Down Under Fires

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Oldav8tor
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Down Under Fires

Post by Oldav8tor » Mon Dec 30, 2019 11:30 am

Watching the news about the tragic fires in Australia I wanted to let our friends down under know that they are in our thoughts. The US has experienced it's share of wildfires on the west coast but the fires in Australia are of biblical proportions. Stay safe and know that your friends around the world are thinking of you and wishing a speedy end to those terrible fires.
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by 2nighthawks » Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:41 pm

I have a cousin in Australia and he and his wife and most of their family live in suburban areas around Sydney. When I first heard about the fires a week or two ago, I called my Australian cousin to see how the family was doing as I had read that while there are serious fires all over the entire country, the worst seemed to be on the east coast and on both north and south sides of Sydney. He said that none of the family was in any immediate danger, and that they were doing fine. I honestly believe that he was trying to minimize the severity of the whole issue, just to reassure me and the rest of our extended family in the USA and the UK that all was fine, however, I really question that. (???) The reason I say this is that while my cousins words were reassuring, he was coughing continually while on the phone with me, and when questioned about that, he did acknowledge that the smoke was very much a problem in the whole Sydney area. Of course my cousins age does not help as he and his wife are the same age as me,....78 years old! All this to say that I agree that we should all keep our Australian friends and families in our thoughts and prayers as the fire situation all over Australia really is unprecedented in severity! FWIW,.....harold

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Mark Gregush
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Mark Gregush » Tue Dec 31, 2019 1:21 am

They are in my thoughts. The pictures I have seen of Sydney look pretty darn bad, smoke wise.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Tue Dec 31, 2019 5:01 am

My wife is a bit of an internet news junkie, and she has been updating me on their situation often. Really nasty down there. Hearts and wishes go out to all involved.


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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Kerry » Sun Jan 05, 2020 2:04 am

Not getting any better, to much for fire fighters to handle, help from over seas to fight and army called in. several convoys of supplies and trucks loaded with hay for live stock, dozers and graders past my place today, navy ships bringing in food and water and to evacuate trapped people in coastal towns.

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Mark Gregush
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Mark Gregush » Sun Jan 05, 2020 2:42 am

Yes the navy evacuating the coastal town that are cutoff, loss of life, loss of wildlife(huge number of wildlife), homes burnt and number of fires etc has been in the news over here both local and national.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Kerry » Tue Jan 07, 2020 3:47 am

Well the media are in good form, greenies, bleeding hearts and do Gooders are on the band wagon of global warming!
Yes it is bad but what was the blame in January 1939? 71 died and 5,000,000 acres and several towns burnt out.
We live with the chance of bush fires every summer, just some are worse than others.

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Oldav8tor
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Oldav8tor » Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:29 am

Frank - there is no doubt weather patterns are changing.... you're right that fires are not a new phenomenom, but in the US the fire season has gotten longer and more intense. Human activity has played a part in the change as have other factors. It doesn't change the fact that humans and animals are suffering on a massive scale and there is little we can do about it....
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Kerry » Tue Jan 07, 2020 3:04 pm

Tim, sure, some human activity plays a big part in fires, some 180 nut cases have been charged for arson so far this fire season.

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Oldav8tor
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Oldav8tor » Tue Jan 07, 2020 3:34 pm

Frank,
We've got those too, not to mention the stupids. I remember a visit to Arizona a few years ago where every so often the grass in the highway median would be burned black. Some idiot had pitched a cigarette out the window and a fire ensued. In a recent case a guy shot at an exploding target as part of a "Gender Reveal" party (it was a boy) and started a fire that burned 47000 acres and cost 8 million dollars.....Geez! Fortunately, here in Michigan wildfires are a very rare occurrence... not so in the dry west.
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Scott_Conger » Tue Jan 07, 2020 6:32 pm

Tim

imagine in a few years if that boy rejects his gender and assumes a new one...then those acres would have been burnt for nothing! :lol:
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Burger in Spokane » Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:04 pm

Scott,

Better mind those "fighting words". A feeling might be hurt. Who knows,
maybe some child identifies as a penguin, or a sombrero, .... what then ? :shock:
More people are doing it today than ever before !

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Ongoing situation down-under

Post by Rob Patterson » Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:34 am

Hi Folks,
The following is part of an email I sent to a friend in Holland who was enquiring about our welbeing in this crisis. I figured that some of you might have been wondering too.

"Sandy and I are safe and our property is undamaged....for now. I say "For Now" because this damned awful summer isn't over yet. There are 2 large fires burning close by to us. One in the North and another in the South, south west. Presently their status is "Being Controlled" which is comforting compared to the "Out of Control" status they've had for weeks. "Under control" would be better though.

We have had 4 emergency warnings so far, where we were supposed to evacuate. As you know, we did so the first time where we, our Children, Grandchildren, dogs and 85yo Mother in Law (all visiting for Xmas - New Year) drove in convoy to Canberra. 4 days later we returned home. Since then we have ignored one evacuation warning and another time we took shelter in the local Evacuation Center, a large basketball stadium in the town's show-ground. That night we slept on camp mattress's on the floor, while incredibly high winds blew one fire into our township and got to about 1.5kms NNW from our home. The night spent with many other people, their children, dogs & cats. It certainly wasn't home, but it wasn't too uncomfortable, all things considered.

At the present, conditions are relatively calm, giving the firefighters a chance to get on top of the situation by strengthening containment lines and preparing for 2 more days with high winds and high temperatures on Friday and Saturday. We've had water bombing aircraft flying low over our house nearly every day for about 3 weeks now. But just yesterday, in preparation for these 2 bad days ahead, 5 Air Tractors, flew non stop for around 6 hours water bombing a fire which is presently about 2 kms to the SSW of us.

We have friends who have been impacted. One or two who have lost everything they own. Tomorrow I have an appointment to have a crown fitted to a bad tooth, but my dentist, also a mate, lost everything except his house. Sheds, decks, fences, water tanks, swimming pool etc. Even our Vintage Machinery Club lost its headquarters. All the tractors, engines, tools pumps, ....everything, gone. Some of which was VERY valuable.

I'm expecting (& hoping) that we will get out of all this relatively unscathed. However, one of the bad days ahead could quite easily destroy everything we own. If that happens, I can fall back on the small comfort of knowing that its all insured. But I will never feel comfortable again, living where I live, nearby to a Eucalyptus filled National Park. A few weeks back the media interviewed a retired Rural Fire Service Superintendent, Phil Koperburg, who said.....

"Nobody in their right mind would build a home or village in the middle of an oil refinery. So why do they build in the middle of a Eucalyptus forest? Its the same thing."

He's 100% correct and I've always know this. But the lure of milder temperatures, nearby beaches, great fishing and to a lesser degree, the bush itself, was just too great to ignore and we bought land here 20 years ago. Now though, I could quite easily move back inland, where there aren't any National Parks. Just farms".

All the best.

SlangeVar,
Rob
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by perry kete » Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:30 pm

Has all the rain helped at all? How are you doing down there are the fires under control?
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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Henry K. Lee » Tue Feb 11, 2020 7:51 pm

GOOD ONE SCOTT! LMAO!

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Re: Down Under Fires

Post by Mustang1964s » Wed Feb 12, 2020 4:22 pm

Rob,
Thank you for the note.
It has the details are better than anything we get on the news.

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