OT - Prayers needed - Bushfire disaster Aust

[Wulfman]

Please know that you Australians are in my thoughts.

I've been following this story for the last couple of days as it's gotten more coverage in the news.
This article on MSN says that the death toll is now up to 108.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29067017

Best wishes to you all,

Den

[Gale]

I was reading about that today and we will remember them. Fire is such a bad way to go.

Here in KY in the US are trying to recover from the very opposite, the worse ice storm in our history. It has cost about 30 lives in our state but that number is climbing due to accidents now occurring in the recovery/repair phase. There have been many chainsaw and falling accidents. Some will be without power for a while longer here as many lines and poles snapped from the weight of the ice. I read there will be long power grid failures there as well due to the extensive damage to the power grid. At least with ice one has time to ride things out at first where as a 30 second delay can be deadly with wild fire.

Thankfully our losses are not due to acts of sick people like there and often in CA and other western states here. The stories come from down under are so sad. I was going to show the kids (ages 11) these current events and then the more I read about the loss of life I just pasted.

Again we will remember those lost and even more so those left behind to pick up and start over.

[ozij]

I've been following it on our news too - I hope fervently that relief will come soon to all. Sometimes, when faced with the forces of nature, all we humans have is the power of of our human caring.
O.

[One Tired Puppy]

Tragedy like this levels us all. The horror of these fires happening now in Victoria is the speed with which the fire has been racing along & wiping out complete townships. Even experienced bush firefighters have been stunned by the speed & spread.

In regard to the US only last month I was looking through photos of the extraordinary flooding in WA state USA. Townships under water, roads & rail washed away, cars buried. & then months back the wildfires in CA.

Here in Aust we have two extremes going on - massive & widespread flooding in qld & the fires ravaging Victoria. South Australia had some record temperatures a couple of weeks back but seemed to avoid the fire damage. NSW is having fires but thus far tragedy has been avoided. Today Sydney is overcast & showers are forecast & the hope is the fires just north of Sydney will die out enough to be brought under control, but it seems there isn't much relief yet for Victoria were death toll has exceeded 100. Australia's worst natural disaster.

The story of the man and his kids in the car is one that has distressed many people. There are a lot of other stories of cars colliding with each other & with fallen trees in the thick smoke as people tried to get away but failed. Many thanks to all who have offered their thoughts & prayers - there are so many people in need of them at the moment.

DSM

When I read DMS' first post I went to the link and read of this horror. I listened to a 20 year old girl asking for help as the fire was only a half kilometer away. There were children in the house as well as others. Her 18 year old brother drove through the fire to get to the house and thank God was able to save them all. It is amazing at his courage and selflessness to risk death to save them. I also read of some of the others and I have been praying for everyone who is trapped, injured or in danger still. I'm also praying for lots of rain and that the U.S and Canada sends water bombers to help put out the fire, along with medical aid and supplies. I can't help crying, either, as this is so sad. I will keep praying along with you all.

Anne

[kebsa]

I know what you mean about how we are often helpless in the face of mother nature- when i am at work we have virtually a constant feed of news coming via the internet- i was at work when the news of the tsunami came in and watched in horror as it rose from 100 dead to 1000 then to 1000's until the ultimate figure- and then the knowledge that the real firgure was probably higher,

I was in the same place when i saw the news feeds about hurrican Katrina, i have been following the news about the severe cold that both you and the UK etc have been enduring.

then the fires, i saw the devastation that happened in malibu only recently but at least no life was lost there- it is awful when people lose everything they own as insurance can't replace the precious memories such as photos and family mementos but the old saying about where theres life there is hope comes to mind.

The scarey thing is that much of australia is only a careless cigarette or a lightning strike away from what is happening in Victoria- its been so dry for so long! When fires strike in the eucalypts it is not only the dryness that is a factor, but the high oil content- if you have seen the pictures from the fires many of them are just a huge red glow- the blackened stumps can continue to smoulder for many days after the fire has past -that is something i have witnessed first hand after getting caught in the after math of a bush fire- i was terrified as it was so apparent at how easily the fire could spring back to life.

here's hoping that mother nature has had her hissy fit to remind us who is still really in charge and she calms down for a while again

[Bookbear]

Those of us in southern California know what you are experiencing, and our hearts go out to you. Hoping for calmer days and nights and rain on the horizon....

[bearcatx16]

My prayers are for all of those in need in Australia due to the horrendous fires. Please know that there is always hope in a crisis.

Blessings,

Fred

[kopoloff]

As i've said previously, I live in an inner suburb of Melbourne, so am not directly affected (the nearest fires were probably 25 miles away, but i can tell you that the whole city is quiet. I think everyone is shellshocked. The phone at work today barely rung. I think everyone knows someone who is affected in some way

This is a dreadful tragedy, made worse by the thought that some of the fires most certainly were deliberately lit.

The heroes in this are the volunteer firefighters who risk their lives to protect their community, along with the police and the other emergency services. Without these fantastic people it could have been far far worse.

All this makes my battles with CPAP and OSA seem trivial by comparison.

K

[greenvelvetdragon]

my thoughts are with my friends and all others in Victoria-I just found out I have lost some former patients of mine and my heart bleeds for them and their families; we are currently drowning in floods in queensland and i wish we could somehow ship all this water down south. its just not fair.............
will keeping sending thoughts and prayers to all who are suffering

GVD

[dsm]

A report tonight said the toll had gone over 130.

It seems that in the worst affected town Kinglake, they were all taken by surprise to such an extent that not even the town fire alarm was sounded although it had been used & tested the day before. http://www.theage.com.au/national/ive-l ... -80p6.html

Some people just saw dark clouds in the distance & thought a storm was coming. It was only in the last few minutes when it was largely too late did the people realize a bushfire was closing in on them like a massive stampede. They knew bushfire danger was some miles away but the entire town just got hit so fast the most anyone could do was grab a few little things and get away - many didn't make it.

DSM

[split_city]

Sadly, a well respected sleep expert, Prof. Rob Pierce (head of the institute of sleep and breathing, Austin Health), was killed when he and his family attempted to save their property. His wife and son were able to escape. I am deeply saddened as Rob was a close colleague to our department. Only last week we had our annual sleep meeting/discussion with many other sleep/upper airway experts in attendance. Rob will be missed by many. RIP

[packitin]

Yes, we always have time for prayers, DSM. The shocking news of Australia's worst fire ever hit our newspaper this morning, receiving spread on the second page. This was devastating to the citizens there and I was horrified as I read the news of the lives and lost property, especially around the Kinglake district. 128 people gone and probably still more will be lost and homes destroyed. I was up this morning at 5 AM and got my paper and read the news, and was disappointed at seeing the charred ruins of homes, businesses and churches. Very sad. You can be sure that we will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Also pray for Prime Minister Rudd, as he struggles to lead in such a time of stress.
Jay

[kebsa]

The people who live in these areas are do not take bush fires too lightly, the CFS (volunteer country fire service) is usually an integral part of the community, any unfortunately they and the people in these communities have been through bush fires before but the comments that keep coming out are that this has been like nothing else that they have ever seen! In Kinglake, one resident who made it out said that from the time that they saw the flames to the time when it hit town was less than 15minutes! Even for those with practised escape plans that is almost an impossible task! Add to that a fire front that was virtually all around them and it is amazing that any got out

The official toll is now 135 but one report tonight says that it could easily reach 200, the fire is still burning strong in many areas and in other areas the army and CFS are starting to do house by house checks and checks of burnt out cars in the search for victims. There have been numerous CFS members (they are volunteers) that have returned from fighting fires only to find their homes have gone. The Government has announced $10million dollars to help those who have lost property and family but apparently it amounts to $1000 per adult $400 and $5000 per funeral! not much for people who have lost everything thing they own and need to start again! It is at least pleasing to see that communities and businesses are getting together to try to help the victims (so far there are over 4000 homes gone- some towns have been wiped off the face of the earth!

Green Velvet- the irony has not been lost on me either that while here in the south it is severe drought and devastating bushfires and yet you guys are just about being washed away! I know every time there is a big deluge up in queensland we hear stories on how the insurance companies try to weasel out of covering floods (acts of god and such!) I hope it does not happen yet again and i sure hope they do not give the fire vitims grief. Once this is over what these people are going to need is helpt to get there lives back on even footing. At least private individuals and businesses are already putting there hands up to offer practical help. here,one you women who lived who had been affected by the ash wednesday fires has stepped up and has started organising donations of clothes, toiletries, bed linen, kids toys non perishble food etc and it has become known as SArahs Fund- the donations are being collected at several sites around the city and then taken to the Show grounds- when an average citizen can start something so large scale so quickly it puts mr Rudds $1000 to shame!

[Gale]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090209/D9681TKG0.html

This is a sad AP story an hopefully the link works.

If not it is at http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090209/D9681TKG0.html

[Songbird]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Doug. Something like this is a grim reminder that the premise most of us work from, that we're in charge of our lives, is all too often just a case of self-delusion. This is so horrible and so sad. I will certainly pray for everyone in the danger zone; particularly the burn victims.

Marsha