Bec Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 I don't live in Victoria but so far there are at least 40 people who have been killed and hundreds of people who have lost their homes. Entire towns have been destroyed. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7877178.stm It's so sad, I heard of a lovely couple who breed Pyreneans who have not only lost their entire home but their dogs too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Sad shit this ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted February 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 It's devastating. 650 homes have been lost and now the death toll has risen to 65 people, including some children Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura_3173 Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 awww thats awful! i feel so sorry for the families! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 I heard this on the radio today whilst driving down to the races, each time the news came on made me so sad. Glad you're not caught up in it smeagle x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Well we woke up this morning and the death toll has surpassed 100 people, it is the worst natural disaster in Australian history. A Sibe breeder I know, had in laws who narrowly escaped losing their home. They went to check in on their neighbour and found him and his dogs burnt to death under a piece of tin. And a fire and rescue volunteer lost his wife, kids and home when he was off fighting fires So very sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 126 people in the state of Victoria is likely to rise further. bloody sad shit this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Yes they are predicting approximately 230 people dead. The fires are still burning and heading towards new towns now, some of them have been deliberately lit. You can only imagine what kind of sad sick little people do something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Officials believe some of the fires might have been started deliberately, an accusation Mr Rudd described as "a level of horror that few of us anticipated". "There are no words to describe it other than mass murder," he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Premeditated murder at that, Dunc. Almost 4000 people have been evacuated from their homes, so many hundreds have lost their homes and every thing in them. This includes their pets, live stock, everything. There are a few people in the show/breeding community who have lost their dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 OMG! Only read a little of the article and couldn't read anymore as bringing tears in my eyes! All of that due to arrogent arsonists?! Discusting to think of the sheer amount of people that have lost their lives or loved ones (including pets and livestock). Do you know is Melbourne has been hit? Thinking about it I think I have family living in that area, will have to call nan and grandad and find out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 OMG! Only read a little of the article and couldn't read anymore as bringing tears in my eyes! All of that due to arrogent arsonists?! Discusting to think of the sheer amount of people that have lost their lives or loved ones (including pets and livestock). Do you know is Melbourne has been hit? Thinking about it I think I have family living in that area, will have to call nan and grandad and find out! Not all the fires were arsonists, just some of them - at some points there were more than 30+ fires going. Victoria has had extremely hot, dry weather the last couple of weeks with temperatures regularly around 45-48 degrees, as well as high winds which exacerbates the bush fire season. Bush fires alone are nothing new but we have never ever seen them to the extent we have them now. Like I said - it is the worst natural disaster the country has ever seen. Melbourne isn't affected - its the surrounding areas. Here is the latest: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25027055-421,00.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Not all the fires were arsonists, just some of them - at some points there were more than 30+ fires going. Victoria has had extremely hot, dry weather the last couple of weeks with temperatures regularly around 45-48 degrees, as well as high winds which exacerbates the bush fire season. Bush fires alone are nothing new but we have never ever seen them to the extent we have them now. Like I said - it is the worst natural disaster the country has ever seen. Melbourne isn't affected - its the surrounding areas. Here is the latest: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25027055-421,00.html Thanks Smeagle. Will be calling nan and grandad tonight to double check where my great uncle (Grandads brother) and second counsins live to. I know one cousin is in the navy around Sydney so hopefully he is safe as Sydney (Providing he is still in the Navy that is) is further away but Im not 100% sure where everyone else is. My wishes go to all who is suffereing there. So glad your not affected and hope you don't have family or friends around there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Read this on one of the news websites A woman staying with a friend at Kinglake said a badly burned man and his daughter arrived at the property yesterday. The father said his wife and other child had been killed. "He had skin hanging off him everywhere and his little girl was burnt, but not as badly as her dad," Marie Jones told The Age. " he just came down and he said 'Look, I've lost my wife, I've lost my other kid, I just need you to save [my daughter]'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Horrible situation. My heart goes out to all the people who have lost everything in the fires! Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Some poor bastard was trying to get out, and put his two little girls in the car. He ran back into the house to get something else and came back just as the car exploded, it was in flames and he could do nothing to save his kids Horrific stuff. Most people had no warning as this fire was apocalyptic, it came out of no where and was moving so fast most people had no warning. There is a lot of encouragement to stay and fight bush fires, but even those who were well prepared for fire season stood no chance. The flames were so hot that water tanks full of water melted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austinville Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 My heart to Oz......was watching this on the news here over the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 god this is so awful.........i'm actually glad of the snow here for once now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Spoke to my nan last night on the phone. Luckily, they no longer live in the same area as victoria (PHEW). Still praying for those who are suffering the destruction of their family, homes, life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 oh that's a relief SW, glad they're ok hope people can get out as quickly as possible x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted February 13, 2009 Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 Australian man charged with arson Australian police have charged a man with "arson causing death" over one of the country's deadly bushfires. The reports said the man was charged with lighting a fire, which killed at least 21 people, near the town of Churchill in the state of Victoria. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has described Australia's deadliest bushfires as "mass murder". At least 181 people were killed as the fires swept through Victoria in south-east Australia at the weekend. Reports that a suspect had been arrested first appeared in The Age newspaper and were later confirmed to several media by a police spokesperson. The newspaper said the man is 39 years old and is from Churchill. Victoria Police Commissioner Christine Nixon said a fire in Churchill - about 140km (90 miles) south-east of Melbourne - was deliberately started. She added that it was possible a devastating blaze that killed at least 15 people in the town of Marysville was also the work of arsonists. Police have said murder by arson carries a maximum 25-year jail penalty. Meanwhile, two men questioned earlier on Thursday in connection with allegations of looting in a fire-hit area were released without charge, according to local media reports quoting police. Fire fighters are still trying to battle at least a dozen different blazes. The tally of homes destroyed is now more than 1,800, and the number of people left homeless more than 7,000. The Australian government plans to hold a national day of mourning and has promised to remove bureaucratic hurdles that have prevented the creation of a nationwide fire alert system. Meanwhile, more than 150 actors, sports stars, politicians and musicians have taken part in a fundraising telethon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted February 13, 2009 Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 OMG!!!! Thats awful, not the arrest but the amount of people that are homeless. When we think that people here in the UK are loosing their homes due to this recession it is no where near as horrific to those people in Victoria who are loosing their homes due to the fires! I would much rather be kicked out of my home that have to watch it burn! I really hope they can get the fires under control soon and prevent more families being destroyed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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