Fires in Australia - death toll going up - PLEASE PRAY

[Lucinda]

This is a big request for all my monkey friends to pray for the people in Victoria Australia who are going thru a major disaster.  Last count was 65 confirmed dead, but the death toll is expected to rise as so many missing.  Many homes, animals lost also.  People in hospital with third degree burns.  Seems arsonists are to blame, relighting fires already put out by fire fighters.  I was just speaking about another fire similar, that personally affected me a few days ago in the caylee thread.  This one is worse than ash wednesday.  There were two ash wedensdays, the first was a fire in my state:

1st of February  1980    First  'Ash Wednesday' Adelaide Hills, SA:
Known in SA as the first 'Ash Wednesday', large bushfires raged through the Adelaide Hills resulting in 51 homes being destroyed and badly affecting 75 farms including buildings, fences and livestock lost. Orchards and market gardens were also ravaged causing $34 million in financial losses .

My friend even fought this fire, only to lose his life in 1983 in the second Ash Wednesday, I said i would scan the newspaper and post it.

I also wrote a poem for him. 

[Lucinda]

my poem:

TO RUSSELL WITH LOVE,

My first love, havent the years flown?
I clearly remember the days we shared.
We would walk, skip and laugh,
And tell our dreams, as we ran through the playground.
The love letters we used to pass in school.
have been lost in time,
but my memory of you will never die.
I remember your cheeky grin,
And the sparkle in your eyes,
You made me laugh, you brought everyone happiness,
But then you moved to another town,
We soon lived our lives apart,
each of us going our seperate ways.
it has been seven years.
We had both grown up into young adults.
And when I heard the tragic news,
My heart bled for your return.
But, no longer will i hear your chirpy voice,
And never again will I see "My first Love"
Burnt in the tragic fire that swept our state,
Ash wednesday, 1983.
Russell, I will continue living,
until my day comes,
when we can run through the playground in the sky.

[Lucinda]

The newspaper article I saved from 1983, hope this works, you may need to click on it to read it.

[Lucinda]

I wrote that poem when I was 18 years old.  It is just so awful the devastation of fires, especially deliberately lit ones.   

[Lucinda]

official death toll is now up to 84.  OMG this is so horrible.

[Scarrlett]

I had never heard of Ash Wednesday. What a horrible event.

 Is this an act of nature or man, do you know? California is plagued with wild fires as well as Florida. Some say it's Gods way to re-birth. We just happen to get in the way. I pray it stops soon

BTW, thanks for the picture you emailed me. It was so tiny and I couldn't make it bigger but, I got the drift. I must be very naive because I thought it was really a banana as per the discussions.

[sharlock]

official death toll is now up to 84.  OMG this is so horrible.

It makes you feel helpless doesn't it. At least I know that Australians always pull together in a crisis and lend a helping hand.
For everyone affected whether directly or indirectly...

[sharlock]

I had never heard of Ash Wednesday. What a horrible event.

 Is this an act of nature or man, do you know? California is plagued with wild fires as well as Florida. Some say it's Gods way to re-birth. We just happen to get in the way. I pray it stops soon

BTW, thanks for the picture you emailed me. It was so tiny and I couldn't make it bigger but, I got the drift. I must be very naive because I thought it was really a banana as per the discussions.

I believe it is an act of nature due to extreme heat and the dry bush environment however careless people throw cigarette buts or drink bottles out of their cars without considering how easily in these harsh weather conditions a raging bushfire can start.

[sharlock]

I had never heard of Ash Wednesday. What a horrible event.

 Is this an act of nature or man, do you know? California is plagued with wild fires as well as Florida. Some say it's Gods way to re-birth. We just happen to get in the way. I pray it stops soon

BTW, thanks for the picture you emailed me. It was so tiny and I couldn't make it bigger but, I got the drift. I must be very naive because I thought it was really a banana as per the discussions.

I believe it is an act of nature due to extreme heat and the dry bush environment however careless people throw cigarette buts or drink bottles out of their cars without considering how easily in these harsh weather conditions a raging bushfire can start.

sorry Scarlett I meant to add that this is also the Australian bushes way of rejuvenating however because of the danger inherent in bush fires Aussies often back burn these areas to safely allow natures needs to be met in an attempt to avoid tragedies like this.

[PookyBear]

I wrote that poem when I was 18 years old.  It is just so awful the devastation of fires, especially deliberately lit ones.   

Lucinda -- How beautiful and terribly sad.  I have just prayed for all those around the fire and those who have already lost loved ones.

[Lucinda]

ARSONISTS DONE THIS
they went back after the fire fighters put out each blaze, and relit them.  South Australia is the only state that puts a probation officer right on the arsonist in fire season, and sits outside his residence, waiting.  The other states are now considering doing the same thing.  In Australia, where I am, they call us the back water 
Its like in USA the south are considered the same, behind the times etc.
Well, South Australia is not a back water.  When ever devastation occurs, our fire fighters are there.  We helped NSW, VIC and even California USA. 
My son is a first grade fire fighter, he earned that medal aged 17.  He even had a pager.  Gave it back now he is in WA.  But, thats how great our "backwater" state is.  train young boys up to be fire fighters. 
These Victorian fires were started by lightening, but arsonists flicked a lighter and restarted these fires.  What kind of person could do that?  Well, last year, a mum of two, living a good life, high up in the community etc.  Well, she was caught lighting fires, with her two babies in the back of her car.  Mental people light fires, they get a thrill from it.  Just like murderers, cos they are just the same.

[PookyBear]

ARSONISTS DONE THIS
they went back after the fire fighters put out each blaze, and relit them.  South Australia is the only state that puts a probation officer right on the arsonist in fire season, and sits outside his residence, waiting.  The other states are now considering doing the same thing.  In Australia, where I am, they call us the back water 
Its like in USA the south are considered the same, behind the times etc.
Well, South Australia is not a back water.  When ever devastation occurs, our fire fighters are there.  We helped NSW, VIC and even California USA. 
My son is a first grade fire fighter, he earned that medal aged 17.  He even had a pager.  Gave it back now he is in WA.  But, thats how great our "backwater" state is.  train young boys up to be fire fighters. 
These Victorian fires were started by lightening, but arsonists flicked a lighter and restarted these fires.  What kind of person could do that?  Well, last year, a mum of two, living a good life, high up in the community etc.  Well, she was caught lighting fires, with her two babies in the back of her car.  Mental people light fires, they get a thrill from it.  Just like murderers, cos they are just the same.

Obviously, the mind of an arsonist is just not right.  According to this article, an arsonist is angry and typically the subject of abuse when younger.  http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20031029/inside-arsonists-mind?page=2

Our society is just riddled with so much ugliness.  Trying to sheild my little one becomes increasingly difficult.

Again, Lucinda -- I am so sorry this is happening.  Many prayers your way for all those involved.

[Lucinda]

I wrote that poem when I was 18 years old.  It is just so awful the devastation of fires, especially deliberately lit ones.   

Lucinda -- How beautiful and terribly sad.  I have just prayed for all those around the fire and those who have already lost loved ones.

tnanks pooks

[Lucinda]

I had never heard of Ash Wednesday. What a horrible event.

 Is this an act of nature or man, do you know? California is plagued with wild fires as well as Florida. Some say it's Gods way to re-birth. We just happen to get in the way. I pray it stops soon

BTW, thanks for the picture you emailed me. It was so tiny and I couldn't make it bigger but, I got the drift. I must be very naive because I thought it was really a banana as per the discussions.

I resent ot to you thru my hotmail. Did you get that email? it was kinda big    but nothing bigger than I have dealt with    shouldnt have said that 
But its her, cos I could tell from the mouth.

[Sassycat]

I'm sorry to hear about these fires, Lucinda and other Aussie monkeys!   I can't believe that people would deliberately start these fires.  What's the point?   They must be insane.   What happens to them when they get caught?

That's a nice poem, Lucinda.   Russell was too young to die.  What a shame.

I'll keep you guys in my prayers.   Thanks for sharing.

[PookyBear]

Have a great day everyone -- thanks Lucinda for the parting laugh.  Pooky wants to play a computer game so I am giving up the computer.

[Lucinda]

Thanks Sassy, and Im not trying to make this "about me"  but i am a very positive advocate for victims of crime. 
When they get caught, it takes 2 years for sentancing, and usually they get off with probation.  HOWEVER, now there is talk of murder or manslaughter charges against the arsonists.  that may take five years to get thru parliament, but its the latest proposal thru our government after these last fires.  Sadly, the ash wednesday fires, were caused by actual fire fighters, three or four were charged.  They relit them to keep their hero status going I suppose.  Mental people, wanting a thrill.  just like that mum last year, lighting fires with her babies in the car, then goes home to a wealthy household, and noone knows any different.  I am not wealthy, i am a battler, but never in my life would I ever destroy life, animal, human, or even vegatation.  I ant tolerate this type of mentality, and same as murderers, Id stake them all to a cross and burn them. 

[Lucinda]

Have a great day everyone -- thanks Lucinda for the parting laugh.  Pooky wants to play a computer game so I am giving up the computer.

Good night babe, have a wonderful day. 

[klaasend]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7877178.stm

Australia inferno toll nears 100
 
The death toll from bush fires in southern Australia has reached at least 96, the worst in the country's history.

Thousands of firefighters, aided by the army, are battling several major fires, and the number of dead is expected to rise as fires are put out.

Arsonists responsible for lighting the fires could be charged with murder, police have said.

Entire towns have been destroyed in the fires, fanned by extremely high temperatures and unpredictable winds.

Temperatures are dropping now, but officials fear they will not be able to get the fires under control until there is substantial rain.

'Absolutely horrific'

Firefighters have been battling against what are described as the worst conditions in the state's history.


Witnesses described seeing walls of flames four storeys high, trees exploding and the skies raining ash, as fires tore across 30,000 hectares (115 sq miles) of forests, farmland and towns.


The BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney said police suspect that in at least one case fires have been restarted by arsonists after being extinguished by firefighters.

New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees said arsonists faced a maximum 25 years' jail.

"We will throw the book at you if you are caught," he was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

"Some of these fires have started in localities that could only be by hand, it could not be natural causes," Victoria state Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe was quoted as saying by AFP.

"We do need to get to the position where we can get our investigators and our forensic scientists into the fire scenes to do a full, thorough investigation," he said.


At least 700 homes have been destroyed in Victoria and about 14,000 homes are without power.

Most of the people who died came from a cluster of small towns to the north of Melbourne. The BBC's Phil Mercer in Sydney said many charred bodies had been found in cars. It is thought they were trying to escape the fires but were overtaken by their "sheer speed and ferocity".

At least 12 people died in the town of Kinglake, four at Wandong, four at St Andrews and three at Strathewen.

One Strathewen resident told ABC local radio how people had witnessed "absolutely horrific" scenes as they had helped battle the flames.

"The school's gone, the hall's gone... some people left it too late. We've lost friends, and we're just waiting for more - children, loved ones," she said.

The town of Marysville, with about 500 residents, was said to have been burned to the ground.


Local fire officer Greg Esnouf said: "We're starting to get some reports in now that are very saddening. This latest report says Marysville possibly one building left standing - that's just shocking."

One person was reported dead in Marysville, but most residents managed to shelter from the blaze in a local park.

A survivor from Kinglake, Darren Webb-Johnson, told Sky TV: "The service station went, the take-away store across the road went, cylinders (exploded) left, right and centre, and 80% of the town burnt down to the ground."

'Tragic day'

Tens of thousands of firefighters have been trying to contain blazes in two other states - New South Wales and South Australia - but the fires there were largely contained or burning away from residential areas.

The fire service is using water-bombing aircraft to contain fires and thousands of volunteers are using water hoses.


"It's obviously a tragic day and a tragic week in our history," Victorian state Premier John Brumby said.

Late on Sunday, he said he had accepted an offer from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to send in troops to relieve overstretched emergency crews.

"Hell in all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours," said Mr Rudd.

Bush fires are common in Australia, but the current blazes have eclipsed the death toll from what had been the previous worst fire in 1983, when 75 people died on a day that became known as Ash Wednesday.

The leader of the Green party, Bob Brown said summer fires would get worse unless Australia and other nations showed more leadership on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"It's a sobering reminder of the need for this nation and the whole world to act and put at a priority our need to tackle climate change," he said.

[sharlock]

ARSONISTS DONE THIS
they went back after the fire fighters put out each blaze, and relit them.  South Australia is the only state that puts a probation officer right on the arsonist in fire season, and sits outside his residence, waiting.  The other states are now considering doing the same thing.  In Australia, where I am, they call us the back water 
Its like in USA the south are considered the same, behind the times etc.
Well, South Australia is not a back water.  When ever devastation occurs, our fire fighters are there.  We helped NSW, VIC and even California USA. 
My son is a first grade fire fighter, he earned that medal aged 17.  He even had a pager.  Gave it back now he is in WA.  But, thats how great our "backwater" state is.  train young boys up to be fire fighters. 
These Victorian fires were started by lightening, but arsonists flicked a lighter and restarted these fires.  What kind of person could do that?  Well, last year, a mum of two, living a good life, high up in the community etc.  Well, she was caught lighting fires, with her two babies in the back of her car.  Mental people light fires, they get a thrill from it.  Just like murderers, cos they are just the same.

Lucinda I can honestly say that as a Queenslander I have never heard anyone refer to your wonderful state as a backwater. I didn't realise the fires were being relit; that's terrible.