|
Our home is on fire. Warning: Post contains images that maybe disturbing to some viewers and/or considered  due to depictions of persons in distress, major disaster and deceased animals.Australia is facing what experts are calling an unprecedented disaster in the form of raging bushfires across the face of our country. Australian bushfire season typically ranges from late spring till the end of summer for the South-East of the country, and from early winter to spring in the Northern tropical areas. However in the last 24 months that heuristic has been thrown out the window.  On the whole Australia is a very flammable country. We have vast areas of dense vegetation that has evolved to grow with little water, and large amounts of farmland both grassy and of the more plant-heavy variety. Consider that the most iconic tree of Australia, the Eucalyptus (that one that Koalas eat) is a literal bio-canister of highly inflammable oil that has been known to both explode when heated up enough and actually cause the air to burn due to the oil being expelled into the airspace above the canopy of clusters of Eucalypts. The vast majority of these areas have been in drought since roughly 2017 causing a lot of this vegetation to become dried out tinder perfectly suited as fuel to burn. Couple this with what is currently the hottest summer on record where peak temperatures ranged from an average 35°C (95°F for our imperial using friends) up to 45°C (114°F) and we have a recipe for disaster.  We have been facing fires of varying sizes across the country since August 2019 in what is already the worst fire related natural disaster in the country's history, and it is showing no signs of slowing down. Over 15 MILLION acres of land has been burned to the ground. This is roughly half of Pennsylvania for Americans, for Europeans slightly less than the entire country of Latvia. The fire burning in the East Gippsland area of the state of Victoria ALONE over the last 4 days has caused the mass evacuation of an area larger than Belgium and Luxembourg combined.  There are thousands of homes in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales (un-burnt) that at without electricity that may take weeks after the blazes have died down to be reconnected. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes, as well as a large number of tourists on holiday stuck amidst the disaster. Notably 3,000 tourists and 1,000 locals are in the process of being extracted by the Australian Navy from the Victorian township of Mallacoota after it was totally cut off from the rest of the country by fire. The fires are so bad the area went pitch black during the day due to smoke and then a literal shade of red. Currently the death toll sits at 18 lives lost.  Smoke from the fires over the last few months has been bad enough that the damage extends away from the fire front into major towns, cities and other population centres. The smoke has been causing serious breathing problems in a large number of people, not to mention how dangerous it is for elderly with breathing issues, children or adults with asthma (or other respiratory issues). Here is a before and after of Sydney (largest city in Australia, ya know where that famous bridge and Opera house are) on December 10 2019.   The air quality was so bad in early December IN A CAPITAL CITY SOME 50km to 70km away (31 to 43.5 miles) from the nearest fire that it was being measured by local media in number of cigarettes smoked from simply breathing outside.  On top of that we ruined our bestest mates New Zealand’s New Years Day by covering their entire South Island in smoke:  There is also the devastating impact on the fauna in the fire ravaged areas. Many native (and introduced I guess) species have been displaced just as humans or straight up killed. The damage is potentially irreversible to some populations. You may have already seen various news articles from roughly November 2019 about the Koala populations dying (some are honestly a bit blown out of proportion using the word “extinction” but the principle remains the same) and the situation is only going to escalate along with the fires as habitats are destroyed, and food becomes more scarce.   The response to this disaster has been mostly staffed by volunteers. Volunteer firefighters from Rural Fire Services of varying states (called the Country Fire Authority in Victoria or Country Fire Service in South Australia) have been on the job since the very beginning along with their paid fire associates and other emergency services units including volunteer State Emergency Services and aid organisations. The Australian Defence Force has also been called into a number of fire fronts to provide military level logistical support. The volunteers in these fire fighting units are normal people who come from many walks of life, the vast majority of them area taking unpaid leave from work and time away from their families during the Christmas/New Year period to combat these fires. Some have their own homes under threat, others are far away from their homes who have deployed into these areas to help. There is a lot of interstate support during these incidents, however obviously when so many states are individually under threat relying on your neighbours for manpower is difficult. Fire crews officially work 12 hour shifts, and unofficially can work upwards of 15+ hours. They are deployed directly into the fire and it is not rare for a crew to have to break their way out of an encircled area with fire bearing down upon them. Air support is consistent at large fires but constrained by visibility, fuel and frankly effectiveness.  Speaking from firsthand experience as a volunteer member of my local State Emergency Services branch in Queensland these situations are taxing. Both on people’s health and mental wellbeing as well as the literal costs associated with running operations like this. In a recent fire burning near my hometown that I attended as a strategic planning assistant I discovered the cost of running ONE ex-US Navy Blackhawk helicopter for fire fighting operations for ONE fire for ONE hour was $12,000 AUD. 1 Helicopter, 1 Fire, 1 Hour: $12,000. Consider on top of that the price of water and equipment to fight the fires, fuel to travel and food to feed both people in the field AND in command positions.  Organisations such as the Red Cross are actively supporting people who have lost everything to fire. And when I say everything, I mean it. Food, water and shelter are not always easy to get to places in need. Evacuation centres are typically community halls, stadiums or other such venues not suited to prolonged human habitation. It will take a large number of people many years to rebuild the lives they had. There are also a large number of volunteer and corporate based organisations attempting to care for the animals injured.  So why this massively long post? Because I want Goons outside Australia to know what is happening to my country, and to ask you to help support us. Money is a significant issue as highlighted above. A number of Rural Fire/Country Fire brigades have to do a large amount of fundraising for themselves to fit out their members, vehicles and subsidise their training costs. In my state (I’m sadly not sure about others) if an RFS Brigade wants a new vehicle they pay roughly 50% of the cost themselves from their coffers before the government chips in. This money is mostly raised from donations by corporate bodies, donation boxes in post offices, pubs and fast food places, and the old bucket shake at community events. The Red Cross and Salvation Army are always in need of money as well, especially now when resources are stretched thin. Anything you can give would be helpful in helping my country not burn to the ground. Donation links below: New South Wales Rural Fire Service: Online donations from overseas accepted via Credit Card Country Fire Service (South Australia): Online donation link Country Fire Authority (Victoria): Donations via direct bank transfer. You can nominate brigades to send the money directly to if you want rather than donate directly to the organisation. This map contains every brigade in the state. Big fire is currently on top of the Mallacoota brigade. Latest info for fires here if you want to match a different brigade. Rural Fire Brigades Association of Queensland Inc: Credit card online donations. A not-for-profit association in QLD made up of a large number of QLD RFS brigades that disseminates money to their members as required. Strike out gone, resume normal charity operations. Go Fund Me for saving Koalas also Koalas In Care a not-for-profit organisation covering an area of NSW currently burning and caring for Koalas injured in their area. ALSO NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service a NSW based wildlife rescue organisation covering for not just Koalas. Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund Further donation links suggested by Goons: Foodbank Victoria is asking for donations to help supply persons displaced by the bushfire who those who are already in need who have been further affected. - Suggested by Helith Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue is caring for Conservation Volunteers Australia is looking for people to self-nominate as helpers for supporting those dealing with conservation-related issues steaming from the fire. Read the webpage to learn more because no nominating doesn't mean they hand you a Koala to care for. They suggest donating to the org's refereed by the ABC but they too have a donation page, though not directly stated to be for this bushfire season. - Link provided by Goon drunkill Data quoted taken from various news outlets plus some Wikipedia links. All images used sourced in no particular order: https://twitter.com/HaytamSfifa/status/1212148527880687616 , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_Australian_bushfire_season#/media/File:Werombi_Bushfire.jpg, https://twitter.com/CFA_Updates/status/1211097314531717120, https://twitter.com/CFA_Updates/status/1211097314531717120, https://twitter.com/JackHuddo/status/1202705930619510787, https://twitter.com/gbearup/status/1212518377790439424?s=19, https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_1.651%2C$multiply_0.9669%2C$ratio_1.776846%2C$width_1059%2C$x_63%2C$y_401/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/423eb26b104c40b7bbaf6fb94b841bf125f6921f, https://twitter.com/Claire_B3007/status/1211959980372324352, https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1211610532568023040, https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.223%2C$multiply_0.7554%2C$ratio_1.776846%2C$width_1059%2C$x_0%2C$y_25/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/1d57a6619744f198af5ddf46e958cc59e3471281 Gridlocked fucked around with this message at 11:02 on Jan 9, 2020 |
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:03
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 7, 2024 17:29 |
|
|
I would also like to encourage fellow AusGoons to share experiences and media about the crisis in the thread. Such as this lovely tweet a where birds have heard sirens from emergency vehicles so much they now mimic them: https://twitter.com/isobelroe/status/1212500562102505472?s=19
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:05
|
|
|
I am a member of a QLD RFB branch and did a callout to the Gold Coast Hinterland before Christmas. Shits hosed.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:14
|
|
|
I’m dreading going back to Canberra on Saturday. 42 degree weather and hazardous air quality. poo poo's hosed. The post office is no longer making deliveries https://twitter.com/7NewsAustralia/status/1212601140015034370 Air quality is poo poo https://twitter.com/SLPAndrew/status/1212302276838088704 P2 Masks are impossible to buy  Visibility sucks  Summernats is still on (including the burnout competition) https://twitter.com/EmmaLarouche/status/1212553039686459393 I would blow Dane Cook fucked around with this message at 11:25 on Jan 2, 2020 |
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:17
|
|
|
I don't think anyone outside Oz really gives a gently caress
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:19
|
|
|
I threw 250 at the red cross appeal on nye. Not much else I can do from here but watch. Also does that mean I'm smoking 39 cigarettes a day now in eastern Sydney?
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:20
|
|
|
https://twitter.com/lube_enthusiast/status/1212679740504469506?s=21
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:23
|
|
|
BurgerQuest posted:I threw 250 at the red cross appeal on nye. Not much else I can do from here but watch. Cross post from AusPol NoNotTheMindProbe posted:I usually only get some minor asthma when I come down with a virus, but in the lead to to Christmas when Brisbane was covered in permanent smoke I had to use up my puffer prescription. My throat would constantly feel raw like I had been hanging out in the smoking section of a night club. It's a minor thing compared to what's happening in the actual fire zone right now but there is absolutely going to be public health ramifications from these fires for a long time to come.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:27
|
|
|
Nice Meanwhile people are getting on the Eucalypts  A lady dropped dead https://twitter.com/lukehgomes/status/1212660070606966784 The fire alarm went off at the ABC and they had to film the nightly news outside. https://twitter.com/ABCMediaComms/status/1207068168650313728 Baseball is cancelled https://twitter.com/ABL/status/1212253570059292672  Important Summernats Update 
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:34
|
|
|
What the gently caress is this? https://twitter.com/k_morrissey/status/1212669863417659393
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:40
|
|
|
https://twitter.com/oz_f/status/1212669938055278592
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:41
|
|
|
Nice but also thank you 
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:44
|
|
|
I would blow Dane Cook posted:What the gently caress is this? holy poo poo this loving guy
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:47
|
|
|
I would blow Dane Cook posted:What the gently caress is this? This was physically painful to watch noice
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:49
|
|
|
I live in Metro suburban Melbourne. My sister lives north, on the edge of Melbourne...which is 20 minutes drive away. This week we had a bushfire just north of me (I was 1 house away from the "advice you need to watch and be ready to leave if needed area", and my 2-year olds child care was next door to the evacuate nowohtoolate "it is too late to leave, find shelter and pray to the god of your choice area". It lasted all day and the smoke made me cough a lot. And I was well south of the ash and ember area. Fortunately no one died, no houses burnt down, probably not many animals I hope. Despite living here all my life, I do not recall that bush land EVER burning like that before. It's nothing compared to what's happening out there elsewhere.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 11:57
|
|
|
BurgerQuest posted:Also does that mean I'm smoking 39 cigarettes a day now in eastern Sydney? Ni, it means you're smoking 39 free cigarettes a day. That's a pineapple or so worth.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:03
|
|
|
I visited Manly on a work trip and it was my first time in Australia, ever. The main takeaway from my trip was how the environment really helps my mood, as I currently live outside of Stockholm and Nov to Mid-Jan is just Dark all the goddamn time. Smelling jasmine and being near the ocean and the sun, all of it, even though I was on a work trip I couldn’t get over how the beautiful my surroundings were and how I felt really calm and just in the moment. This was around early November, and I remember the slight haze of brushfire, as I grew up in the NY Pine Barrens and that area is a tinderbox if you breathe the wrong way. I grew up with the notion that some brush fire is natural, and yeah it can get out of control sometimes (the Sunrise fires were a vivid part of my childhood) but it’s nothing to be concerned about. In 2018, Sweden had the insane summer heatwave and the fires all over the country. Having the effects of climate change surrounding you, staring plainly in your face, knowing that freak weather is the new normal, that fucks with your head. And now seeing the pictures and footage from NSW, my AU colleagues terrified and concerned for their families and loved ones, I don’t know. I feel like my head is literally trying to form new pathways in having to contend with the beautiful serenity I felt in Nov burning up in flames, the fires in 2018, and being told, endlessly as a kid back in the 90s that the brush fires were nothing to be too worried about, it can be taken care of - I don’t know. It sets in this bleak dread that I don’t think will go away, after Australia, where next? People outside of Australia care, and we also kind of wish to pummel your PM into dust (but this can be said for most world leaders in 2020).
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:04
|
|
|
ili posted:Ni, it means you're smoking 39 free cigarettes a day. That's a pineapple or so worth. fuckin noice
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:08
|
|
|
Comstar posted:I live in Metro suburban Melbourne. My sister lives north, on the edge of Melbourne...which is 20 minutes drive away. I have a mate who lives behind Uni Hill in Bundoora and she got evacuated, things were looking very scary for a bit. My mum was going on about how if that fire had gotten into Plenty Gorge then we were gonna have Ash Wednesday '83 again, something she lived through and has no wish to experience again. Of course now it looks like that recent fire was deliberately lit. teen witch posted:People outside of Australia care, and we also kind of wish to pummel your PM into dust (but this can be said for most world leaders in 2020). Cheers. We get first dibs on Morrison though.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:13
|
|
|
Money where my mouth is, donated via direct bank transfer. to the Mallacoota Country Fire Authority brigade. That is the brigade from the town where this was happening earlier today: https://twitter.com/davidhurleyHS/status/1212583663805710337 And evacuations are currently underway by the Australian Navy.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:18
|
|
|
https://twitter.com/lukehgomes/status/1212691482043244545
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:23
|
|
|
In retrospect I should have used the HOT thread tag
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:26
|
|
|
the uk is larger than latvia
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:32
|
|
|
Milo and POTUS posted:the uk is larger than latvia This is what I get for trusting goon math. Thank you for the embarrassing proofread. Gridlocked fucked around with this message at 12:38 on Jan 2, 2020 |
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:36
|
|
|
https://twitter.com/yveyong/status/1212670590974251013 https://twitter.com/rhysam/status/1212583043375828992 https://twitter.com/Peter93005600/status/1212629954594140160 https://twitter.com/chaser/status/1212606912618852352 thatbastardken fucked around with this message at 12:44 on Jan 2, 2020 |
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:39
|
|
|
 This is the projected fire map for New Years Eve. You know, no big.  This would be the fire that's currently... less than 10 km south from my house? It's a small one: about 2559 hectares as of this photo, it's nice and under control.  There it is on the right. I spent New Year's Eve packing up everything I considered valuable to fit into my car just in case the fires broke containment and spread to my house. Then I drove 3 hours north to stay with a friend before driving back down yesterday, because my wife and I didn't want to risk it.     These are shots I and friend who lives on the containment line took driving out of town. I stopped 20 minutes up the highway for an hour to check conditions. 20 Minutes before this photo panorama, the sky was blue and the sun was bright.  I want to point out: I'm on easy street. The fire never broke containment near me and my friend and I are fine and back in our houses. We're on the northern edge of some of the bigger fires, near the only bridge across the river in the area. People south of us were evacuating today after finally making contact and having to spend a day with almost no power or communication. There's a good chance many of them don't have a house to go back to anymore. EDIT: I also want to make it clear, I'm safe and won't be taking any chances, most of the car is still packed if I have to leave again. But seriously, this situation is going to continue well into March at the earliest, and the wind in the area can shift fast and whips fire all sorts of ways. Everything is bone dry owing to a drought that came out of a dry winter and there's no idea when we will get rain again. Torchlighter fucked around with this message at 12:49 on Jan 2, 2020 |
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:42
|
|
|
   
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:52
|
|
|
I've donated $50 to the CFA, 25 to the general training fund and $25 to a specific volunteer brigade, Buchan, since the town got wiped off the map the other night and I have spent many weekends caving in the area with scouts/ventures when I was younger. My mate's mums place was burnt down in Mallacoota, everything lost, his whole family normally head that way over new years for a week but they called it off and his mum is up in Sydney. She'll have to move back to Melbourne to live while her house is rebuilt over the next year, probably. https://twitter.com/Xtrackka/status/1212689623517761537 An interesting graphic, the inset is what the CFA released on Sunday (29th Dec) saying to get out now. The main image shows how the fires have spread to include almost all of that warning area, plus Mallacoota which was left off the original evacuation order. And just today the CFA have issued a huge warning area in the states north while the national emergency hotline has been sending texts to everyone in the Albury-Wodonga area saying to get out now because Saturday and Sunday are going to be horrific. You can see the Gippsland fires at the bottom of this image 
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:57
|
|
|
Don't forget this one. loving yikes. https://twitter.com/FRNSW/status/1211943881790509056?s=19
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:58
|
|
|
Canberra air killed a woman today, and is rated the worst in the world right now.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 12:59
|
|
|
The loving Liberal Party stooge pushing the poor girl away from Scummo. Sadly this dumb gently caress won't be going anywhere for close to 3 years thanks Australian voters.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:08
|
|
|
You Am I posted:The loving Liberal Party stooge pushing the poor girl away from Scummo. Don't blame the voters for Labor fielding an uninspiring shitshow of stupol lawyer fuckers.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:18
|
|
|
Korgan posted:Canberra air killed a woman today, and is rated the worst in the world right now. The air quailty was actually worse in Sydney during early Dec when it topped out at 2000 ppm. I've pretty much been on high alert since the middle of November because I happen to live between these two behemoths.  I live near that pissy little town in the middle of the image called Katoomba mostly known as a tourist spot where you can see the Three Sisters and go for a ride on the steepest railway in the world. First it was the ruined castle fire that got a little close to home and then the Gospers fire hitting the other side of the valley. They attempted to control it with a backburn at the start of december but it got out of control and formed the Grose Valley in mid December. Since then it's flared multiple times and taken out quite a few houses. On the edge of the Green Wattle fire is the main water supply for Sydney. When it does decide to rain again it's gonna be hosed by the amount of ash that'll wash into it because there is now very little of the perimiter that hasn't been impacted by fire. The tourist trade is proper hosed and has been for a while but possibly not quite as bad as the South Coast is getting currently. I appreciate the people telling the PM to get hosed because a couple of weeks ago he was supposed to visit up here but bailed when he realised there'd be protesters waiting for him.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:22
|
|
|
Daniel Andrews has invoked a Stage of Disaster for Victoria for the first time since new powers were created. https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/victorian-government-declares-a-state-of-disaster/ quote:Premier Daniel Andrews has declared a State of Disaster for six Local Government Areas and the Alpine Resorts, after considering advice from the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Emergency Management Commissioner.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:23
|
|
|
Byolante posted:Don't blame the voters for Labor fielding an uninspiring shitshow of stupol lawyer fuckers. av post combo
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:27
|
|
|
I hope the silver lining for all this will be that Australians remember this at the polls for once. There is a real sense of poetic tragedy about the whole thing.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:33
|
|
|
Zazi posted:av post combo Some people got real mad that I asked r guyo if he still thought the Uighur genocide was a western media fabrication.
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:36
|
|
|
More fire! Imagine this being your happy little home town: https://twitter.com/smh/status/1211907392633331713
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:36
|
|
|
wtf why would a tree evolve to somehow become more than flammable
|
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:37
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 7, 2024 17:29 |
|
|
Wamdoodle posted:wtf why would a tree evolve to somehow become more than flammable Because the seeds will only grow if they get torched. edit: quote:Many Eucalyptus species growing in fire prone areas have thick insulating bark. The bark protects the tree from moderate fires. These trees, along with most other Eucalypt species, also have dormant buds beneath the bark called epicormic shoots. These shoots are protected by the bark and quickly sprout if the crown of the tree is damaged. From here https://blogs.unimelb.edu.au/sciencecommunication/2019/10/27/australian-trees-and-fire/ Byolante fucked around with this message at 13:43 on Jan 2, 2020 |
|
#
?
Jan 2, 2020 13:41
|
|