Topic: Bushfire tragedy in Victoria, Australia

[Retro Rocket]

The smart ones will have a greenbelt around their house and keep brush cleared back.

I absolutely agree, i have done this on my own property. I was just reading about a guy who was fined $50,000 aussie dollars for clearing a pile of trees from around his house in one of the badly affected area's, his house wasn't burned so now he is taking his local council to court to have the ruling overturned........the council is still trying to claim the higher moral ground and won't budge on its ruling. This kind of backward thinking has to be reversed or more people will die in these horrible fires.....We seem to be living in a world where common sense takes a back seat to these meddling do gooders,


Mick

[Grumpol]

This kind of backward thinking has to be reversed or more people will die in these horrible fires.....We seem to be living in a world where common sense takes a back seat to these meddling do gooders,


Mick

OH so true mate
A friend of ours is in the fireys just north of brissy and she went ballistic about this sort of thing, she feels terrible for those hurt and killed but is furious that it has happened largely because the government and local councils have a habit of sucking up to the greenies and do gooders instead of talking to the people that know what can and will happen.
A more level headed and logical approach is needed, NOT an emotional one

[Retro Rocket]

A more level headed and logical approach is needed, NOT an emotional one

ABSOLUTELY...

Mick

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah, I was surprised to see Liam Shehan on TV, he was an Army mate of mine back in the 1970's, so it was great to see him again, and even better to know he is OK.

Liam cleared 240 trees from around his house, and his argument was that there were still 40,000 left on his property, but to be honest, I looked at the footage of his place and I think he probably angered the local council because it looks like he's totally de-nuded the top of the hill where he's built his house for about 100 yards in any direction.

The other problem with his argument is that this fire was so unusual, in that it didn't burn like a text book bushfire, due to the hellish heat (120 deg F) and fanned by 60+ MPH winds, at times it was actually overtaking cars attempting to escape the flames, and the radiant heat so intense, buildings and cars were literally exploding before the flames actually reached them.

On top of that, it moved so indiscriminately that many homes with properly designed fire breaks, cleared yards, roof sprinkler systems and brick construction were totally destroyed, yet ironically, many crappy old timber homes with scrub and trees right up to the eaves, survived untouched. Personally, and Liam is a friend of mine, I don't think that he'll have a leg to stand on, and I know that he can't afford to legally challenge the councils decision anyway.

The good thing though, is that he's still got a nice house to live in. One bloke I saw being interviewed last night had only been in his new home 7 weeks, and it was totally destroyed. If there are any tradesmen in the US who'd like to come over to Oz for a very well paid working holiday, now is the time to get your visas organised, so far there are 1864 homes destroyed, so there'll be plenty of work here for a couple of years.............. Cheers, Terry.

     

[74cb750]

Somehow I get the feeling laborers wouldn't be allowed in. If my passport was up to date I'd volunteer to help.
michel

[Terry in Australia]

No Michel, quite the opposite. Like you guys in the US, we're suffering from the world economic crisis, and our government is handing out money for any infrastructure projects which will keep our building industry from grinding to a halt, and as terrible as the fires have been, they've actually created a massive infrastructure project, to the point where our building industry will be stretched to the limit for the next couple of years.

Now the collapse of the worlds financial markets may see merchant bankers and money market professionals changing trades and strapping on a tool belt eventually, but there will be a shortage of tradesmen in the short term, so if you have the skills, I'm sure you'll be more than welcome. I only live a few miles from the affected areas, so if you need a bike to ride, I'm sure we can come to an "arrangement" for the duration of your stay, ha ha!  

[heffay]

I'm sure we can come to an "arrangement" for the duration of your stay, ha ha!  

we've all seen the terry pictures  ...  DONT DO IT MICHEL!!   

[74cb750]

Actually....I will consider it, Terry.

Any links to someone whom I could contact there in AU? for more info?
michel

[heffay]

was kidding... sorry guys for bringing such humor to awful tragedy.   

[Terry in Australia]

Actually....I will consider it, Terry.

Any links to someone whom I could contact there in AU? for more info?
michel

G'Day Michel, sorry mate, I don't know at the moment and the fires are still burning, but as soon as I hear that the investigations are over and the rebuilding is about to commence I'll get some info for you.

You all may have heard that they've arrested the person suspected of setting the Churchill fire, (22 people confirmed dead) he's a 39 year old loner who'd apparently submitted an insurance claim for damage caused by the fire, believe it, or not.

The Marysville/St Andrews fire that killed up to 100 (they won't have an accurate figure until they can lift the roofs of some of the houses to see if anyone is in them, the town is sealed off and the surviving residents still aren't allowed back in) is regarded as "suspicious" as well, and the residents of Kinglake (where 128 people have been confirmed dead) have started a "class action" against one of our power companies, as it appaears that a falling power cable may have sparked that blaze.

I was talking to a mate of mine this morning, he's a soldier and went in with the police and CFA (Country Fire Authority) investigators last week, searching for missing residents in the Churchill area. His team found several of the bodies, that had either been burned or asphixiated, over the week they searched approx 100 homes.

What he said (apart from the grisly stuff I won't repeat) was the amount of weird shiit they discovered, i.e., a large concrete ball attached to a chain that led into the bedroom of one house, (luckily, not with a leg still attached) hydroponic drug plantations hidden in garages working off banks of lights, and a container load of stolen goods from several recent robberies discovered at a "model citizens" house.

I suppose the lesson I could take away from this, is that if you live in a fire-prone area, be aware that you won't have any control over who enters your property in this kind of situation, so be very careful what you've got that might either incriminate you, (if you're lucky enough to survive) or sully your memory if you don't. Cheers, Terry. 

[Bob Wessner]

Terry,

I read a news article about the one they arrested. I was surprised that, according to the article, he could only get 15-25 yrs. in prison. I sure hope that was a reporter mistake because, if he is guilty, he deserves more than that shall we say.

[Patrick]

Shoot, we give 'em 25 years in Texas for speeding. Somebody like that? If he didn't get the needle? The time measuring system hasn't yet been invented that will be in use when his parole date rolled around.....

[BobbyR]

Terry,

I read a news article about the one they arrested. I was surprised that, according to the article, he could only get 15-25 yrs. in prison. I sure hope that was a reporter mistake because, if he is guilty, he deserves more than that shall we say.

When he gets in the joint, the inmates will give him special treatment.

[Retro Rocket]

When he gets in the joint, the inmates will give him special treatment.

Yep, he will have a fire burning where the sun don't shine....

Mick

[BeSeeingYou]

Actually....I will consider it, Terry.

Any links to someone whom I could contact there in AU? for more info?
michel

Don't mean to go off topic but this might interest you 74cb750.
I saw an article in the Australian Financial Times last March about a proposal from the HIA (Housing Industry Assoc) that was going to be put to the appropriate ministers in the government to amend the immigration laws to sponsor a new category of residential construction migrants who would be able to come to Australia for three years and be able to work and possibly apply for residency after that.  I don't know if anything became of it.  The article is to big to post here.

[toycollector10]

I was at the dentist on Monday. Flicking through a 2008 copy of "Better House and Garden" (Better than I'll ever own, anyway) and there was the 5 page spread about a two story house. Nestled among the gum trees of Victoria, just north of Melbourne. Trees everywhere, that was part of the houses "feature"

Probably nothing left now. Sad but probably true.

[Grumpol]

G`day michel
Try contacting the red cross, they are doing huge things here for the victims and their families, they would know whats going on or point you in the right direcction.
That scum bucket that is accused of lighting the fires has had a little bad luck, the judge OK`ed the publishing of his name and details, people are forming lynch mobs......
He is Brendan Sokaluk, a volunteer fireman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Freaky1]

G`day michel
Try contacting the red cross, they are doing huge things here for the victims and their families, they would know whats going on or point you in the right direcction.
That scum bucket that is accused of lighting the fires has had a little bad luck, the judge OK`ed the publishing of his name and details, people are forming lynch mobs......
He is Brendan Sokaluk, a volunteer fireman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw that and couldn't believe it, the worst fire in Colorado history was started by a Federal Forest Officer who was burning a letter from her ex-husband during one of the worst drought years and in an area that had a fire ban in place. She was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison and 15 years of probation and ordered to pay $14.6 million, I don't think she has or will pay a dime of it. I can't believe how stupid some people really are.

[Grumpol]

I saw that and couldn't believe it, the worst fire in Colorado history was started by a Federal Forest Officer who was burning a letter from her ex-husband during one of the worst drought years and in an area that had a fire ban in place. She was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison and 15 years of probation and ordered to pay $14.6 million, I don't think she has or will pay a dime of it. I can't believe how stupid some people really are.

This guy is trying the insanity line, at least thats what i`ve heard.
The government has asked facebook and myspace to remove his pages and any blogs that post details.........
strange considering the judge deemed it fit for the press to publish his details

[BobbyR]

I saw that and couldn't believe it, the worst fire in Colorado history was started by a Federal Forest Officer who was burning a letter from her ex-husband during one of the worst drought years and in an area that had a fire ban in place. She was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison and 15 years of probation and ordered to pay $14.6 million, I don't think she has or will pay a dime of it. I can't believe how stupid some people really are.

This guy is trying the insanity line, at least thats what i`ve heard.
The government has asked facebook and myspace to remove his pages and any blogs that post details.........
strange considering the judge deemed it fit for the press to publish his details

Yes that is strange that they published his name. In the US that is usual since the 1st Amendment allows the  press to do that.
I am not surprisedit was started by a Volunteer Fireman, since we have had several instances in my area of that happening. One set fire to a no kill animal shelter. Hundreds of people including myself ran over the next morning. Private contractors were at work on their own money and materials rewiring, building temporary shelters etc. Cars pulled up with blankets, food, bleach, and a local Mob boss who loved dogs gave them a bag of cash.
Also, the fellow was given probation and as luck would have it, he was a victim of a brutal mugging a few months later.       

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah, it's a terrible "slight" on the CFA's (Country Fire Authority) reputation, I'm not now, and never have been a member, but I have a huge respect for these guys, (and gals) 99.99% of them are wonderful people who have proved that they really are heroes during this emergency, so it saddens me that these incredible people are often associated with the firebug(s) who have caused this carnage.

I worked at an Air Force base near the fire affected areas of Churchill and Bunyip yesterday and today, the smoke from those fires has blanketed the area for hundreds of miles, wherever you go, all you can smell is smoke, a constant reminder of this tragedy.

On the way back to Melbourne today, I stopped at a big gas station with it's own restaurant at a place near Bunyip called Longwarry, and the CFA brass and cops were having a big conference there, talking about "strike teams" and "fire fronts", "containment lines"  and stuff like that. The poor buggers were all filthy and looked like they could fall asleep on their feet, in fact two firefighters were sitting in their truck beside a gas pump, and it looked to me like both of those guys were asleep when I walked back to my car.

I guess one of the problems with "volunteer" organizations like the CFA is that because they're always trying to recruit more volunteers who'll work for free, they aren't able to screen out all of the nutbags with their limited resources.

Our government is splashing money around at the moment like there's no tomorrow, so I really hope that after this massive tragedy, they throw a lot more money and resources at the CFA and other volunteer emergency services, so that they have the ability to be able to get the kind of people they need to continue their invaluable work. I think I might sign up while I'm at it. Cheers, Terry.

[BobbyR]

I have nothing but respect for Volunteer Firefighters. They go out at all times of the night. A very small number get addicted to the action, or maybe fire itself. A few get injured every year, and every few years we lose one to a heart attack.

[my78k]

Terry, to be honest I am a little surprised that with your military career on the go you haven't been forced into more during these fires. That probably didn't come out right and I don't mean it like you aren't helping or whatever I just mean that here we would have put all available military resources in the middle of this. Likely wouldn't be fire fighting directly but doing salvage or security or whatever. Is there any talk of having the military involved in recovery efforts or the like?

Dennis

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Dennis, the majority of soldiers in Victoria are reservists (as I am now) who are posted to units belonging to the 4th Brigade. I work with army cadets (like boy scouts, but in army uniform) as the Quartermaster of the cadet brigade, with a small contingent of other ADF (Australian Defence Force) staff.

We're pretty much forgotten about where we are, so I rang a regular army mate of mine who is coordinating his unit's deployment to the fire area to see if I could do some work with them, but they've got a couple of thousand soldiers in the brigade if they need them, so at this stage I'm not required. If they need any reinforcements though, I'm on the list.

Not really the answer I was hoping for, but now that most of the larger fires are within containmant lines and we've had reinforcement fire fighters from interstate and overseas, (including the US, Canada (I think) and New Zealand) the charity organisations like the red Cross and Salvation Army have got their folk mobilised, and 150 cops from interstate arriving today, it appears that for the moment, it's under control. Cheers, Terry.

[Ecosse]

It's encouraging to learn things are improving Terry.

This s#!t should never happen.