FIRES! Is everyone ok?
Feb 12th 2009, 10:44 pm
#226
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,807
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
Glad your safe.
I'm curious about one particular picture that has been shown in the media.
It shows the Melbourne skyline in the distance (about 5kms at most) and in the foreground there is a completely burnt tree-line on a hill and the article claims that the burn trees are situated in Kinglake West. I thought Kinglake West was much further than 5Km from the CBD?
Would this picture be an accurate picture? Did the fires come this close to the CBD?
I'm curious about one particular picture that has been shown in the media.
It shows the Melbourne skyline in the distance (about 5kms at most) and in the foreground there is a completely burnt tree-line on a hill and the article claims that the burn trees are situated in Kinglake West. I thought Kinglake West was much further than 5Km from the CBD?
Would this picture be an accurate picture? Did the fires come this close to the CBD?
I remember viewing the Melbourne skyline from a hilltop when we were down there once - Hevs took us up in the Dandenongs somewhere to a lookout. I couldn't give you an exact distance but its a good few kms from the CBD,yet it looked as close as this one does.
Feb 12th 2009, 10:44 pm
#227
.
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 21,374
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
Glad your safe.
I'm curious about one particular picture that has been shown in the media.
It shows the Melbourne skyline in the distance (about 5kms at most) and in the foreground there is a completely burnt tree-line on a hill and the article claims that the burn trees are situated in Kinglake West. I thought Kinglake West was much further than 5Km from the CBD?
Would this picture be an accurate picture? Did the fires come this close to the CBD?
I'm curious about one particular picture that has been shown in the media.
It shows the Melbourne skyline in the distance (about 5kms at most) and in the foreground there is a completely burnt tree-line on a hill and the article claims that the burn trees are situated in Kinglake West. I thought Kinglake West was much further than 5Km from the CBD?
Would this picture be an accurate picture? Did the fires come this close to the CBD?
I haven't seen that picture but I'm guessing it's from Ivanhoe where a fire was set by an arsonist yesterday, that is quite near to the city.
I've just seen Poly's picture and I guess at around 60km from the city and the right lense it's possible.
Last edited by fraser; Feb 12th 2009 at 10:47 pm.
Feb 12th 2009, 11:05 pm
#228
Melbourne - NE suburbs
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,032
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
We are living about 3.5km from the Ivanhoe grass fire that was lit yesterday. Looking at it from the train while passing by on the way home it looked like a huge amount of smoke, but it was only a 4 hectare fire I believe and brought quickly under control, absolutely miniscule when compared to the staggering size of the Kinglake/Marysville fires.
Last edited by DownUnderPaddy; Feb 12th 2009 at 11:12 pm.
Feb 12th 2009, 11:21 pm
#229
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 23,400
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
I think its amazing how everyone on this thread is so supportive of one another.
Feb 12th 2009, 11:27 pm
#230
(^v^)
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: North East Tasmania
Posts: 2,199
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
i DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ ALL OF THIS THREAD, BUT A COUPLE OF POINTS...
Opps sorry to shout!
A LOT of people had no time to get out. This wasn't a normal fire. When our neigbour hammered our door we were inside with the curtains shut and the aircon on full bore...it was 46 degrees! No sign of anything when I came home less than an hour before. The fire was literally at the end of the rd but luckily it was largely scrub so we COULD escape. At that point there were no attending and IMHO no one in their right mind would stay and defend. But plenty did! How can you fight a fire thats out of control with a garden hose? The thing I remember most was the wind and the terrible noise it was making. My lips are still peeling now and I was only outside for 5 mins getting kids, dogs etc into the car.
We weren't even in a very big fire (180 hectares, mainly scrub) BUT it was terrifying and the wind..I'll never forget the noise,,,
We were very very lucky, if Elvis hadn't have shown up and the wind change direction when it did I think it could have been very different. My washing in the line was scorched and had ember burns in it! (its attached to the side of my weather board extension)
As for cellar...my cousins X Husband and the father of her 2 children(in Healsvilles saturdays fires) had one and went down there for a few hours till the noise stopped. Came out to NOTHING No car, house or possetions. However, he still says he still has everything...his kids lives...He was also insured.
Stay safe everyone. My heart goes out to all of those in Marysville, Kinglake, Flowerdale, Yea etc etc etc....deepest sympathies to all concerned. xx
Opps sorry to shout!
A LOT of people had no time to get out. This wasn't a normal fire. When our neigbour hammered our door we were inside with the curtains shut and the aircon on full bore...it was 46 degrees! No sign of anything when I came home less than an hour before. The fire was literally at the end of the rd but luckily it was largely scrub so we COULD escape. At that point there were no attending and IMHO no one in their right mind would stay and defend. But plenty did! How can you fight a fire thats out of control with a garden hose? The thing I remember most was the wind and the terrible noise it was making. My lips are still peeling now and I was only outside for 5 mins getting kids, dogs etc into the car.
We weren't even in a very big fire (180 hectares, mainly scrub) BUT it was terrifying and the wind..I'll never forget the noise,,,
We were very very lucky, if Elvis hadn't have shown up and the wind change direction when it did I think it could have been very different. My washing in the line was scorched and had ember burns in it! (its attached to the side of my weather board extension)
As for cellar...my cousins X Husband and the father of her 2 children(in Healsvilles saturdays fires) had one and went down there for a few hours till the noise stopped. Came out to NOTHING No car, house or possetions. However, he still says he still has everything...his kids lives...He was also insured.
Stay safe everyone. My heart goes out to all of those in Marysville, Kinglake, Flowerdale, Yea etc etc etc....deepest sympathies to all concerned. xx
did you see the weather on the worst night of it, the smoke was over NZ!
Feb 13th 2009, 12:15 am
#231
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 7,580
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
Glad you are ok Hevs- what a horrible thing to go through. Lets hope the fire fighters can get the ones under control that are still burning, and that no more lives are endangered.
Stay safe.
Stay safe.
Feb 13th 2009, 12:40 am
#232
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 794
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
You were very lucky Hevs, by the sound of it. We've had one story on TV of a NZ couple who decided to stand and defend, but they looked like they had a farm and they put on their irrigation sprinklers. They still had to put fires out and they still thought they were going to die at one point. Their house is fine but everything around them is gone.
My kids school here in NZ raised a couple of thousand dollars yesterday and are collecting from other schools this week. We are going to pool it and wait until it's all over then seek advice and offer it to a school to help rebuild a playground or a hall or something to do with kids.
Does anyone know if the Healesville sanctuary is OK? I went there many times as a kid and I hate to think that they might not be able to evacuate the animals.
Some idiot on a radio talkback show yesterday criticised articles like the koala story (the one where the koala drank from the bottle). He reckoned that it was poor journalism to drum up a cute animal story when there are so many more interesting stories around. He got bollocksed, as people found that story so moving and hell, it's good to have something to smile about in the middle of all that isn't it?
My kids school here in NZ raised a couple of thousand dollars yesterday and are collecting from other schools this week. We are going to pool it and wait until it's all over then seek advice and offer it to a school to help rebuild a playground or a hall or something to do with kids.
Does anyone know if the Healesville sanctuary is OK? I went there many times as a kid and I hate to think that they might not be able to evacuate the animals.
Some idiot on a radio talkback show yesterday criticised articles like the koala story (the one where the koala drank from the bottle). He reckoned that it was poor journalism to drum up a cute animal story when there are so many more interesting stories around. He got bollocksed, as people found that story so moving and hell, it's good to have something to smile about in the middle of all that isn't it?
Feb 13th 2009, 3:52 am
#233
High in the Dandenongs
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Listening to Puffing Billy
Posts: 9,183
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
I'm worried about the sanctuary too... Healsville has another threat today, the smoke is horrendous its like saturday again
But nothing too near by thats reported...http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/incidents/...nt_summary.htm
I just got the local rag and it says how lucky the township of Harkaway was that Elvis arrived when he did.....Long live the king
Stay safe everyone
But nothing too near by thats reported...http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/incidents/...nt_summary.htm
I just got the local rag and it says how lucky the township of Harkaway was that Elvis arrived when he did.....Long live the king
Stay safe everyone
Feb 13th 2009, 3:54 am
#234
High in the Dandenongs
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Listening to Puffing Billy
Posts: 9,183
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
Does anyone know if the Healesville sanctuary is OK? I went there many times as a kid and I hate to think that they might not be able to evacuate the animals.
Some idiot on a radio talkback show yesterday criticised articles like the koala story (the one where the koala drank from the bottle). He reckoned that it was poor journalism to drum up a cute animal story when there are so many more interesting stories around. He got bollocksed, as people found that story so moving and hell, it's good to have something to smile about in the middle of all that isn't it?
Some idiot on a radio talkback show yesterday criticised articles like the koala story (the one where the koala drank from the bottle). He reckoned that it was poor journalism to drum up a cute animal story when there are so many more interesting stories around. He got bollocksed, as people found that story so moving and hell, it's good to have something to smile about in the middle of all that isn't it?
Feb 13th 2009, 6:55 am
#235
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,807
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
I don't know if we have any posters in the worst areas, but Nickyp is out near Wangaratta. Has anone heard from them - and does anyone know if any other posters have been drectly affected?
Feb 13th 2009, 6:59 am
#237
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Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
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Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
A 39-YEAR-OLD man has today been charged with one count of arson causing death and one count of intentionally lighting a bushfire.
Feb 13th 2009, 7:00 am
#238
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Feb 13th 2009, 10:37 am
#239
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
The fire was literally at the end of the rd but luckily it was largely scrub so we COULD escape. At that point there were no attending and IMHO no one in their right mind would stay and defend..
We were very very lucky, if Elvis hadn't have shown up and the wind change direction when it did I think it could have been very different. My washing in the line was scorched and had ember burns in it! (its attached to the side of my weather board extension)
The threat soon subsided and they were hanging around for a while.
I wish I could have been there on that shift - as senior bod on that appliance I would have personally directed the tanker to outside your joint - and with no instructions from your good self to perform a jewish stocktake, I would have paid more attention to it....
Wol, as for CFA fundraising that is mostly for the extras - a lot does get paid for. Many brigades buy their own second tanker - we are about to do so but we are also planning to get a big grant from a non-govt organisation.
Feb 13th 2009, 10:59 am
#240
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,145
Re: FIRES! Is everyone ok?
I'm in WA and can smell smoke really strongly atm, can se it over the rooftops and can hear sirens. It's a very windy night and the wind is blowing in this direction 
