Victorian Fires

[MrBurns]

Warburton is being evacuated with up to 70% of residents fleeing the town.

Sadly this most horrid of bushfire seasons still has some way to go. Spare a thought today for the CFA workers who will be risking life and limb battling this blaze. Also the residents who will be facing the uncertainty of property loss.

Makes me very sad to see our once beautiful garden-state reduced to a smouldering ruin.

It hasnt rained in 9 weeks, they all should go somewhere else for the day if possible.

 

[numbercruncher]

Warburton is being evacuated with up to 70% of residents fleeing the town.

Sadly this most horrid of bushfire seasons still has some way to go. Spare a thought today for the CFA workers who will be risking life and limb battling this blaze. Also the residents who will be facing the uncertainty of property loss.

Makes me very sad to see our once beautiful garden-state reduced to a smouldering ruin.

And spare a thought for the highly trained professional firefighters of the metropolitan fire brigade sitting in their air-conditioned stations praying for the opportunity to fight the good fight.

crazy stuff.

 

[Calliope]

Letters. The Australian Today

VICTORIAN Country Fire Authority volunteers must be cringing after Kevin Rudd’s speech at the memorial service for the bushfire victims ("PM declares ‘sacred day’ for the dead”, 23/2). “Courage is a firefighter standing before the gates of hell unflinching, unyielding, with eyes of steel, saying, ‘Here I stand, I can do no other’,” he said.

Rural Fire Service/CFA policy was reversed a decade ago with the dumping of the Gallipoli Syndrome, which I criticised in these pages in 1998. Many volunteers had died under this strategy. The first priority now is firefighter safety. Firefighters are not permitted to fight raging fire fronts. Rudd desperately needs a speechwriter who can tell the difference between fine rhetoric and excruciating kitsch.
Frank Campbell
(former Australian editor of international Wildfire magazine)

 

[IFocus]

Letters. The Australian Today

Yes though it was pretty dumb the lack of deaths among the CFA is in such conditions is a credit to the training or tactics used stand and dying no longer a part of the procedure.

 

[numbercruncher]

Not lookin good ....

Fire crews on Wednesday will work to consolidate containment lines around existing bushfires ahead of what's expected to be the worst fire day since Black Saturday.

With temperatures expected to soar to 38 degrees celsius and powered by strong and changing winds, every effort is being made to prepare for another horror day on Friday, Victoria's Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) said.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/756771/vic-firefighters-dig-in-as-heat-looms

 

[Julia]

Amongst Mr Rudd's promises at the time of the fires was a grant of $5000 to any tradesperson who had lost their tools. This seems a more than reasonable amount. Why, e.g. would a painter need $5000 of tools?

Today on the radio there was an interview with some bloke who has set up a "Tools for Tradies" fund appeal because "the $5000 from the government (read taxpayer, please) is not enough".

The question that occurred to me is why wouldn't any responsible tradesman have insurance to cover loss of work related tools, vehicle etc?

If your house burns down tomorrow, unrelated to any bush fire, do you expect the taxpayer to replace your tools?

I'm thinking maybe we should have a thread on why half our society - who take responsibility for insuring themselves against potential loss or disaster - continually seem to be also having to take responsibility for funding the other half who ignore their responsibilities.

 

[MrBurns]

Amongst Mr Rudd's promises at the time of the fires was a grant of $5000 to any tradesperson who had lost their tools. This seems a more than reasonable amount. Why, e.g. would a painter need $5000 of tools?

Today on the radio there was an interview with some bloke who has set up a "Tools for Tradies" fund appeal because "the $5000 from the government (read taxpayer, please) is not enough".

The question that occurred to me is why wouldn't any responsible tradesman have insurance to cover loss of work related tools, vehicle etc?

If your house burns down tomorrow, unrelated to any bush fire, do you expect the taxpayer to replace your tools?

I'm thinking maybe we should have a thread on why half our society - who take responsibility for insuring themselves against potential loss or disaster - continually seem to be also having to take responsibility for funding the other half who ignore their responsibilities.

Unfortunately this sort of disaster will bring out scammers too.

Not having insurance is not taking reponsibility for whats yours but in this environment Rudd will do whatever it takes to enhance his popularity.

Thats the political reality.

 

[Calliope]

Julia,

The numbers of those who have no household insurance is estimated to be about one in four. Many of those who do have insurance are under-insured. The numbers of those driving uninsured and/or unregistered vehicles is also alarming. These numbers have nothing to do with the economic downturn.

It is all part of the mindset of not having to accept responsibility for your own actions.

Governments have cynically reached the conclusion that looking after this demographic is the key to popularity ratings. Hence Mr Rudd's handout policy is to look after the improvident at the expense of the provident.

 

[Prospector]

I got into a sh*te load of trouble on a property forum when I suggested that people needed to insure themselves and take responsibility for their personal property, and that the donated funds shouldnt be used to build houses for uninsured people. Saying that if you cant afford Insurance then you cant afford to buy a house. Also, for those with mortgages, Insurance is supposed to be compulsory for houses under a mortgage.

Boy, some of the PM's and posts I received accused me of being a heartless, well, female dog! Noice!

 

[Calliope]

[

Fires leave Brumby no cover

Article from: Sunday Herald
March 01, 2009 12:00am

THE clock is ticking for the Brumby government. Within days it has to make a decision that will spark anger, relief, confusion and questions about why those who took the risk of being uninsured should be rewarded with a new house.

After the emotion of the death and destruction caused by the bushfires, the Brumby Government must make a clear-headed, calculated decision about how to spend the $200 million bushfire appeal fund. So far it's spent about $50 million on immediate relief and basic comforts for the dispossessed, and the state and federal governments are paying to clean up every burnt-out site.

About one-third of the 2000 homes destroyed in the bushfires were not insured. Another 10 per cent were underinsured. That leaves about 800 families in total waiting on tenterhooks for a government policy decision about whether they will be bailed out by the bushfire appeal fund or left to beg a bank to lend them money to rebuild out of the ashes.

In the first few days after the fires, Premier John Brumby said every victim would be given assistance to rebuild. But he did not promise the uninsured would be fully backed by the government fund to rebuild replacement homes or, in some cases, rebuild investment homes that are rented.

This week the Premier talked about the insurance question being a complex one riddled with sensitivities and mentioned one of the words that sends shivers down the back of bean counters in the state Treasury: precedent.

The Government wants to help everyone affected by the fires. And so it should.

The public and corporate Australia have opened up their hearts and wallets. The money must be spent on the survivors. But how it's spent is the elephant in the room. If there are about 700 homes without insurance, to give every owner only $300,000 for a replacement home would cost $210 million, way more than is in the appeal fund being administered by a group of trustees, chaired by former governor John Landy.

If the Government bails out the landlord owned homes, there is no guarantee the current tenants will be able to stay there once their leases are up or the owner's wishes change.

The Government appears headed down the path of compromise and is likely to offer some financial support for those who failed to insure, without taking away the incentive for others to insure in the future. An across-the-board bailout of fire victims would send a strong signal to other home owners that they may as well not pay their insurance bill because the State Government will always be there to look after them after a fire.

The Government is also grappling with another watershed issue: new building regulations in fire-prone areas, including the prospect of requiring all rebuilt homes to have fire bunkers, steel window frames and fewer flammable materials.

But the tougher the restrictions, the higher the cost and bigger the burden on those trying to rebuild.

During the past three weeks, the Liberal and National parties have held a truce with the Labor Government, putting away their boxing gloves out of respect for the dead and destitute. From tomorrow, leaders of both the Opposition parties have signalled the gloves will be back on and allegations about government competence will fly thick and fast.

Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu has missed a big opportunity provided by the Government to fill the policy vacuum on the insurance question. But so far he's sat on the fence, too scared to act, waiting for a nervous government to lead.

In Baillieu's case as, Prospector has illustrated, it is better to be regarded as gutless rather than heartless.

 

[MrBurns]

So far it's spent about $50 million on immediate relief and basic comforts for the dispossessed,

Where are they staying .......the Hilton ?

 

[Prospector]

Interesting time indeed for Mr Brumby. If he decides to help out the uninsured, there will be a national backlash, there will certainly be one here in SA. And for those who have been insured and forked out thousands of dollars for premiums along the way.

I think the opposition is sitting pretty; whatever Brumby decides to do he can determine what the majority electorate thinks about it, and go for all he is worth.

$50million isn't that much to spend I guess; so many people without homes - basic necessary items, clothing etc etc. But as for Rudd's money to go to tradies who lost their tools - wt is that! Oh well, shall just go cancel our business insurance too, save us around $1200 a year. That is what business interruption insurance is all about.

In Baillieu's case as, Prospector has illustrated, it is better to be regarded as gutless rather than heartless.

Or stupid maybe!

This pandering to the electorate is just getting ridiculous - oh well, next time we have a fire in our house, instead of just getting down and dealing with Insurance companies I will have my hand outstretched to Mr Rudd thankyou!

 

[MrBurns]

It is a problem for Brumby , how to give away 10's of millions to grab votes without making it look obvious, he'll probably call the expert on that one for advice, Rudd.

 

[sam76]

It is a problem for Brumby , how to give away 10's of millions to grab votes without making it look obvious, he'll probably call the expert on that one for advice, Rudd.

lol yeah, kate blanchett!

 

[Prospector]

lol yeah, kate blanchett!

Well, she is Queen Elizabeth I isn't she?

 

[kincella]

anyone else get the impression...they are playing down the latest fire threat...winds of 150kph....surrounded by 4 massive fires....big wind changes...
just wondering, am in the inner suburbs...some of those fires are only about 60klms away...so the fires could come right into the city...daylesford, and kilmore fires are north..with northerly winds....
like brumby said after black sat fires...need to evacuate the whole state...but thats impossible.......
my plan to go to the river is not on if winds 150kph.....
the fire weather professor said as much this morning....that they dont want us to panic.....

 

[MrBurns]

anyone else get the impression...they are playing down the latest fire threat...winds of 150kph....surrounded by 4 massive fires....big wind changes...
just wondering, am in the inner suburbs...some of those fires are only about 60klms away...so the fires could come right into the city...daylesford, and kilmore fires are north..with northerly winds....
like brumby said after black sat fires...need to evacuate the whole state...but thats impossible.......
my plan to go to the river is not on if winds 150kph.....
the fire weather professor said as much this morning....that they dont want us to panic.....

Why dont they just say GET OUT This pussyfooting around "get your fire plan ready" what the F*(* does that mean after the & 7th Feb.

Cant evacuate the whole state, no need too but anyone that is at risk should leave for the day, dont want to panic people ? so just let them burn ?

This shows the state Govt for what it really is, small time admin with no real drive or brainpower.

 

[kincella]

some who survived those fires said they had nowhere to go....ok drive the car down to a less timbered area....not sure where you go with winds of 150kph though ??? assuming you have nowhere else to stay but in the car

those firebugs will be out there tonight again...huge winds expected...
see this firebug out last Fri..when more fires were expected...did you know firebugs light almost as many fires as lightening strikes

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-...suspicious-melbourne-fires-20090302-8lu6.html

 

[MrBurns]

some who survived those fires said they had nowhere to go....ok drive the car down to a less timbered area....not sure where you go with winds of 150kph though ??? assuming you have nowhere else to stay but in the car

those firebugs will be out there tonight again...huge winds expected...
see this firebug out last Fri..when more fires were expected...did you know firebugs light almost as many fires as lightening strikes

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-...suspicious-melbourne-fires-20090302-8lu6.html

Yes there's some sick bastards out there.

There will have to be a redical rethink on all this once things settle down if the Royal Commission just comes up with the same lame conclusions I'll be very disappointed.

What this needs is a radical rethink outside the square, before rebuilding starts in earnest.

 

[Prospector]

I wonder why they expect tomorrow to be so bad in Victoria. We usually get the weather first and it is quite calm and cloudy here; and RAIN expected overnight - our first since the 13th December. I hope