February 8, 2009
South Australia was fortunate to escape from the bush fires as a result of the heat wave and hot north winds this last fortnight. Victoria was not so lucky:homes and towns have been devastated whilst 25-40 people (more are expected) have died. The fires were driven by hot winds of more than 100km/h, and record temperatures that peaked in the afternoon at 46.4 degrees in Melbourne and 47.9 degrees in the paddocks around Avalon.
At this stage the fire events look to be much worse that either Ash Wednesday (1983) and Black Friday (1939). If so, the fire fighters have an inferno on their hands.
Fire raging in the Bunyip State Park, south Gippsland, photo: Jason South
Most of the confirmed deaths were in towns northeast of Melbourne---Kinglake and Marysville, which have been wiped out. Hundreds of Victorians are returning to towns to find their homes razed by the fast moving bushfires on Saturday.
Update: 9 February
The bush fire was much worse than feared. Even though the hectares burned is much less, confirmed deaths are 126 and rising (it could double), and around 700-750 houses destroyed, with 550 of those in Kinglake, north of Melbourne. People had very little warning and many died trying to protect their homes or trying to escape the raging fires. The intense heat means some victims have been effectively cremated.
Vehicles on the Yea road near Kinglake came to grief during the firestorm. Photo: John Woudstra
The wind change from the north to the strong southerly in the late afternoon changed the direction of the fires outside Melbourne, pusing the flames east onto the Kinglake area, Marysville and St Andrews. In east Gippsland, the fires in the Bunyip forest burst through containment lines. In both cases there was little the firefighters could do.
It is Australia's worst natural disaster in 110 years. (In 1899, Cyclone Mahina struck Australia's northern Cape York, killing more than 400). Federal parliament has been suspended. Since arsonists are suspected all fire-devastated areas are to be treated as crime scenes to determine if arson was involved. There are still 31 active fires across Victoria as of 7.20am this morning , with five - -- at Beechworth, Churchill, Murrindindi, the Kinglake complex and Bunyip ---- causing the most concern.
What we have is the mega-fire ---several fires covering an area converging---and once they get going they cannot be stopped due to the heat intensity generated by the fire. Traditional methods of fire management---- fuel-reduction measures in the bush, big clearances around the house, stay and fight with solid defences or leave early, early warnings---were inadequate. That will not stop The Australian from using the fires to fight the culture wars against the Greens and environmentalists.
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People who think the ABC should be sold off might like to consider the role it plays at times like this. Who else is capable of, or would bother, doing something like this
http://blogs.abc.net.au/victoria/2009/02/offer-help---or.html