Victorian Fires

[Smurf1976]

The coal mine is still on fire a month later and locals are apparently getting rather fed up with being suffocated by the smoke.

What alarms me though is that apparently good progress is being made in fighting the fire using compressed foam to extinguish the fire. Now that's a good thing in itself, but apparently the ACT and Tasmania are the only two places that have the equipment to do it. And it's only $750,000 to buy (complete with truck) which is pretty trivial in the overall context.

Once again I'm thinking that we need to have a national approach to the ongoing threat of fire in this country and acquire the full range of equipment that we ought to have in order to best deal with fires as they occur. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I have the impression that fire fighters are battling not only fires, but also not having all the equipment etc that could be used to help.

 

[Tink]

The bushfires have started here in Vic, and in S.A.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-03/tough-conditions-expected-for-firefighters-in-sa-vic/5998194

We have an average of 43 for the state and a total fire ban.

It sickens me when I hear of people being arrested for lighting fires
- a 40 yr old woman, and a 17 yr old.
What is wrong with these people.

 

[Smurf1976]

Arson is a crime I really don't understand. I mean, I can understand someone stealing or something like that, they're directly gaining something out of it. But arson is a total loss for all concerned.

Unusually warm here in Tas today too, hot air from Vic being blown down by a northerly wind. A couple of minor fires apparently but nothing serious at this stage and the wind seems to have swung around and is coming from the south now so it's cooling down already.

Let's hope everyone in Vic and SA is OK.

 

[noco]

I learned many years ago, the cold air sweeping south east from the Himalayas to Australia are some how connected with the bush fires in the south east of Australia to create the monsoon rains in the the northern part of Australia.
Whether it is fact I have never really been able to prove it.

 

[Calliope]

Arson is a crime I really don't understand. I mean, I can understand someone stealing or something like that, they're directly gaining something out of it. But arson is a total loss for all concerned.

Professor James Ogloff, director of the Centre for Forensic Science at Monash University in Australia, says the profile of a typical fire setter is male, late teens/early 20s, unattractive, unmarried, shy, socially isolated, and with lower intelligence. About a third of perpetrators have co-morbid psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia, and mood and/or personality disorders (usually narcissism). About half have prior criminal convictions. One of the more curious clinical characteristics is the apparent lack of motive (typically reserved for the so-called pyromaniac). No arsonist shows remorse, but only the pyromaniac lacks conscious motivation although they are fully aware of the acts they are committing. It's as if their mind "blocks off" or conceals short-term memory of whatever rational thought they put into their devious plans. For this reason clinicians often characterize the motivation as a combination of pathological and non-pathological.

http://www.drtomoconnor.com/4050/4050lect04a.htm

 

[Smurf1976]

Getting pretty bad in SA it seems. Not good.

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/b...ergency-warnings/story-fnj6ehgr-1227173256782

 

[Tink]

Getting pretty bad in SA it seems. Not good.

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/b...ergency-warnings/story-fnj6ehgr-1227173256782

Yes, it seems that way, Smurf, and am surprised no comments from the South Australians.

We had a cool change come through around 6pm, but the firefighters have had a busy day.
From what I hear, we still have a fire near the Grampians.

Thankfully, everyone seems safe.

 

[burglar]

... am surprised no comments from the South Australians ...

If you need to hear from a South Australian:


My brother Peter has been evacuated to St Peters (an inner suburb).

He has a beaut, 10 acre property near One Tree Hill
He was north of the fire at Sampson Flat before the cool change.

Now he is sitting it out!

 

[Tink]

I am sorry to hear about your brother, burglar, but glad to hear he is safe.
I hope it all works out for him.
I suppose I asked to get a locals view of the situation, rather than from the news.
Thanks for sharing.

One of the ladies I spoke to from the Vic fires a few years ago that had to evacuate, came back to find their home still there, though everything else was burned around it.
The animals were around the home waiting too, they were on a farm.
They had jumped in the creek at the bottom of their property.
Just thought I would share.

 

[burglar]

... Just thought I would share.

He did not tell me ... I had to ask.
Oh well, if he wants to talk he has my number!

I suppose his biggest worry is the fire.
(assuming he evacuated both his bitch and his missus)

Then there is the worry of looters,
hope that doesn't happen.



Incinerator!! Can you believe it??

 

[Calliope]

Back to Reality

Survivors look on as Victorian merino farmer David Coad prepares to bury thousands of sheep killed by massive bushfires.

Many properties in South Australia and Victoria are destroyed and many others threatened. A woman has been charged over 40 deliberately-lit fires in Victoria’s north.

 

[Smurf1976]

A woman has been charged over 40 deliberately-lit fires in Victoria’s north.

I just cannot describe how angry this makes me feel. Fair enough if the fire starts due to a lightning strike or even a genuine accident, but deliberately lighting them is just not on.

Two years ago the Tasman Peninsula went up in smoke. A year ago there were fires near my own home. Now there's huge fires in SA and Vic. And it's the same somewhere in Australia every Summer, we have fires. To light one deliberately is just, well, I really can't get my mind around that.

 

[burglar]

... that had to evacuate, came back to find their home still there ...

My brother is back home.
He is considering a subsequent evac,
as ash is raining on his roof.
The information he receives is an hour old.
He keeps an anxious eye on the horizon!

The wind direction is erratic,
so it is not over until it's over!

 

[Tink]

With the changes mentioned today, burglar, hope the fires stay contained.

It makes you question why he is receiving the news so late.

Thinking of you all.

 

[burglar]

With the changes mentioned today, burglar, hope the fires stay contained ...

He says it is heartwarming to see people "doing stuff" for others.

From what I have seen the firies have done a fantastic job on containment.
(with the assistance of Victorian and NSW equipment and people)

Hope it works out.

P.S. Nice to see Policemen who are not collecting revenue. :

 

[burglar]

Thanks for the bananas:

thanks-for-the-bananas

 

[Tink]

Great Ocean Road fire: Number of homes lost in Christmas Day blaze rises to 116
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-...ire-number-of-homes-lost-at-wye-river/7054840

The number of properties lost in the Christmas Day bushfire along Victoria's Great Ocean Road has risen to 116.

At Wye River, 98 homes were destroyed, while 18 were lost at Separation Creek. Fire officials said the majority of the properties lost were holiday homes

 

[basilio]

The next couple of days will be very dangerous for fires around Australia.
Excellent analysis on ABC about what makes a horror fire danger.
What makes a horror fire danger day?
ABC Weather
By Kate Doyle
Updated about 4 hours ago

Photo: Fire is a part of life in Australia, but some conditions can signal catastrophic danger. (ABC Weather: Kate Doyle)
Related Story: Wind change leaves 40 firefighters 'shaken' by near miss
Related Story: Bushfire danger ratings
Related Story: Lightning, tornadoes and mice: the science of bushfires
Textbook fire conditions are forecast over the next few days as hot northerly winds bear down on south-eastern Australia and a cold front creeps across from the west.

The danger has been rated as extreme today for the Mount Lofty Ranges and Lower South East of South Australia, with the worst of the threat expected to move into Victoria's Mallee and Northern Country forecast areas on Friday.

Very high to severe fire danger has been forecast for Tasmania as the front moves through. The state is already battling several major bushfires and a total fire ban is in effect for the entire state until Monday.

Photo: Black Saturday forced the creation of a "code red" or "catastrophic" fire danger rating.


There is a classic set-up that signals disastrous fire danger in Australia, so when this pattern develops it's important to sit up and pay attention.

Fire needs a spark, and then drought, high temperatures, low humidity, heavy fuel loads and the lie of the land all play their part.

Black Saturday is a textbook example but it is not alone — the same pattern unfolded on Ash Wednesday and again just a few weeks ago.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-24/what-makes-a-horror-fire-danger-day/10685918

 

[Smurf1976]

Hope those in Vic are all OK with the fires which I hear are getting pretty bad.

Best of luck to those affected.

 

[Knobby22]

Trying to rain in Melbourne. Rain starts falling then evaporates before it hits ground. Weird looking clouds.
Hopefully the rain hits ground in bushfires as on higher ground.