Off Topic Australia on fire

[Currawong]

Today we adopted a Koala at the Koala Preservation Society Australia
it is 70$/Year.

This thread gives me some warm and woolly feelings

 

[COPIUOS]

Man...been away from TV for awhile, although I did see some of this coverage despite being in the woods and on the road for the last couple weeks.

I have been praying since I heard of the massive disaster.

I have not read back through all the posts, although it looks like some major love has been outpouring from the Forum. Awesome to hear, see and read about.

C

 

[Leonardo63]

Currawong Hey man, can you shed some light on some news I've seen. So there's this big conflict with the climate change crowd and some other causes in all these fires. So I guess the Prime Minister is like not so much of follower of that path blaming everything on the climate so he's being bashed by the majority of the main stream liberal media. So my question is, some reports of as many as 200 people have been arrested for starting fires. I've also seen 20 arrests and I've seen as many as 40 arrests of people who have deliberately started these fires. Is there anything you know or can share on what the reality of it is?

 

[Currawong]

Currawong Hey man, can you shed some light on some news I've seen. So there's this big conflict with the climate change crowd and some other causes in all these fires. So I guess the Prime Minister is like not so much of follower of that path blaming everything on the climate so he's being bashed by the majority of the main stream liberal media. So my question is, some reports of as many as 200 people have been arrested for starting fires. I've also seen 20 arrests and I've seen as many as 40 arrests of people who have deliberately started these fires. Is there anything you know or can share on what the reality of it is?

There's been about 20 arrested for arson, not 200. I've read stories that 'bots' are promoting the 200 figure through social media, who knows why.

The Prime Minister is saying what a lot of people are thinking, that there are other causes of fires than climate change. A lot of that debate is just politics applied to bushfires, with Libs (the centre right party, currently in government) arguing with Greens and every other politician positioning for attention as well.

The main cause of the current fires is the extended drought. There has been no rain because of wind patterns off to the west of Australia. So therefore these fires are climate-induced but that is not the same thing as climate-change-induced. Australia has always had bushfires, and if there was no climate change there would still be fires. There have always been arsonists because the world contains a certain proportion of idiots. There is arguing back and forth about hazard reduction regimes and I agree that it's more complex than just tossing a match outside each winter. My personal view is that climate change is real and is exacerbating all the above factors, rather than being the main cause. Others will think something else, it's all good, as long as we're not picking up pitch forks who cares.

As the RFS commisioner said in the media in response to pretty much the same question you asked, the priorities are 'protecting human life, then property, then environment' in that order but all three are important.

 

[Beisser]

This thread gives me some warm and woolly feelings

Sorry, i have written nonsense... i´m not native english, my english is not so good. I just wanted to say that we are supporting the people who help the animals. And we supported the red cross with $ to help the people in your country.
Sorry for the irritation.

 

[Leonardo63]

There's been about 20 arrested for arson, not 200. I've read stories that 'bots' are promoting the 200 figure through social media, who knows why.

The Prime Minister is saying what a lot of people are thinking, that there are other causes of fires than climate change. A lot of that debate is just politics applied to bushfires, with Libs (the centre right party, currently in government) arguing with Greens and every other politician positioning for attention as well.

The main cause of the current fires is the extended drought. There has been no rain because of wind patterns off to the west of Australia. So therefore these fires are climate-induced but that is not the same thing as climate-change-induced. Australia has always had bushfires, and if there was no climate change there would still be fires. There have always been arsonists because the world contains a certain proportion of idiots. There is arguing back and forth about hazard reduction regimes and I agree that it's more complex than just tossing a match outside each winter. My personal view is that climate change is real and is exacerbating all the above factors, rather than being the main cause. Others will think something else, it's all good, as long as we're not picking up pitch forks who cares.

As the RFS commisioner said in the media in response to pretty much the same question you asked, the priorities are 'protecting human life, then property, then environment' in that order but all three are important.

Thanks for the clarity! Yes, 20 seemed to be the most verifiable reports so when I saw that 200 thing I thought no way.
I did hear we have fire fighters arriving and being dispersed to help you guys out and the amount of attention has increased substantially in recent days. Yea now is not the time for politics, all that can be dealt with at a later time. What is needed is unity to save as much as possible right now, today. What is happening right in front of peoples eyes in the now shows how insignificant all the noise is. Hope it rains man!. Wife and I have made our choices that we hope does the most for as many as possible in the right way

 

[Currawong]

Sorry, i have written nonsense... i´m not native english, my english is not so good. I just wanted to say that we are supporting the people who help the animals. And we supported the red cross with $ to help the people in your country.
Sorry for the irritation.

You did a good thing and I was saying I was happy you did it . Any time you see a picture of a Hog on this forum it is a good sign. Thanks for supporting Australian people and wildlife.

 

[Andy the Aussie]

The numbers are confusing...

NSW Police (Andy: Since Oct/Nov fires have effected QLD, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT) have taken legal action against 183 people so far this bushfire season (Andy: that is for the totality of 2019) , including charging 24 people (Andy: that is during the current events) with deliberately lighting bushfires. The numbers are confusing, as an offence (that catches the 183 people charged) may not be of the scale of someone walking into a tinder dry forest with matches and some petrol and walking out with flames behind them (though there are some exactly like this), it is also at times people who have tried to do their own (ill conceived perhaps) control burns, or burning off rubbish during a total fire ban. It also includes a number of minors who have lit grass fires and such (utter stupidity). Most upsetting (to me) is that a couple of RSF volunteers have been caught lighting fires so as to be able to respond, sadly this seems to occur every few years.

NSW Police proactively target known arsonist during the fire seasons as well....

The truth however, Australia has been hot and dry for the last several years, without the rain this event was almost inevitable. The questions for Govt (beyond Climate Change/Carbon Reduction etc etc) is whether or not the planning and preparation for such an event (when the conditions were known) were acceptable and whether the various agencies responsible were/are properly equipped. As usual there are some serious questions around cross agency/cross Government communication, coordination and responsibility (herding cats !!!).

 

[Currawong]

The numbers are confusing, as an offence (that catches the 183 people charged) may not be of the scale of someone walking into a tinder dry forest with matches and some petrol and walking out with flames behind them (though there are some exactly like this), it is also at times people who have tried to do their own (ill conceived perhaps) control burns, or burning off rubbish during a total fire ban.

This makes sense. There's one old fella down here who lives out bush, who was arrested recently for starting a fire. He wanted to mow his lawn around his house to reduce fire threat. The grass was too long so he set it alight to get it to the point where he could mow it. He put the fire out, and then went inside for a cup of tea before doing the mowing. But it turns out he didn't put it out, and when he went back out he noticed the bush was burning. It turned into a major bushfire. So some people aren't arsonists, they just do dumb stuff.

 

[cudgee]

This makes sense. There's one old fella down here who lives out bush, who was arrested recently for starting a fire. He wanted to mow his lawn around his house to reduce fire threat. The grass was too long so he set it alight to get it to the point where he could mow it. He put the fire out, and then went inside for a cup of tea before doing the mowing. But it turns out he didn't put it out, and when he went back out he noticed the bush was burning. It turned into a major bushfire. So some people aren't arsonists, they just do dumb stuff.

How are you going mate, i have seen some terrible footage of the high country around Kosiosko, hope your okay.

 

[Currawong]

How are you going mate, i have seen some terrible footage of the high country around Kosiosko, hope your okay.

Today is supposed to be another bad fire day, very hot and windy. The RFS fire spread prediction maps have the fire going straight across my place but hopefully that's just a worst case scenario. I will have some buckets of water ready just in case.

A bunch of places I've been going to in the Snowies for about 40 years have burnt over the few weeks. Hopefully it will bounce back.

Below are a few pics of places that have burnt, taken on a couple of trips I did this past winter - around the Mt Selwyn and Long Plains areas.

 

[Walky Talky]

We're praying for all ya'll from over here in Southern California. God bless you.

 

[cudgee]

Today is supposed to be another bad fire day, very hot and windy. The RFS fire spread prediction maps have the fire going straight across my place but hopefully that's just a worst case scenario. I will have some buckets of water ready just in case.

A bunch of places I've been going to in the Snowies for about 40 years have burnt over the few weeks. Hopefully it will bounce back.

Below are a few pics of places that have burnt, taken on a couple of trips I did this past winter - around the Mt Selwyn and Long Plains areas.

Hope you got through yesterday okay. I have spent a lot of time in the Victorian high country, and have seen fires literally consume areas. One thing about the Australian country side is it's ability to bounce back and recover. Just hope you, your neighbors and everyone affected by the fires are coping okay. You are all in my thoughts.

 

[Leonardo63]

Right cudgee It will actually come back better and healthier in time as I've seen it myself. Many decades ago down in West Virginia we had a bunch of mountain fires go through, fortunately not really inhabited. Years later the healthiest ranges in the area and substantially greener.
I will note that the fires are making it on the news both locally and nationally, so far nightly. tonight they talked about 2 different fires that joined up to become a "Mega Fire" ... it may only be because they like to create labels that project unprecedented proportions to create shock and awe but's that what I saw and of course a nice photo, this huge raging wall of red fire with the silhouette of a Roo in front of it.
Waiting with fingers crossed for a checkin~ Currawong could have had a very busy day.

 

[Currawong]

The south easterly gusts came but no fire came with it, at least for me. It gave some other people some troubles though. The mega fire they're talking about in the southern Snowies of NSW and north east alps of Victoria is a pretty big one. Without rain it's possible that many of these fires will eventually join up, though they are predicting some rain for the second half of this month.

 

[Leonardo63]

Good to hear bro, Hoping for lots of good luck because right now that's what's needed most next to rain!
I have to smile too, after I posted a couple things on FB to family and friends (small group-not a big on FB personally, just family and friends I consider better than some who are family) they are all aware and riled up now sharing stories and spreading awareness. I feel like that's the first step is making people aware so they go in search of information themselves and share with others, nice domino effect.

Praise the vigilant warrior Currawong ! thinking about ya man.

 

[Currawong]

I know the captain of the local RFS brigade. He's been attending all the fires in the region for the last 6 weeks. I had a good chat to him today about the state of the forest areas. The areas I tend to post on here are the rainforest and tall wet forest areas. I asked him how they were, and he said that of the areas they've been able to access, it burned 'heavily and very hot' so there isn't a lot left.

I went in today to check out the edges of one of the national parks, and based on what I saw it was pretty comprehensively burnt ........

Containment line... didn't stop the fire

Burnt tree ferns

I couldn't get far into the park because there were dozens of trees down across the roads

I took a chainsaw but it would have taken me all day, there were trees every 50 to 100 metres

This old tractor survived, kind of

 

[cudgee]

I know the captain of the local RFS brigade. He's been attending all the fires in the region for the last 6 weeks. I had a good chat to him today about the state of the forest areas. The areas I tend to post on here are the rainforest and tall wet forest areas. I asked him how they were, and he said that of the areas they've been able to access, it burned 'heavily and very hot' so there isn't a lot left.

I went in today to check out the edges of one of the national parks, and based on what I saw it was pretty comprehensively burnt ........

Containment line... didn't stop the fire

Burnt tree ferns

I couldn't get far into the park because there were dozens of trees down across the roads

I took a chainsaw but it would have taken me all day, there were trees every 50 to 100 metres

This old tractor survived, kind of

Thank you for posting those mate, will help to show our overseas friends and city dwellers the devastating effect that these bushfires have. It will take time but the bush will re generate over the years, i saw the same devastation around Beechworth and Tolmie about 15 years ago, you can still see where the fires went through, but only if you knew the area before hand. Most visitors to those areas would not be able to tell that there were bushfires there. The tractor is amazing, it just shows the randomness of fires burning some houses but not next door. Really glad you are okay, keep us informed of the progress, it is only the 12th of Jan, long way to go yet for this fire season, which is very scary. And a lot of these are not under control as we speak.

 

[RobStanley]

I have family in the Narooma area. It's gotten pretty hairy down there recently, but thankfully the fires haven't got to them. For others I know in the area, not so much. An old friend's father lost his entire property near Tinpot. Up here in banana bender cane toad land, it's been grey and cool and rainy. I wish it was like that all over.

 

[Currawong]

I have family in the Narooma area. It's gotten pretty hairy down there recently, but thankfully the fires haven't got to them. For others I know in the area, not so much. An old friend's father lost his entire property near Tinpot. Up here in banana bender cane toad land, it's been grey and cool and rainy. I wish it was like that all over.

Mate Narooma was in the firing line !!! I knew someone down there who said it was all blue skies and then a giant black cloud came out of nowhere shooting lightning and fireballs. The guy went and got his elderly mum and fled to Canberra it scared him so much.