December 09, 2006

Here we go ....a smoke crescent hangs over eastern Victoria. This may be the worst weekend ever.

The CFA's deputy chief officer Graham Fountain agreed. "These fires, in the worst-case scenario, will be unstoppable. People should not rely on CFA resources or aircraft to assist them," he said. "They need to be self-reliant and ready for the onset of fire if and when that occurs."

posted by polychrome 17 years ago
  • A friend of ours has just gone over to help with the firefighting. It all looks very scary, even more so than past years. I hope all the Australian monkeys and their families are safe and will remain so. There's been a lot in the news here about current drought conditions in most of Australia.
  • how awful. I hope all aussies will be safe. I had just moved to SF before the Oaklnad Hills firestorm of 1991. I know how destructive these things can be. I'll send some wishes for a change in the weather!
  • I heard some NZ firefighters had come to help. Kiwis rock!
  • So many separate fires! Are they due to lightening strikes? While Monkeys are a big concern, I hope that there are no casualites.
  • The smoke haze is creating an almost eerie atmosphere here in Melbourne Docklands. We're about 150kms west of the nearest fire, hoping the winds stay down. It's 37C with gentle easterly breezes right now.
  • Photo of the smoke haze here
  • path, Australia's a dry place at best, but even more a tinderbox now, after years of protracted drought. Best wishes to all in the afflicted areas!
  • I heard a brief clip a few minutes ago saying the wind is about to change, and it may get worse.
  • The winds are still light. Hoping they stay that way.
  • Chaz, if things turn worse, what is the plan for people in your area? Is there an evacuation place for people to go to?
  • Bush(fire) sucks.
  • What a nightmare.
  • Chaz... ? we worry...
  • If, as he implies, Chaz lives near Melbourne Docklands then he should be fine. My brother lives just up the road. It's inner city Melbourne. Having said that, the whole damn state is covered with smoke. They've had buildings evacuated in Melbourne when their smoke detectors went off. Crazy stuff.
  • We're fine here - it's a city of 3 million people, 150kms from the nearest fire. We're expecting some closer ones, but Melbourne is pretty safe, for now. The poor buggers in the northeast of the state are losing everything. It's terrible.
  • Are you wearing something to keep the smoke out of your lungs? And do you have clean underwear on?
  • I blame Bush.
  • Well Chyren, duh -- they're bush fires!
  • The cracks are inappropiate methinks, but whatever. My thoughts to those in the northeast.
  • I was serious with my comment about masking the smoke. But, you know, seared lungs are funny. Sorry.
  • Clean underwear: Check. Total idiocy: Check. The smoke cleared in Melbourne with the cool change this afternoon, but you're right, tracicle. Yesterday morning we stayed in because of the smoke. Then, it was a bit eye-watering. Today, the gentle aroma of the eucalyptus was almost beguiling. Until one sees the pictures from Gippsland. Screaming nightmares.
  • This just in: "Earlier today, 80 firefighters and 20 trucks were called to battle deliberately-lit grass fires near the Western Ring Road at Glenroy just after midnight."
  • The assumption is they were not trying to set a backfire, then. Sad. The approach they're taking now in California, where arsonists can be charged with murder, seems perfectly justified.
  • Manslaughter seems a more reasonable charge.
  • But yeah, every fucking summer these psychos are out there lighting the place up. I can't say I enjoy it much, having been far too close to a couple of huge conflagrations. (To wit, this, and this.)
  • So far, only two houses are reported to have been destroyed. It's forest and farmland that are burning. There are whole towns at risk, but nobody's died so far. After the hottest December day for 53 years, the temperature is dropping as a cold front crosses the state. It's unlikely to bring any rain, and the changes in wind direction could do anything - particularly if we get lightning. I'm glad I'm 200km from the big fires.