View Full Version : Australian fires
StarsOfCCTV
08-02-2009, 19:07
Australia inferno toll nears 100
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t236/sparkle_w/_45456150_firetruck_ap_466.jpg
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t236/sparkle_w/_45456151_firetruck_reuters_466.jpg
Bush fires in southern Australia wipe out whole towns and kill at least 93 people, the worst fire death toll in the country's history.
Witnesses say fires have been up to four storeys high, fanned by high winds. The fires have engulfed houses and cars attempting to escape.
The fires have devastated several communities north of Melbourne, including the town of Heathcote.
Temperatures are dropping, but emergency services say without rain the fire risk remains high.
One survivor said the aftermath looked as if a "nuclear bomb" had gone off. The fires have destroyed hundreds of homes and farms
Firefighters fear more bodies will be found as rescue services explore areas ravaged by fire.
Police suspect that in at least one case arsonists have relit fires put out by firefighters.
Its things like that ^ which makes you lose faith in humanity. How can people do that when they know its killing people. :angry:
There are always going to be some sickos around, unfortunately. I don't think they mean to kill in most cases, they are just excited by the thought of all those fire fighters being around, quite a few arsonists are actually volunteers in fire brigades, so they can have a bit of the action. :(
This is really sad
I hope people are ok and my thoughts are with those effected
StarsOfCCTV
08-02-2009, 22:31
Apparently if they catch the people who relit that one fire they will be charged for murder.
I know some people are arsonists and like the attention etc but to start fire when its so dry and in a heat wave is just idiotic, for want of a better word. It saddens me people can be so selfish and risk other people's lives just for a bit of 'excitement'. :(
Exactly, and Austraila has bad bush fires with people causing them on purpose!
StarsOfCCTV
09-02-2009, 17:39
Saw this on the bbc news website. :(
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t236/sparkle_w/fire6_483643a-1.jpg
the toll has reached 100 it just said on the news
It shows how powerful human nature really is
Saw this on the bbc news website. :(
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t236/sparkle_w/fire6_483643a-1.jpg
I'm pleased they're taking care of the wildlife too, to some extent.
I know that some people set fires because they like to watch them burn, but to do it deliberately, know it is killing people and still do it is just wrong :mad:
Its not just people, yes people are important but they have nearly destroyed a whole ecosysetm which has bad effects on the willdlife
di marco
10-02-2009, 21:54
theres enough wildfires that start in australia without idiots starting them deliberately, yet they still seem to do it every year. this year seems to be a lot worse than normal though
di marco
10-02-2009, 21:55
Saw this on the bbc news website. :(
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t236/sparkle_w/fire6_483643a-1.jpg
I'm pleased they're taking care of the wildlife too, to some extent.
that pic is so cute! :D im glad theyre thinking about the wildlife too. when i was in australia they said that so many koalas get killed in bush fires cos by the time they know about them they are too slow to get away :(
StarsOfCCTV
10-02-2009, 22:14
Plus the eucalyptus trees have flammable oils in them.
People pets will also have perished, cats, dogs, horses etc. :(
Leonard Cohen and his tour party have made a donation of AU $200,000 (£90,430) to victims of the bushfires raging in Australia.
The Canadian singer-songwriter has been touring the country, which has been afflicted by deadly fires during its ongoing heatwave.
Michael Gudinski, managing director of the Frontier Touring Company, said: "Leonard has loved his time in Australia on this tour and is shocked and deeply saddened by the news of the fires."
He added that Cohen, support act Paul Kelly and the touring parties and firms involved wished to extend their "heartfelt sympathies" to those affected by the tragedy.
Earlier this week, Australian Dannii Minogue praised firefighters working to battle the flames near her home city of Melbourne.
That is very caring and generous of him :clap:
A love story between two badly burned koalas rescued from Australia's deadliest bushfires has provided some heart-warming relief after days of devastation and the loss of over 180 lives.
The story of Sam and her new boyfriend Bob emerged after volunteer firefighter Dave Tree used a mobile phone to film the rescue of the bewildered female.
She was found cowering in a burned out forest at Mirboo North, 90 miles southeast of Melbourne.
Both animals have been taken to a wildlife centre near Melbourne after being rescued from Australia's deadly bush fires
Photos and a video of Tree, 44, approaching Sam while talking gently to her, and feeding her water from a plastic bottle as she put her burned claw in his cold, wet hand quickly hit video sharing website YouTube.
But it was after reaching a wildlife shelter that Sam met and befriended Bob, who was saved by wildlife workers on Friday, two days before Sam.
'We just cried and cried:' Full horror of Australian firestorm revealed as fury towards arsonists grows
Tree, who has been a volunteer firefighter for 26 years, said it was extremely rare to get so close to a koala so he asked his colleague Brayden Groen, 20, to film him.
'You can see how she stops and moves forward and looks at me. It was like a look saying "I can't run, I'm weak and sore, put me out of my misery",' Tree said. 'I yelled out for some water and I sat down with her and tipped the water up.
'It was in my hand and she reached for the bottle then put her right claw into my left hand which was cold so it must have given her some pain relief and she just left it there. It was just amazing.'
Sam was taken to the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter in Rawson.
Her story was reminiscent of a koala named Lucky who survived the 2003 bushfires that destroyed about 500 homes and killed four people in the capital of Canberra.
Lucky became a symbol of hope.
Colleen Wood from the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter that is caring for Sam and Bob said both koalas were doing well while other animals like possums, kangaroos, and wallabies were also starting to emerge from the debris.
She said Sam had suffered second degree burns to her paws and would take seven to eight months to recover while Bob had three burned paws with third degree burns and should be well enough to return to the bush in about four months.
'They keep putting their arms around each other and giving each other hugs. They really have made friends and it is quite beautiful to see after all this. It's been horrific,' said Wood.
'Sam is probably aged between two to four going by her teeth and Bob is about four so they have a muchness with each other.'
Wood said about 20 koalas had been brought into her shelter in recent days, several of whom had bonded as koalas are known to clump together, but none had garnered the same attention as the new Internet star Sam.
Tree, a volunteer with the Country Fire Authority Victoria, has visited Sam since her rescue and was delighted to see she had found a boyfriend in Bob.
'They've really taken a shine to each other as they are both burnt and share the same burnt smell,' he said.
'My heart goes out to the people in these fires and this was so innocent so people have used this to distract them from all the sad stuff that has gone on.
'It gives people a bit of hope.'
Aww, at least a few of those poor animals are safe. They also have arrested two suspected arsonists according to the news, hope they get maximum sentences if they are convicted. :angry:
YouTube - Koala drinking water from the Bush Fire Tragedy Crisis, Victoria - 7/02/2009
Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman are taking part in a nationally televised bushfire appeal in Australia.
The celebrities are among more than 150 leading politicians, musicians, sports stars and actors, who will feature in the telethon, called Australia Unites.
Channel Nine, which is broadcasting the telethon, is aiming to raise money for the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal.
Other stars involved include Anthony La Paglia, Keith Urban. KD Lang, Orlando Bloom and Rachel Griffiths.
US TV star Ellen DeGeneres, who is married to Australian actress Portia de Rossi, recorded a message.
"My heart goes out to all the people and animals who have been affected," she said.
At least 181 people have died and hundreds more have been injured by the blazes that swept across Victoria state. At least 1,000 homes have been destroyed.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced there will be national day of mourning and a memorial service to remember the victims of the bushfires.
Police now believe that arsonists were responsible for at least two of the deadly fires.
Firefighters are still battling several blazes, despite rain and cooler weather on Thursday.
di marco
12-02-2009, 12:21
awwww that video is the cutest thing ive ever seen! :D
StarsOfCCTV
12-02-2009, 17:13
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban donated half a million Aus dollars to the appeal. :D :clap:
That video made me cry :(
CrazyLea
12-02-2009, 20:59
Fair play to Nicole Kidman and Keith. That's actaully a really decent donation!!!! Usually for celebritys, it's hardley anything. Let's hope other celebs take a leaf out of their book.
di marco
12-02-2009, 22:29
Fair play to Nicole Kidman and Keith. That's actaully a really decent donation!!!! Usually for celebritys, it's hardley anything. Let's hope other celebs take a leaf out of their book.
i agree, that is a hell of a lot of money, well done to them. shame other celebs never donate that much with their supposively (sp?) "huge" donations to charities
Chloe O'brien
13-02-2009, 23:48
We were discussing this at work today. I has said that I was surprised that there hadn't been a redcross appeal asking for donations to help people rebuild their lives like they do when there was the Tsunami. One of the guys said they wouldn't lodge an appeal as Austrailia is a rich country, but it shouldn't matter hardworking people have lost everything they have worked for why shouldn't there be a humanitary aid appeal the same as they do for third world countries.
di marco
14-02-2009, 18:01
We were discussing this at work today. I has said that I was surprised that there hadn't been a redcross appeal asking for donations to help people rebuild their lives like they do when there was the Tsunami. One of the guys said they wouldn't lodge an appeal as Austrailia is a rich country, but it shouldn't matter hardworking people have lost everything they have worked for why shouldn't there be a humanitary aid appeal the same as they do for third world countries.
i completely agree, these people have lost everything and wont be able to afford to rebuild/replace it all for themselves. although poorer countries need help as well, i think sometimes these charities forget that other people need help as well
We were discussing this at work today. I has said that I was surprised that there hadn't been a redcross appeal asking for donations to help people rebuild their lives like they do when there was the Tsunami. One of the guys said they wouldn't lodge an appeal as Austrailia is a rich country, but it shouldn't matter hardworking people have lost everything they have worked for why shouldn't there be a humanitary aid appeal the same as they do for third world countries.
The Red Cross have explained on their donation page (http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/services_emergencyservices_victorian-bushfires-appeal-2009.htm) for the fires that it costs more to collect and transport from donaters than to buy from local businesses. They are appealing for money rather than goods.
Pink has donated AU$250,000 (£112,615) to the Red Cross fund set up to help victims of the bushfires in Australia.
On her personal website, the singer explained that she has been saddened by the media images of those affected by the tragedy.
She said: "My heart goes out to all those who have suffered so much in these circumstances.
"There's little anyone can do at such a long distance away but I wanted to make a tangible expression of support."
She added that she hopes the money will help rebuild the communities and lives of people living in the areas hit by the fires.
The singer joins Nicole Kidman and Leonard Cohen in donating money to those injured or made homeless by the disaster.
:clap: :thumbsup:
Its good another celeb has :)
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