Victorian Fires.

[Malacasta]

Hey, sometimes you get reminded that humanity is at the whims of nature.

I've been to all the places where those little blue blips are, I grew up in the town next to those ones out east, heaps of my school friends came from there and I know people who still live there, I visited Kinglake just last October.

I hope that all you other Victorian's here are okay, and that your loved ones got out in time.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/iv...0208-80p6.html

[Rosuav]

I'll disappoint a lot of people and say that I'm fine.

[Malacasta]

This is a pretty terrifying picture:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/gal...020-16,00.html

[Kravenar]

Howdy folks.. Have had a couple of messages of concern. Just letting you know Firefighter Kravenar is all okay.

To be honest have been on days off although was called in to work last nigth to cover someone being away. I was on the truck that was left behind to keep watch on the city so basically have not been in the way of anything major. Tomorrow am on my normal shift so may be a different story. The MFB has 2 or 3 strike teams deployed to the going fires - and I'd hope they will stay there until they are contained, so may be rotated through. It is highly frustrating to be qualified and experienced to go help, while the administration of these things prevents me from just grabbing my gear and going.......

I will right more when I have a little more time, but will just say whatever you are hearing in the news (death toll currently at 65- officially) Unofficially up to another 100 are unaccoutned for, although hopefully many of those are safe and just not been located in the "system". In any case though, be aware that it WILL get much much worse before the end of this.

Hearing the radio messages over the truck last night, for those out there it was absolute hell, confusion and extremely desperate. In some cases mayday calls were unanswered simply because it wasn't possible to get through to the locations.

will keep in touch.. Krav..

[Malacasta]

Best of luck Krav. Pass on our great thanks to your workmates too. I can't imagine.

[Jidoe]

I heard the weather got a little better and I hope the fire is extinguished soon. Unfortunately, this is another proof to nature's strength, in case we sometimes forget.

Stay safe Krav (and everyone else who live in the area).

[Rosuav]

Originally posted by Malacasta
This is a pretty terrifying picture:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/gal...020-16,00.html

Fire is an immensely powerful force... for evil or for good. So vital to society, but so easily able to wipe us out.

Krav, glad you're personally okay. Keep yourself that way... have to survive at least until Skan comes over, later this year!

Seriously, though, that Victorians do generally know how to cope with major fires. We get them often enough, and know how to contain them and/or escape the front. I couldn't find decent stats, but fires in the USA tend to kill a lot more people for the same area burned out. Granted, there's quite possibly a difference in population density; but this is the highest death toll in a Victorian bushfire since Ash Wednesday at 75, and I saw mention of fires that killed over 400 (although I couldn't find acreage). It's a good sign for CFA and MFB. Keep up the good work!

[Malacasta]

We're sort of being inundated with heart wrenching stories of terror and death, and like Krav said, the numbers will just keep going up and up. Sometimes though you hear about one death and it's shocking. Now I'm not saying there's anything more special about Brian Naylor than anyone else in the fires, but he was in my living room every night for 20 years.

He used to sign off with "May your news be good news and goodnight"

RIP

Brian Naylor and wife killed in bushfires
February 8th, 2009
FORMER Channel Nine anchorman Brian Naylor and his wife Moiree have died in in the horrific Victorian bushfires.

Channel Nine has confirmed that the couple's bodies had been found.

The death toll has now climbed to 84.

Brian Nayor was Channel Nine's chief newsreader from 1978 to 1998, according Wikipedia.

In 1998, Naylor won the Victorian Father of the Year Award.

But tragedy struck him personally last year when his son, Matthew, was killed in a plane crash at Kinglake.

[Riek]

St Andrews and Kinglake are about 10 and 15 kms respectively from where I live, and it's been pretty eerie around here the last few days. There was absolutely nobody about on Saturday which was expected given it was 45 (115) degrees. There was just the heat and smoke. There were a few more people about today, but it was still pretty dead.

I've had a few friends evacuated, and have my bags packed 'just in case'. There are about 2 kms of urban sprawl between me and the forest, and then the 10 kms between that and the fire front -but you still can't be too careful.

I've also got a few friends in the CFA and DSE, and have the world of respect for them right now. Best of luck if you get sent there Monday Krav.

[Belaraiya]

I have friends here who are part of the volunteer bush firefighters, and I've just been informed they're all being put on standby to be flown over in the next few days to give the Victorian firefighters a bit of breathing room.

Keep in touch everyone in that area of Victoria. We're all thinking about you