Fire Storm, Victoria, Australia
 

Last weekend (07 Feb 09) Victoria had the worst natural disaster in the Australian History.

http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/2...423569062.html

That's the photo gallery of the disaster...

It's so scary, esp photo 30, look how close the fire was to the houses that were intact next to it...

One of the many articles:
http://www.smh.com.au/national/toll-...0209-82bi.html

If anyone wants to read...

Wow, that's scary. .__.

How do those things start up anyway...? -not exactly sure what a firestorm is-

Oh my god D: Thats scary... the damage caused was so bad.

We usually call them bushfires...

Generally caused with high wind, dry & hot weather... where trees probably start their own fires, or lightning strikes starting fires.. sometimes also started by human lighting fires..

once its starts... the wind pick it up and sweep through dry land and bush...

This one was so dramatic because it went through 300 hectares, and burning down towns... (our other bad bushfires didnt really hit towns and burnt homes as hard as this one)

apparently the fire for this one went up to 40-50km/h

In one of the pictures it was like whole BBQ. x___x

That is really scary...

Yeah.. and all the trees only had black trunks left...

ironically, it was like 45 degrees C on the weekend.. and i think the temp as drop to like 20 today/yesterday...

Thats weird o_o Makes it even scarier that its also unexpected.

200 people died from the fire. One of the worst ways to die I would think... nothing left of them except maybe a tooth or a bone probably.

Said something about fire being deliberately lit in some places? That's just horrible; if it was a prank gone wrong... I hope they got what they deserved.

OMG. O_O

Those cattle look like hippopotami.

How do people avoid it?

If its an actual natural disaster then you can't completely avoid it D: Mother nature can be a **** and theres nothing we can do about it ><

They also think that someone may be "helping" the fires jump over the containment lines. I have been trying to track these fires, I think over 30 individual fires, but I can find minimal articles over here. I had actually asked lam to send me some links to some articles from AU.

Some of the fires they think were started deliberately and that they were using the real bushfires as covers. But, apparently they have found evidence that says some of them were not the normal bushfires. Details over here are scetchy though. I know they said they have certain areas roped off so conserve evidence. Just not sure what that evidence is.

Actually, I heard about a technique like that. I dont know where I got it from or how it works, but I heard that starting a fire somewhere else will prevent the main fire from spreading in that direction. They said its suppose to counter the spread by starting a controlled fire else where to prevent further spread. Its something along those lines.

Yep They are called Backfires or something like that. They burn out areas in the path of the actual fire, so that once the First fire gets to that point, everything is already burned and it cannot proceed. It basically burns itself out, because there is nothing to feed the fire. The backfire is also a controlled fire, so it never gets out of control.

But, they think someone is helping the fires "jump" over those lines.

Ohh.. I don't know exactly how this one started, I cant find much on it, and I thought that maybe it would be difficult for them to prove that it's lit on purpose as a prank...

if it was suppose to be a "controlled" fire.. then that's stupid to start it at such a horribly hot day....

But yeah, there was this lady that was telling a story about how she could see the smoke a little away, was going to pack some stuff quickly.. but the next min the fire was practically over her house... luckily a friend drove pass and picked them all up and left...

but her house and farm was burnt to nothing... just ashes...

Here's the latest progress on the investigation.

The arsonist/s will be charged with murder.

This slideshow captures the devastation, the grief and the horror.

May all who perished rest in peace.

Has to be a horrific way to die. I just cannot image the fear and the knowing that they faced, much less the pain.


:angel::angel::angel::angel::angel::angel::angel:

Wow.. so it is started by someone deliberately...?

I just.. didn't wanna believe that... just.. with a simple action like that, they've taken away not only 200 people's lives, but also everything that 5000 people had work for all their lives... their house.. property.. posessions...

wow, 200 deaths and then all the property that burned. its just horrible to think that someone might have started the fire and caused all of this.

There is a bushfire appeal for anyone who is kind enough to donate some money to those who have lost practically everything.

http://www.redcross.org.au/default.asp

Do you guys see / smell all the smoke in the city?

Fortunately, no.

o: The bushfire...That's on the news right now o-o

It's gunna burn Blaah's steaks D:

EDIT:
I also heard that someone is delibrately starting these fires, although my Grandma seems to think the Trees are just spontaniously combusting because it's so dry....
><

Thanks a.L.

Here's a little update on the investigation.


At least one of the fires was confirmed to be deliberately lit. The arsonist was allegedly arrested.

yeah i was just reading about that...

I hope these people get wat they deserve...

I would want to see "life sentence without parole" handed out but heck, their lawyers might apply for "psychological assessment" and all that, which, if anything, will break the chain of justice. No charges have been laid. We'll see how it goes.

I believe that they've gotta be very careful about which charges to laid.. because u cant just change the charge and if they charge under the wrong thing.. then... they could get away easily..


btw.. this makes me sick:
http://media.smh.com.au/?category=Br...News&rid=46121

Dispite this 1 idiot, we've got sooooooo many of aussies that's digging into their pocket to help out.. even those in north QLD that are under the weather themselves with storms..



And this couple had an interesting wedding:
http://www.smh.com.au/national/weddi...0213-86nz.html

It's amazing how selfish and ignorant the people can be.

At Melbourne University, we're mourning for the loss of at least 1 student and several staff and alumni personnel.