live on the coastal fringes of the country.  A great deal of the country is not inhabitable.

_Eucalypts_ are iconic _Australian_ forest _trees_. Ninety-two million hectares of the _Eucalypt_ forest type occurs in _Australia_, and forms three-quarters of the total native forest area.   Most of that occurs along the coastal fringe,  where we have chosen to live and they do burn with great ferocity.

I live on the Mid North Coast of NSW,  and the fires went through here earlier on - September and October last year.  I was not affected by fire,  just had the relentless days of smoke and ash falling.

People are still living in tents on their properties - they've lost their homes and their livestock. 

It will take a very long time for things to get back to "normal".


\


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## Catlady (Jan 5, 2020)

grannyjo said:


> _Eucalypts_ are iconic _Australian_ forest _trees_. Ninety-two million hectares of the _Eucalypt_ forest type occurs in _Australia_, and forms three-quarters of the total native forest area.   Most of that occurs along the coastal fringe,  where we have chosen to live and they do burn with great ferocity.


In the community where I live, lots of my neighbors opted to plant Eucalyptus because they're fast growing and drought tolerant.  I decided not to because since they grow tall they attract lightning strikes.  Am glad I planted smaller and slower growing trees.


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## Marie5656 (Jan 5, 2020)

*I had a YouTube video pop up on my timeline, about 30 seconds long, showing people cheering because it was raining in Australia. Not sure if it is true, so I chose not to share. I read that since it is summer there, they do not have a lot of rain.  An of our Aussie friend able to verify the rain story??*


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## Warrigal (Jan 5, 2020)

Catlady said:


> In the community where I live, lots of my neighbors opted to plant Eucalyptus because they're fast growing and drought tolerant.  I decided not to because since they grow tall they attract lightning strikes.  Am glad I planted smaller and slower growing trees.


Very wise decision. One thing we have learned the hard way  in Australia is that introduced species can be a very big mistake.


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## grannyjo (Jan 5, 2020)

The rain is very light and patchy best - not sufficient to quell any of the fires.


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## Liberty (Jan 6, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> Very wise decision. One thing we have learned the hard way  in Australia is that introduced species can be a very big mistake.


What would the surviving Koala bears eat if they can't find the 12 species of Eucalyptus trees?


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## Warrigal (Jan 6, 2020)

They starve. However, they have been known to travel quite long distances in search of habitat after fires, including crossing major highways.

We have an organisation here called WIRES which stands for Wildlife Rescue. People who find injured or displaced native animals ring WIRES and are put in touch with volunteer carers. Veterinarians work with these carers to save as many as they can. It often involves round the clock attention and feeding.  

If they survive, as many as possible are returned to the wild.


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## AnnieA (Jan 6, 2020)

By midweek a total of 155 North American firefighters from Canada and the US will be in Australia.

https://wildfiretoday.com/2020/01/06/photos-of-north-american-firefighters-in-australia/


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## Warrigal (Jan 6, 2020)

AnnieA said:


> By midweek a total of 155 North American firefighters from Canada and the US will be in Australia.
> 
> https://wildfiretoday.com/2020/01/06/photos-of-north-american-firefighters-in-australia/



We are all grateful for the help. There are even men from PNG coming down to pitch in. The Kiwis are helping  and the French President has offered assistance as well.


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## Ruthanne (Jan 6, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> That wasn't me Pinky. The person evacuated is a forum friend. I'm perfectly safe in Sydney although we are getting plenty of smoke from nearby fires.


I'm so glad you are safe Warri!


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## Robert59 (Jan 7, 2020)

News, Teens Fill Car With Koalas To Rescue Them From Australia Bushfires 

https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/teens-...-rescue-them-from-australia-bushfires-2159976


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## Ruthanne (Jan 7, 2020)

Robert59 said:


> News, Teens Fill Car With Koalas To Rescue Them From Australia Bushfires
> 
> https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/teens-...-rescue-them-from-australia-bushfires-2159976


Bless their hearts


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## Robert59 (Jan 7, 2020)

*Steve Irwin’s family rescues over 90,000 animals from Australia wildfires*
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/01/06/s...-over-90000-animals-from-australia-wildfires/


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## rgp (Jan 7, 2020)

It was reported on the news this morning that most of the fires are believed to caused by arson?!!!

One person arrested was said to be a firefighter.

Anyone heard more about it?


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## Warrigal (Jan 7, 2020)

There are always some arsonists at work but it is a gross exaggeration to say that most of the fires are cause by arson. Dry lightning and sometimes fallen power lines are also to blame. Occasionally someone using welding or other sparking electrical equipment sets off a fire. We have total fire bans for periods of high risk - no naked flames outside whatever but some people decide that they are the exception.

I have found a reference to the volunteer fire fighter who set a fire.



> https://www.theage.com.au/national/...tion-over-lighting-fires-20200107-p53pla.html
> Teenager among 180 people facing legal action this bushfire season
> 
> Suspicions were raised when RFS volunteer Blake Banner allegedly turned up early to a fire.
> ...


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## Warrigal (Jan 7, 2020)

Something else to help forum members understand the scale of the fires in Australia.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/...s/news-story/164589ea8d6e2f339340cc45ae671ebf


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## Butterfly (Jan 7, 2020)

Warri, so when people refer to "the Outback," they are referring to the uninhabited middle of the country?


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## Butterfly (Jan 7, 2020)

Also, Warri, I like to watch a program called The Bondi Vet.  Has that area burned?  It seems a very lovely area.


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## rgp (Jan 7, 2020)

Just heard on the evening news....24 people were arrested in the arson investigation .

As per the report, arson is considered the prime cause.....damn shame.


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## fuzzybuddy (Jan 7, 2020)

I just read that at least 24 people have been arrested for arson-starting fires in Australia. Why?????? Why would anyone do that when you see what the fires are doing? This isn't like torching an old factory building for the insurance. I'm dumbfounded.


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## Warrigal (Jan 7, 2020)

fuzzybuddy said:


> I just read that at least 24 people have been arrested for arson-starting fires in Australia. Why?????? Why would anyone do that when you see what the fires are doing? This isn't like torching an old factory building for the insurance. I'm dumbfounded.


See post #103


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## Warrigal (Jan 7, 2020)

Butterfly said:


> Also, Warri, I like to watch a program called The Bondi Vet.  Has that area burned?  It seems a very lovely area.


Not sure what area you are referring to. Bondi is a beach suburb in Sydney, so no, but they probably film on locations in many different places.


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## Warrigal (Jan 7, 2020)

rgp said:


> Just heard on the evening news....24 people were arrested in the arson investigation .
> 
> As per the report, arson is considered the prime cause.....damn shame.


See post #103


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## Warrigal (Jan 7, 2020)

A warning about the news concerning arsonists. True, there has been some fires that have been deliberately lit and some caused by reckless disregard for the fire bans but these is also a concerted campaign to blow this up as a distraction from the fact that the scope and ferocity of the current fire season is caused by climate change. Australia has always been hot and dry but it is becoming hotter and drier. Year by year record temperatures are causing longer summers and shorter winters.



> * Bots and trolls spread false arson claims in Australian fires ‘disinformation campaign’*
> 
> Online posts exaggerating the role of arson are being used to undermine the link between bushfires and climate change
> 
> ...


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## Warrigal (Jan 7, 2020)

In the midst of calamity there is always something to lift the spirits.

This young koala has burnt paws. Every time something like this happens an invisible army of little old, and not so old, ladies pull out the sewing machines or knitting needles to help the injured animals.


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## Pepper (Jan 7, 2020)

It is so painful to see your native species, treasures to the whole world, suffer so.  A loss for the planet.


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## Warrigal (Jan 7, 2020)

Thank you Pepper. It is so tragic. Our native fauna are very special because they are so unique.


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## grannyjo (Jan 7, 2020)

There is hope after the bushfires.  These are a couple of trees showing new growth taken around Port Macquarie NSW.  The fires went through there about a month ago.


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## Warrigal (Jan 8, 2020)

These pictures show a makeshift hospital for injured and traumatised koalas that has been set up in a school assembly hall in South Australia



.


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## CarolfromTX (Jan 8, 2020)

When Texas had a terrible drought, and subsequent fires, about 10 years ago, one of the causes (of the fires)  was thought to be a build up of bird poop on electrical transformers. Birds perch, and poop, on transformers. Guano is highly combustible and if there's no rain to wash it off, then ... fire. What a terrible tragedy for Australia.


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## rgp (Jan 8, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> See post #103




I read your post, but that doesn't change what is being reported.....see below.


*24 Australians arrested for deliberately setting fires this season*
https://abcnews.go.com › International › story

This one puts the number at 200 suspects 

*Australia Arrests Dozens for Starting Bushfires on Purpose*

https://futurism.com › australia-arrests-dozens-starting-bushfires
19 hours ago - _Australia's_ New South Wales police force has charged 24 arsonists for deliberately _starting bushfires_ contributing to the nation's ongoing ...



*Page Navigation*

12345678910Next


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## Liberty (Jan 8, 2020)

Thank you Warrigal...for keeping us posted on a regular basis.  The magnitude of these fires is beyond belief.


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## Liberty (Jan 8, 2020)

CarolfromTX said:


> When Texas had a terrible drought, and subsequent fires, about 10 years ago, one of the causes (of the fires)  was thought to be a build up of bird poop on electrical transformers. Birds perch, and poop, on transformers. Guano is highly combustible and if there's no rain to wash it off, then ... fire. What a terrible tragedy for Australia.


Don't know about that, Carol...we lost 40 trees in 2011 with the drought.  But, it has been documented that birds can set fires:

https://www.sciencealert.com/birds-...e-rewriting-history-fire-use-firehawk-raptors


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## Butterfly (Jan 8, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> Not sure what area you are referring to. Bondi is a beach suburb in Sydney, so no, but they probably film on locations in many different places.



It is supposed to be reality/factual. It follows the stories of animals treated by veterinary surgeon Chris Brown at the Bondi Junction Veterinary Hospital (near Bondi Beach), and emergency veterinarian Lisa Chimes at the Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH), in the Sydney suburb of North Ryde. 

A lot of it is filmed at the veterinary clinics, but Dr. Brown goes to animal sanctuaries like ones for reptiles, birds, Tazmanian devils, etc.I learned a lot about Tazmanian devils from one of those; I hardly knew anything about them at all.  He also does some farm animal work.

Dr. Brown is very easy on the eyes, too.  I really enjoy the program!


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## Warrigal (Jan 8, 2020)

Chris Brown is a real vet and the show is factual. It is Sydney based with visits to other areas. The Sydney locations are all safe from the current fires. Yes, he is rather dishy with an appealing personality.


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## Warrigal (Jan 9, 2020)

Heart breaking photo. A microcosm of what is happening in koala habitat. Kangaroo Island was a very significant home for koalas. It is the second largest island, after Tasmania, and one third of it has now been burnt out. Some koalas have been saved but many more has been incinerated.


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## Pinky (Jan 9, 2020)

Such a sad visual. The question I have, is, once the fires desist - will there be enough gum trees for the remaining koalas which will most likely have to be released in different areas of the country?


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## Warrigal (Jan 9, 2020)

Relocation of survivors would seem to be inevitable. This has certain drawbacks. Koala populations in some areas are infected by chlamydia and Kangaroo Island was disease free. This stock was being used to repopulate some mainland areas where koalas had disappeared. I don't know how successful that program has been. There are also populations of koalas in zoos and wild life sanctuaries that are disease free and they will be used to build up the number in the wild.

A lot now depends on volunteers going out onto the burnt out fire fields to gather up survivors and bring them in for first aid and care.


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## Warrigal (Jan 9, 2020)

US firefighters arriving in Sydney this week to spontaneous applause.


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1215194398721368065


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## Pinky (Jan 9, 2020)

It's heartwarming to see how grateful the Aussies are to have fire-fighters from the U.S. joining in on their fight. 

Tit-for-tat .. Canadian firefighters are coming home today, and others will take their place. 
Australia has sent their firefighters here to help with blazes in Canada, several times in the recent past.


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## chic (Jan 9, 2020)

The US and Australia have helped each other in the past fighting wildfires. Australia sent help to the US for the California fires, so this makes sense. It's a good exchange program we have with the Aussies.


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## Kadee (Jan 9, 2020)

I live in South Aust so I can tell you exactly what it’s like here today , the attached screen shot will give you a idea of our air quality due to smoke from the kangaroo island fires

SA is right up the top of page

it’s reported some of the smoke is expected to clear latter this afternoon due to light rain ......
let’s hope so ..


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## Pappy (Jan 10, 2020)

Before and after the fire went through:


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## Pinky (Jan 10, 2020)

Warrigal, I hope Adelaide got the forecasted rain it so badly needs.


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## RadishRose (Jan 10, 2020)

I started a thread just on the welcome the Americans got in Australia.  Didn't realize that event was already included in this thread.... sorry.


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## Warrigal (Jan 10, 2020)

No problem and no need to feel sorry.
Good deeds should be celebrated widely.


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## JustBonee (Jan 10, 2020)

I keep reading in several places about arsonists causing a great deal of the fires  ....   SICK!


_*Authorities have taken legal action against 180 people in connection with the fires.*_
https://weather.com/news/news/2020-01-07-australia-bushfires-arrests-arson


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## Pinky (Jan 10, 2020)

Just heard from my friends living in Yorke Peninsula, that the fires were so close, they had their bags packed ready to evacuate. She said that though the temps were in the 40C's, today, she is wearing a sweater. So many sheep have perished, besides the wild animals. They are fortunate that they sold off their livestock some years ago. Their old farm property outside Adelaide was touched by fire 4 yrs. ago, and there is still evidence of those fires in that area.


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## Pink Biz (Jan 11, 2020)

Baby kangaroos saved from the Australia fires 

https://t.co/CdZTd6fvYB


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## OneEyedDiva (Jan 12, 2020)

Looking at those pictures and realizing how this massive fire must be impacting so, so many people and animals is bringing tears to my eyes. An astonishing number of wild life was lost. I did not hear if any human lives were lost.  Now the Australians who have been displaced are joining the mass amounts of people over the globe who are homeless.  Just so sad!


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## Warrigal (Jan 12, 2020)

For anyone who has been fed the suggestion that arsonists are responsible for most of the fires currently ravaging Australia, please read this article, which is based on the facts rather than distractions promoted by vested interests in the fossil fuels industries.

Some arson has occurred but it is definitely not the primary cause of the fires that are currently out of control in multiple states right now.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/australias-fires-reveal-arson-not-a-major-cause/11855022


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## rgp (Jan 12, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> For anyone who has been fed the suggestion that arsonists are responsible for most of the fires currently ravaging Australia, please read this article, which is based on the facts rather than distractions promoted by vested interests in the fossil fuels industries.
> 
> Some arson has occurred but it is definitely not the primary cause of the fires that are currently out of control in multiple states right now.
> 
> https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/australias-fires-reveal-arson-not-a-major-cause/11855022




 So the authorities that we have come to trust , suddenly just start arresting / detaining innocent folks ? For what reason...? Now who's creating the distraction from the truth ?


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## Warrigal (Jan 12, 2020)

rgp said:


> So the authorities that we have come to trust , suddenly just start arresting / detaining innocent folks ? For what reason...? Now who's creating the distraction from the truth ?


No, the arrests are genuine but not all of them are for wilful arson. Some are for ignoring a fire ban and inadvertently causing a fire. The point being made is that most of the big fires have started well away from people by dry lightning. Because of a savage drought coupled with extremely high temperatures these fire are inevitable and have been predicted. Despite the warnings, governments, both state and federal, have routinely reduced funding for firefighters to buy equipment and to do hazard reduction in the ever shrinking period between the end of one fire season and the start of the other.

You have heard the phrase "penny wise and pound foolish" ? That is what happens when budgets determine what is most important, when a surplus is the Holy Grail and when actual experts are sidelined by media personalities. These fires will prove very costly in terms of property, infrastructure, agribusiness and exports and social security support for people made homeless and jobless by these disastrous fires. These costs will far outweigh the cost of transitioning to a zero carbon economy and the returns from mining and exporting coal. Australians have listened to the mantra of affordable reliable energy and lost sight of a future that can deliver the same aim without cooking the planet. 

Have I answered your question?


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## rgp (Jan 13, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> No, the arrests are genuine but not all of them are for wilful arson. Some are for ignoring a fire ban and inadvertently causing a fire. The point being made is that most of the big fires have started well away from people by dry lightning. Because of a savage drought coupled with extremely high temperatures these fire are inevitable and have been predicted. Despite the warnings, governments, both state and federal, have routinely reduced funding for firefighters to buy equipment and to do hazard reduction in the ever shrinking period between the end of one fire season and the start of the other.
> 
> You have heard the phrase "penny wise and pound foolish" ? That is what happens when budgets determine what is most important, when a surplus is the Holy Grail and when actual experts are sidelined by media personalities. These fires will prove very costly in terms of property, infrastructure, agribusiness and exports and social security support for people made homeless and jobless by these disastrous fires. These costs will far outweigh the cost of transitioning to a zero carbon economy and the returns from mining and exporting coal. Australians have listened to the mantra of affordable reliable energy and lost sight of a future that can deliver the same aim without cooking the planet.
> 
> Have I answered your question?




 Yes I suppose...to a point.

 So your thing is the climate? The earth is 4.5 billion years old [perhaps older] Since temp records have been kept,[with any accuracy] ? the temp of the earth has risen 1.4 degrees since 1880. That's in the last 140 years [if my head math is correct] ? .1 degree per/year. That's not exactly cooking the planet. Isn't warmer, better than colder? Do we really want to go back to another ice age? The earth is one of our greatest resources , we must us it.  Is it reasonable to assume that as we use it , it will suffer some effect? of course. But it is also arrogant of us to think that we mere mortals can create this hint of devastation in the the short period of time of&since the industrial revolution. 

At this point, and these fires, I'm not sure the cause matter's I hope they get them put out. If the cause [was] nature....? Preventing is almost impossible. If the cause [was] arson...? I hope the authorities prosecute to the max! & I would vote for the death penalty if available .  

Stay Safe!


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## Warrigal (Jan 13, 2020)

Thanks RPG. I am perfectly safe where I live.

I did look at an app yesterday that allowed me to enter my birth year and then to see the temperature anomalies from that time to the present. Never mind 1880, since 1943 Australia has seen increase in the order of 1.5 C. This is why were are now experiencing such widespread and savage mega fires. First comes prolonged drought, then comes the fires.

If I can find it again I will post a link.


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## rgp (Jan 13, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> Thanks RPG. I am perfectly safe where I live.
> 
> I did look at an app yesterday that allowed me to enter my birth year and then to see the temperature anomalies from that time to the present. Never mind 1880, since 1943 Australia has seen increase in the order of 1.5 C. This is why were are now experiencing such widespread and savage mega fires. First comes prolonged drought, then comes the fires.
> 
> If I can find it again I will post a link.



  This is one I have found......Not sure why Australia would be hotter ? May be just an accuracy thing ??

   And of course the real culprit is the spark source ! Lightening, perhaps a downed wire sparking....or people......etc.


According to an ongoing temperature analysis conducted by scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), the average global temperature on Earth has increased by about *0.8° Celsius* (1.4° Fahrenheit) since 1880.
*World of Change: Global Temperatures - NASA Earth ...*

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov › world-of-change › DecadalTemp


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## Warrigal (Jan 13, 2020)

A lot depends on the data sources and how they are combined. Any figures that are published must have an error factor of plus/minus a certain percentage. That is Physics 101, at least it was back in the 1960s when I was doing physics. We always had to calculate the experimental error for any measurements we made and include them in the final calculated figures.

One reason why Australia may be generating different readings is that it is the oldest continent and the flattest. We don't have hot deserts interspersed with snow capped mountain ranges. What we call ranges are little more than areas of slightly higher terrain where the rocks are a bit harder and less eroded than the rest. The inland is pretty flat east to west and north to south.

However, the trend is the same. It is getting hotter over time and the increase cannot be explained away as margin of error..


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## Ruthanne (Jan 14, 2020)

I  have read about some philanthropists donating millions to Australia and here are two who donated a half a million:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/...es-keith-urban-nicole-kidman-donation-933980/
Will that money go for needed equipment to fight the fires?


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## Warrigal (Jan 14, 2020)

> Will that money go for needed equipment to fight the fires?



An excellent question and we have no idea yet how all of the donated money will be co-ordinated. We are a federal system with states and the commonwealth sharing many areas of responsibility. The federal government has announced a number of initiatives backed by new money and there are existing programs that also apply to assist people who have lost their livelihood.  The PM has finally conceded to providing money for fire fighting aircraft. 

Animal sanctuaries should be well looked after and pastoralists will receive grants to allow them to restock. Coming after a prolonged drought period, rural Australia was already doing it tough so it is imperative that money be injected into rural towns to avoid their economies collapsing.

Industries that have taken a big hit include wine, honey, fruit, meat and tourism. This event should be a warning. The cost of not acting on CO2 emissions will eventually outweigh the economic cost of moving as quickly as possible to a zero emissions economy.


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## CrackerJack (Jan 14, 2020)

I am following this Thread as I rarely watch TV these days. I can't find the appropriate words to express my thoughts on these terrible fires and the effect it has on the Nation. and the world.  It is heartening to know that other countries are helping as much as possible and so they should within their capabilities. I have an online Buddy in Australia and other cyber associates and they are okay at present as far as I know.


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## Warrigal (Jan 14, 2020)

The Australian bush is adapted to fire. Some seeds need fire to crack them open before they germinate. Trees that have had their leaves burnt and their bark scorched, if the sap wood is untouched, are able to immediately start pushing out new leaves to keep themselves alive. Rain will help both processes.

These trees were burned before Christmas.










This is a seed pod of the banksia that the heat from the fire has cracked open, releasing the seeds.


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## Warrigal (Jan 14, 2020)

An interesting article about wombat survival during fires and other species that might take refuge in wombat borrows during a bushfire.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-15/australian-bushfires-wombat-heroes-have-gone-viral/11868808
Although my avatar is a dingo, I have a soft spot for wombats. I consider them my totem animal.


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## Jim W. (Jan 16, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> Something else to help forum members understand the scale of the fires in Australia.
> 
> https://www.news.com.au/technology/...s/news-story/164589ea8d6e2f339340cc45ae671ebf



Here's another useful resource if it hasn't already been posted...

MyFireMap - Australia satellite brushfire map 

BTW - do you know anything about the area near Lake Mulwala and Yarrawonga?

I have a cousin who lives there.


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## Warrigal (Jan 16, 2020)

Latest info from Yarrawonga (https://emergency.vic.gov.au/public/event/warning/5709.html)

This *message* is being issued for Telford, Yarrawonga, Yarrawonga South.

There is a haystack fire at Beatties Rd, Yarrawonga. 
This fire may continue to burn for until Monday January 7th, 2019.
Smoke will be visible from nearby roads and communities.
There is no immediate threat to the community and no action is required.


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## pleinmont (Jan 17, 2020)

I feel so sorry for the people who are affected by this terrible fire. I have a cousin who I believe lives in they area, we lost touch many years ago.


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## rgp (Jan 17, 2020)

Warrigal said:


> Latest info from Yarrawonga (https://emergency.vic.gov.au/public/event/warning/5709.html)
> 
> This *message* is being issued for Telford, Yarrawonga, Yarrawonga South.
> 
> ...






"This fire may continue to burn for until Monday January 7th, 2019."

        Latest information ?


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## Warrigal (Jan 17, 2020)

According to the website it was updated last Saturday at 12:49 PM.
That would indicate that Yarrawonga is not currently at risk.


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