To all our Aussie friends

[AndyT]

Our most sincere condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the fires. We pray that the firemen will quickly gain control of them and nobody else will be hurt.

I was amazed to hear that Oz suffers around 60,000 fires every year. I wonder if there is anything that can be done to reduce that.

[tasmanet]

.
Charge any one who lights any bush fire with attempted murder ,
even if there there was no fatality.

Murder if there was a fatality.

Screen all volunteer fire fighters using a shrink

Politicians get a backbone in regards to the above.

Unfortuntly a lot of the deceased appear to have broken all
the rules in regards to BushFires/WildFires from what is being
reported on the Idiot Box

The figure just released is 84 dead

Tas

[davek]

yep the fires have certainly taken alot of people by surprise. The winds have been horrendous and driving the fires. Seems alot of the people were caught in their homes with no where to escape.
We do get alot of fires in Australia, when you consider we have the same geographic area as the US but a population of only 21 million, there is a lot of space to burn.
It seems that a few fires each year are lit by fire bug firemen, I guy i knew many years ago was a firie and was jailed for arson.

Thanks for your thoughts from across the water Andy. I am lucky here, we have only had one cyclone warning so far with just wind and rain, no damage etc.

[Kennair]

Yeah thanks Andy, I know the US certainly has it's share of fires but here in Aus we do cop it a lot. The east coast is definitely feeling it with 45 degree C temperatures and strong winds not helping, all while the top half are experiencing severe flooding! They don't call it the wide brown land for nothing.

Here in the west we've also experienced a few fires but nothing as devastating. I understand they're mostly arson jobs too.

Ken.

[Westozy]

Our most sincere condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the fires. We pray that the firemen will quickly gain control of them and nobody else will be hurt.

I was amazed to hear that Oz suffers around 60,000 fires every year. I wonder if there is anything that can be done to reduce that.

Cheers Andy for your kind thoughts, today the news says that 107 are confirmed to have lost their lives so far - very sad.

Regards, Gwyn

[Melnato]

Yep...I live about 45min from the fires, but safe in metro Melbourne.

It was 47'C (117F) on Saturday, the hottest day ever recorded in Melbourne.

God Bless those who died.

Nat

[Matt Olieman]

It certainly is a sad day for those who died and their families and for the loss of their homes.

I've been watching the news and seen the pictures, it is absolutely amazing.

My thoughts are with those all that are in this tragic situation.

Matt Olieman

[rjfon1]

G'Day all. I'm in diamond creek and work as a paramedic in the area. I'm on days off, but had volunteered the last two days, with my wife who is a GP. Unfortunately I think the numbers will top 200 when all gets done, which may take up to two weeks. All of the stories you hear are tragic, and many will never recover. At the moment I'm at home and can see another fire flaring up to the north of us. One of our family has a holiday house in the hills, which we believe has been lost. It has cooled down to about 21degrees C, but the wind has picked up again, which is more frightening than the heat, as I just saw Elvis (errikkson skycrane) go over the top of our house travelling about 30 degrees from track, so the wind is up. Many thanks for the wishes from abroad.
Thanks,
Rob.
Diamond Creek,
Melbourne Australia.

[Tony Hill]

My heart goes out to all those affected. I have had bush fires so close to me that I have been covered in stray foam from the Water Bombers. It is not nice, even when you are not in any iminent danger. I can't imagine voluntarily facing that with a hose and shovel.

Bush Firies, by and large, cop a bad rap. (out here they are often reffered to as "Jiffies") If you use the same logic, anybody owning a gun would be suspect..as some people who own guns use them to commit crimes. Sure there have been odd maniacs amongst them who have been reponsible for fires but the overwhelming majority are volunteers who risk their lives for no reason other than to help others.

As for those sick animals (for that is what they surely are) who do light fires, they had better pray that I am never made King. The day after I am, all of them will be staked out in fields of wild oats which will then be lit. (anyone who has ever seen wild oats burn on a summers day will know what I mean).

I hope this all ends soon. May you have rain, cold weather and colder beers over that way.

Darryl



The death toll at 5pm today stood at 131

[indyana1]

Thanks Andy, we are not oo far form the fires, like Melnato, and we watched the thick smoke come over the eastern suburbs of Melbourne but had no idea how bad it really was.

Mick.