February 08, 2009

After a record breaking day in Victoria, Australia, at least 26 people are dead, with more expected to be found. The state premier fought back tears at a press conference, as fires and heat have disrupted travel across Victoria.
posted by polychrome 15 years ago
  • It seems so horrible. Talking to people back home - the heat is wearing everyone out. Also they are having trouble dealing with the number of casualties and deaths because of the heat. It will take some time for everyone and the environment to recover.
  • My thoughts are with all you downunder Monkeys.
  • It finally broke here in Adelaide last night - much cooler today. But this past week and a bit has been unpleasant.
  • This is terrible. And from what I've been reading, there will be more of this.
  • My father turned the heater on in our car when we drove through Death Valley in weather like that. His theory was that it would pull heat off the engine and keep it going. Of course we all suffered. My Mom turned red as a crab. But the useless steaming hulks of so many other cars did seem to support his theory, but I guess we're lucky to have survived.
  • Been there, done that when our truck was overheating one hot day. Had to come down out of the Owyhee Mountains and across the desert with an engine heating due to a radiator leak, parceling out our drinking water. Rather not fun, but we made it, and the engine didn't seize. Imagine that heat day in, day out. The only ones with half a clue on the coming years will be the Aborigines.
  • A dear friend in Melbourne has been keeping me posted over the past few days as the news has become progressively worse. It's been heartbreaking.
  • this is heartbreaking, yes (I won't even comment on the arson angle, I'm still too shocked) but as a californian this is also really really scary. Here's to hoping the death toll does not rise anymore.
  • It's running very slowly for me here in the U.S., but here's a link where you can make a donation to the Australian Red Cross: Victorian Bushfire Appeal 2009
  • 173 perished, and counting. :(
  • the police estimate it could go as high as 300
  • Sympathies and wishes for cooler weather from a northern monkey. The scale of this thing is tough to grasp. Such horror... that it's man-created is beyond awful. Heartbreaking indeed. Nothing like watching your home in flames. I've been there--I know what that feels like. No words are adequate.
  • Here's a "happy ever after" followup story.
  • And the true story.