Fires in Oz

[ElectricBlue]

He's not really that entertaining.

I don't have many hobby horses. Allow me this one (or stop reading my posts) .

 

[Bramblethorn]

If one were inclined to send money, can someone post a link to a reputable organization to which to donate?

Rural Fire Services/Country Fire Associations are the volunteer brigades doing a lot of the work. They're strapped for resources - volunteers have been paying for petrol for their trucks out of their own funds - so money there will be much appreciated. Links for New South Wales and Victoria:

https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/about-us/fundraising
https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about/supporting-cfa

For survivors, human and wildlife, several charities here: https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/bushfire-donations-heres-how-you-can-help/11696418

I'm fond of the Red Cross and St. Vincent's.

Sure, climate change has an effect, but it does not cause everything, and it's not dominating everything. It's a distraction - the real issue in the context of this year's fires is what to do to reduce the fuel load...
The dominant factor in bushfires is the massive fuel load that just keeps piling up.

(I've already cited a bunch of fire experts explaining why this is wrong.)

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Nevermind

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Rural Fire Services/Country Fire Associations are the volunteer brigades doing a lot of the work. They're strapped for resources - volunteers have been paying for petrol for their trucks out of their own funds - so money there will be much appreciated. Links for New South Wales and Victoria

Thanks.

Edited: I was able to donate to the NSW fire brigade and the Au Redcross. The Victoria fire brigade wouldn't take my info because it's not an Oz address.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I don't have many hobby horses. Allow me this one (or stop reading my posts) .

***Blows whistle!*** Ok - break! Back to your corners! Philosophical discussions are for the GB. We’re in the shit. That’s a fact.

My first job as an engineer was constructing water mains through the Dandenong Ranges, outside of Melbourne. This was after the 1983 bushfires, and the idea was to have water available down every “road” for fire fighters to access.

It didn’t take a genius to realise that I was working on an exercise in futility. Putting mains down tight, winding dead end tracks leading to timber houses built on steep slopes in the middle of dense, highly flammable bush? Nuts. It made people feel better, but really made no difference.

The reality is natural disasters will happen. Have always happened. Will continue to happen. Debating the scale of a disaster is irrelevant today.

 

[ElectricBlue]

***Blows whistle!*** Ok - break! Back to your corners!

Ref's whistle heard. I didn't mean to ruffle feathers (it's something I care about, having worked on a major drought recovery project and experiencing some of the bullshit first hand). But I'll pull my head in now.

The good news is there's a big band of rain coming across South Australia, over Victoria, and into the south-east corner of NSW. Hopefully it will put some of the worst fires out. Although it's completely by-passed Kangaroo Island.

This is the live loop: http://www.bom.gov.au/products/national_radar_sat.loop.shtml

 

[ElectricBlue]

Some folk just can't win a trick. Flood damage in the middle of a fire zone:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01...id-fires-damaging-homes-and-property/11841596

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

Frightening. God bless you all.

 

[Voboy]

Some folk just can't win a trick. Flood damage in the middle of a fire zone:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01...id-fires-damaging-homes-and-property/11841596

Yes.

That, too, happens in Southern California. The fires come through and sweep away the vegetation, leaving nothing to hold the soil when it does rain. The hillsides there get horrific flooding and mudslides during the years soon after major fires.

You do hope these people knew the hazards of where they were buying or building their homes. It's sad.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Some folk just can't win a trick. Flood damage in the middle of a fire zone:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01...id-fires-damaging-homes-and-property/11841596

"Police are investigating..." That's scary. It means it's considered vandalism or sabotage.

Great...

 

[BelleCanzuto]

"Police are investigating..." That's scary. It means it's considered vandalism or sabotage.

Great...

Yeah. You gotta wonder how a water tank that huge just blows up/collapses, without the nearby one getting damaged at all.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Some folk just can't win a trick. Flood damage in the middle of a fire zone:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01...id-fires-damaging-homes-and-property/11841596

Not at the same scale, but here's one somebody took of a water tank burning to the ground, while still full of water: https://twitter.com/GavinCoote/status/1213632968922558464

You do hope these people knew the hazards of where they were buying or building their homes. It's sad.

Some people bought/built in areas which were safe at the time (relatively speaking) but are no longer safe, due to changes in fire risks. Some people know it's dangerous but can't afford anything better.

 

[SamScribble]

This is the sky over Auckland, New Zealand - more than 2,000 kms away.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/118593619/australia-bushfires-more-smoke-on-its-way-to-new-zealand

 

[Bramblethorn]

Yeah. You gotta wonder how a water tank that huge just blows up/collapses, without the nearby one getting damaged at all.

Could've been a structural defect, or lack of maintenance, or a bunch of other things - we won't know until the investigation is done. So far I haven't seen any report of evidence that suggests deliberate sabotage, but it's the police's job to consider that kind of thing and check for it.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Could've been a structural defect, or lack of maintenance, or a bunch of other things - we won't know until the investigation is done. So far I haven't seen any report of evidence that suggests deliberate sabotage, but it's the police's job to consider that kind of thing and check for it.

That's a good point.

 

[TxRad]

***Blows whistle!*** Ok - break! Back to your corners! Philosophical discussions are for the GB. We’re in the shit. That’s a fact.

I, uh, wasn't saying anything about EB's, uh, posts. I was talking about a long time and long winded, chart wise, Anti-Global Warming advocate.

Carry on.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I, uh, wasn't saying anything about EB's, uh, posts. I was talking about a long time and long winded, chart wise, Anti-Global Warming advocate.

Carry on.

No worries - my rant was... a rant, and I have no excuse. Well, I have dozens of excuses, none of them worth much.

Still, Australia's done it's bit for global warming - I read today that a carbon counter scientist guy reckons it will take a century to sequester the carbon released in this batch of fires, at Australia's typical tree growth rate. And it's only the 5th of January.

Carrying on .

 

[Handley_Page]

"Police are investigating..." That's scary. It means it's considered vandalism or sabotage.

Great...

Let us hope that there is no shouting of "Alahu Akbar" on the wind, then.

 

[Rustyoznail]

No worries - my rant was... a rant, and I have no excuse. Well, I have dozens of excuses, none of them worth much.

Still, Australia's done it's bit for global warming - I read today that a carbon counter scientist guy reckons it will take a century to sequester the carbon released in this batch of fires, at Australia's typical tree growth rate. And it's only the 5th of January.

Carrying on .

All good EB. It’s a shit time, and emotions are running a bit high.

We’ve probably all got family, friends or even ourselves involved.

And thanks Belle. You didn’t have to contribute because I’m sure the US will have their own dramas, but I - we appreciate it.

Cheers, and may it rain soon.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Meanwhile, sharks:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01...ar-esperance-off-wa-south-east-coast/11842420

 

[BelleCanzuto]

And thanks Belle. You didn’t have to contribute because I’m sure the US will have their own dramas, but I - we appreciate it.

Cheers, and may it rain soon.

You're all welcome to it. It wasn't much, but it's what I can right now. And, yeah, the US will have its own dramas (and has) and I help there too, when I can afford it.

And yes, may it rain. A lot.

 

[Handley_Page]

You're all welcome to it. It wasn't much, but it's what I can right now. And, yeah, the US will have its own dramas (and has) and I help there too, when I can afford it.

And yes, may it rain. A lot.

I've seen a 'prediction' of rain (heavy), over the 'bottom right' of Oz
(if your map has Darwin somewhere at the top.).

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I'd say it's the anger of the automotive gods. California hates cars... Holden and Ford stopped making awesome shit in Australia. Cali deserved for their disrespect for the car culture they created. It'll happen in europe too once they try to ban all gas powered vehicles. Watch.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I've seen a 'prediction' of rain (heavy), over the 'bottom right' of Oz
(if your map has Darwin somewhere at the top.).

Taken the edge off it in some places, but is causing other problems. A fire truck slipped off a greasy track and rolled.

 

[yukonnights]

I'm just finding this all so interesting to see what lurks behind the screen-names