Bushfires in Victoria kill 76, death toll will rise [update: 181 dead]

Bushfires in Victoria kill 76, death toll will rise

www.news.com.au

"So far we have found people in cars, it looks like they have decided late to leave their premises.

"We have found people who have been in properties, in their paddocks.

"We've found others in their houses.

"It covers the whole range. And the sad part is that we found children. That is devastating for us."

Ms Nixon said she was sickened by the fact some of the fires may have been deliberately lit.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.abc.net.au
www.theaustralian.news.com.au
www.abc.net.au

[edit on 8/2/09 by Nventual]

[edit on 8/2/09 by Nventual]

[edit on 8/2/2009 by watch_the_rocks]

[edit on 9/2/2009 by watch_the_rocks]

[edit on 9/2/2009 by watch_the_rocks]

[edit on 10/2/2009 by watch_the_rocks]

I couldn't find a thread here on the Victorian fires, so please direct me if there is one.

About 14,000 homes are without power.
Yesterday it was 45 degrees Celsius ( 113 f ), then today it's 24 ( 75 f )!

The weather here is going crazy and surely doesn't help the fires. Neither does the confirmed arsonists running around relighting certain fires that were put out.

Right now the Army has been called in to help.

www.news.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)











[edit on 8/2/09 by Nventual]

I don't understand why pyros are so apt to create such large scale destruction. I mean don't they know what that does to people's lives, the environment? The cost to rebuild? That will all come out of the taxpayers wallet.


I hope people all the best in these times, they'll need it, unless they can find that little arsonist and throw him in jail.


~Keeper

crazy times indeed. even here in new zealand we have had way hotter than normal temperatures for february so far. days up into 40 degrees c.

hats off to the firefighters over there.

here is a good link

news.bbc.co.uk...

The death toll is certain to rise so I'm clueless as to why there is not already been a thread about these fires on here. Where are all the Victorians at?

This isn't looking good for us. I have Family in an area where there's been 1 death and they said that 100 houses are in threat from it.

Im from Bendigo living in Colac now.
But have most of my family and friends in Bendigo.

About 50 homes i think have been lost.


Edit: just found out my X-wife and 2 boys were almost lost until wind changed direction.

[edit on 7-2-2009 by SvenTheBerserK]

Originally posted by Nventual

The weather here is going crazy and surely doesn't help the fires.

www.news.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

no its not.. Melbourne is notorious for its 4 seasons in one day kinda weather.. i remember last year (or the year before) it was stinking hot then a cool change came through, the temperature dropped about 15C in half and hour then it rained for the remainder of the day

[edit on 7-2-2009 by purplemonkey]

hi purplemonkey I live in Melbourne so I'm well aware of our weather. but if it isn't crazy dropping from 45 to 24 that quickly then i don't know what is. it can still be normal just because it's crazy.

Heres a map of the fires.




From here CFA

[edit on 7-2-2009 by SvenTheBerserK]

crazy, they had people starting fires n cali too -could it be something more sinister than crazy people?

why would someone relight a dead fire? fire brigade cover up? bankers insurance fraud? nwo plot?

hehe this IS ats, its gotta be more than just global warming, heh, maybe it's the green's trying to get some evidence to prove it?

Actually the temps yesterday hit 46.4 in Melbourne (the highest temps Melbourne has seen since records began in the 1800s)

Many other parts of the state reached 47+ (116.6 degrees Fahrenheit)

Today is absolutely weird with the current temp in Melbourne 18.5c (64.4 degrees Fahrenheit)

My wife's father is a firefighter here in NSW. His father died 30 years ago when his firetruck got caught in between two fire fronts and they burned to death. My best mate is SES (State Emergency Service) and he has been out for 3 days solid now at the Central Coast fires that look to be swinging down towards Sydney. I just hope to god that they are both OK and that they both stay safe.

What Victoria is experiencing right now is probably going to happen here in NSW too and everyone is getting as prepared as we can.

This may very well end up being the worst fire season in the history of this country. I would say that once the fires begin to die down in Victoria, the death toll will be much higher, god rest their souls.

Do not be too surprised that you haven't received too many replies yet to this thread, everyone is far too busy preparing their homes and families for evacuation if necessary.

Fire bugs love these hotter days don't they?
The scary part is many who get caught are firefighters themselves.

Here in WA Kings Park in Perth was set alight again for the second time and down south near my at Bunkers Bay there was another fire apparently deliberately lit.

I'm a bit concerned because this week is gonna be a scorcher and we got an arsonist on the loose.

reply to post by Chadwickus


My wife's father told me the reason some 'firefighters' actually become arsonists themselves. It is something to do with the fact that they miss the 'buzz' of fighting a fire, the adrenaline rush. So they go off and light a few spot fires which turn into raging inferno's then they are called out to go and fight it.

Believe me, when these firey's discover one of their own is an arsonist, they go for the throat and dispense their own justice on him/her before throwing them to the cops to lock them up. My father-in-law has told me a few hair-raising stories about some such incidents.

Kryties you are so right about this could be the worst fire season we've ever seen. Australia is in its worst drought in the nations history, everything in the southern states is dry and ready to explode. I grew up in the Dandenongs in Emerald and remember the fires well. And what we have now is so much worse.

All this week the forecasts say temps in the low to mid 20s - but unfortunately not a drop of rain predicted. Early this morning starting at around 6:30am the thunder and lightning began. From my second story balcony I can see the Dandenongs and watched the lightning strikes hitting the mountains.

This afternoon 2:30pm, now I cant see the Dandenongs for the smoky haze on the horizon. The entire southern part of the country is a tinder box right now, and to think there are firebugs out there lighting fires sickens me.

If you wanted a good terriost plot for Australia, just start a bunch of pre determined fires on a certien type of week and boom there goes most of south eastern Australia.

This would be the easiest terrorist attack to complete.

reply to post by Nventual
The death toll is certain to rise so I'm clueless as to why there is not already been a thread about these fires on here. Where are all the Victorians at?

Where are we at? We are watching that our homes don't burn down, counting the destroyed buildings ( entire towns ) and checking on our loved ones as the death toll rises to 49 and rising quickly.

Originally posted by TheKingsVillian
If you wanted a good terriost plot for Australia, just start a bunch of pre determined fires on a certien type of week and boom there goes most of south eastern Australia.

This would be the easiest terrorist attack to complete.

If all you want is to talk about is terrorist...could you please maybe start a new thread.

This is real and devastating.
And its not over yet....people are still loosing their lives and property.

edit: 50 confirmed dead according to local radio.
edit: 640 homes destroyed.

[edit on 8-2-2009 by SvenTheBerserK]

[edit on 8-2-2009 by SvenTheBerserK]

I'm surprised there wasn't already a thread on this.

The worst thing about these fires is that people are re-lighting them. some people are just sick.



News Update : Death Toll has risen to 65

It's still getting worse. They just keep relighting.