Sending the Australians condolences and well wishes

[TeeGee]

If the arson weren't enough, the child porn will ensure this guy won't survive long outside of solitary... at least if Australian prisoners are anything like those in the U.S.

Or UK prisons, hopefully the guy (if convicted guilty) can spend the rest of his live with a 6'4 300lb serial killer.

I reckon they will build him a special cell like they did for the mass murderer in Tassie. Waste our tax dollars to protect him. He will be excluded from any contact with the other prisoners... sometimes our justice system plain sux.

[reggie_mac]

Thousands of Victorian and interstate fire fighters will be joined by 52 officers from New Zealand on Saturday, and a further 60 from the United States on Sunday.

And that's about all of them...

I'd have to say this fellow is lucky the police got him though, now he may not get any bones broken..


Bugger.

[deliaselene]

Thousands of Victorian and interstate fire fighters will be joined by 52 officers from New Zealand on Saturday, and a further 60 from the United States on Sunday.

actually I think its awesome NZ sent all their firefighters and its great the amercian crews are coming to ...

[Juan_Bottom]

Or UK prisons, hopefully the guy (if convicted guilty) can spend the rest of his live with a 6'4 300lb serial killer.

Serial killers in my state can't share cells. Though they all end up on death row....

I reckon they will build him a special cell like they did for the mass murderer in Tassie. Waste our tax dollars to protect him. He will be excluded from any contact with the other prisoners... sometimes our justice system plain sux.

Innocent until proven guilty?

Did he allegedly light the fires with the intention of burning the country? Or was he just ignorant?

I'd have to say this fellow is lucky the police got him though, now he may not get any bones broken..

If it wasn't so high profile he probably would be beaten by the police, aye?

actually I think its awesome NZ sent all their firefighters and its great the amercian crews are coming to ...

I'm suprised the Americans are taking so long actually. Is there something else going on with customs or something? Our firefighters are kinda known for personal sacrifice.

[HapSmo19]

I'm suprised the Americans are taking so long actually. Is there something else going on with customs or something? Our firefighters are kinda known for personal sacrifice.

Hehe. We're talking about wildland firefighters here. If any sacrifice goes on it usually means somebody screwed up....badly. Here's something interesting that I found:

http://features.csmonitor.com/globalnew ... -infernos/

A team of 60 elite firefighters and land rehabilitation experts from the United States will be dispatched to Australia in coming days to help the country recover from its deadliest natural disaster on record.
Australia has asked for planning and logistics managers, burned land rehabilitation teams, and a 20-person “Hotshot” crew, which Mr. Eardley says are “the most highly trained firefighters we have.”

That's forty chiefs and twenty indians.
And "burned land rehabilitation teams"?
Why does it seem waaaay far fetched to me that Australia called up and asked for "burned land rehabilitation teams". The bullshit never ends.

[deliaselene]

after reading that I went looking... and was surprised by the lack of any real information in the article

American firefighters are called to fight Australian wildfires

BOISE, Idaho – Two Idaho wildland firefighters will be among 60 Americans sent to Australia to help battle raging wildfires, said Randy Eardley, a spokesman for the National Interagency Fire Center.

A Bureau of Land Management smokejumper and an emergency rehab specialist with the National Park Service are the locals among the 29 firefighters being sent by the Department of the Interior, Eardley said. The U.S. Forest Service is sending 31 people.

Departures were scheduled to begin Friday.

Australia will reimburse the United States for all expenses, including salaries, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Friday in a press release.

More than 180 people have been killed in the Australian fires, which have burned more than a million acres in the past week.

On Wednesday, the state government of Victoria formally requested U.S. assistance.

The United States and Australia signed a mutual assistance agreement in 2001. Similar command structures, training and physical requirements allow firefighters from one country to easily work with another.

Since the agreement was signed, Australia has sent firefighters and managers to the United States in 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2008. The United States sent firefighters and managers to Australia in 2003 and 2007.

[PLAYER57832]

I'm suprised the Americans are taking so long actually. Is there something else going on with customs or something? Our firefighters are kinda known for personal sacrifice.

True, but even deploying within the US takes a couple of days ... that is why most of the west has so many standing fire crews. Just flying to Australia takes a full day, I believe. And, Australia would have to ask for help before they could respond.

I would guess these are not standard crews, but specialists. Sixty regular fighters is not very much. A standard hand crew has around 12, upwards.

[CrazyAnglican]

I would guess these are not standard crews, but specialists. Sixty regular fighters is not very much. A standard hand crew has around 12, upwards.

Heck yeah they're specialists, those guys are smokejumpers. They're basically the airborne rangers of firefighters, as I understand it.

[PLAYER57832]

I would guess these are not standard crews, but specialists. Sixty regular fighters is not very much. A standard hand crew has around 12, upwards.

Heck yeah they're specialists, those guys are smokejumpers. They're basically the airborne rangers of firefighters, as I understand it.

Actually missed the description above.

Yes, smoke jumpers are highly trained initial assault teams. They are used where there is no direct road access primarily and sometimes as highly skilled land assault.

I actually thought the U.S. was sending more logistics & perhaps even training folks, but I guess it is a mixture.

"burned land rehabilitation teams"?
Why does it seem waaaay far fetched to me that Australia called up and asked for "burned land rehabilitation teams". The bullshit never ends.

You are wrong. Rehab will take longer and, in some cases, be even more critical than putting out the fire (though not where lives have been at stake). If not, you get huge landslides and even watershed/water supply issues.

This has to start almost immediately. As soon as rains come, there is a whole new set of problems. Some basic land rehab -- from channeling water to planting needs to happen. Given the size, there will be some heavy ecological issues, too.

Another thing while I don't know Australia specifics, in some of the bigger CA fires, mop up -- that is putting out the embers, checking partially burned trees for activity, etc. can take over a year. There will be work for a LONG, LONG time to come.

[Juan_Bottom]

Hehe. We're talking about wildland firefighters here. If any sacrifice goes on it usually means somebody screwed up....badly. Here's something interesting that I found:

lol, by "personal sacrific" I ment that they wil drop everything at a moments notice. You know, to lend a hand... not so much the great sacrific.


Where's Iliad at?

[Iliad]

Hehe. We're talking about wildland firefighters here. If any sacrifice goes on it usually means somebody screwed up....badly. Here's something interesting that I found:

lol, by "personal sacrific" I ment that they wil drop everything at a moments notice. You know, to lend a hand... not so much the great sacrific.


Where's Iliad at?

I was there on a trip, but by then most of the fires had burned out. I live up at Sydney.

[deliaselene]

actually there are still five major fires buring in forest in Victoria but currently do not threaten lives or property....
MURRINDINDI - 165 UNITS ATTENDING - SCRUB FIRE
TIDAL RIVER - 14 UNITS ATTENDING - FOREST FIRE
HEALESVILLE - 23 UNITS ATTENDING - GRASS FIRE
KINGLAKE - 51 UNITS ATTENDING - OTHER
BEECHWORTH - CONTAINED -

Huge fire class action launched

THE Brumby Government and a private electricity company face one of the largest class actions in Victorian history over last weekend's devastating firestorm.

The legal wrangle, which is expected to involve hundreds of millions of dollars and last for years, will centre on a fallen power line that is believed to have sparked the blaze that tore through Kinglake, Steels Creek and St Andrews, killing more than 100 people and destroying about 1000 homes.

The Phoenix taskforce is examining a two-kilometre stretch of power line in Kilmore East that snapped during strong winds and record heat about 11am last Saturday. Within minutes a nearby pine forest was ablaze. Within six hours the fire had destroyed nearly every building in the towns in its path.

On Thursday, police removed a length of the fallen power line and a pole as evidence.

The lawsuit will cover thousands of farmers, small business owners, tourist operators and residents who lost homes.

Yesterday Slidders Lawyers partner Daniel Oldham confirmed that a class action had been issued in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Friday against Singapore-owned electricity company SP AusNet, which is responsible for maintaining most of the power lines in eastern Victoria.

"It is believed that the claim will be made on the basis of negligent management of power lines and infrastructure," Mr Oldham said.

[mumbles]

And many tourists who have overstayed their Visa are now thinking of the old country, where the sunshine is liquid and it seldom burns, are booking their return tickets!

[deliaselene]

Hot forecast fuels new fire threat

Authorities have warned that the threat of new fires in Victoria remains high this weekend, with the forecast of hot weather, northerly winds and the chance of lightning increasing the risk.

The Country Fire Authority and Department of Sustainability and Environment said four large fires were still burning across the state.

In a joint statement, they said areas south of Narbethong, south-west of Jamieson, and close to Eildon were causing particular concern.

DSE spokesman Kevin Monk said the risk of new fires was real.

"Unfortunately the fire season is far from over. There are many areas of the state that are tinder dry and that have not been affected by the recent fires,'' he said.

"New fires may start (and) will be difficult to control under very high to extreme fire weather conditions.''

DSE state duty officer Andrew Graystone said no significant rain was forecast, and fuel loads continued to dry out across the state.

CFA deputy chief fire ffficer Steven Warrington said it was not too late for residents to make fire plans, particularly in areas where fires were continuing to burn.

He said those leaving early from their homes needed to register with the Red Cross by calling 1800 727 077.

Other important steps included ensuring properties were adequately prepared; adhering to total fire bans or fire restrictions; listening to ABC local radio or community radio if travelling, and reporting suspicious behaviour to Crime Stoppers.

Bushfire information could be reached via the CFA and DSE websites, or the Victorian bushfire information line on 1800 240 667.

Park closures can be checked on the Parks Victoria website or its information line 131 963.

[Juan_Bottom]

"It is believed that the claim will be made on the basis of negligent management of power lines and infrastructure," Mr Oldham said.

I wonder how fair this statement can be. I also wonder if this will be a wich-burning style of trial. Logically, if she weighs more than a duck, burn her.
People are mad... I just wonder if at this point it's fair to say that the electric company could have prevented this. Not saying that they couldn't, but they have a lot of line, and this was strange time with record heat and droughts right?

[mumbles]

"It is believed that the claim will be made on the basis of negligent management of power lines and infrastructure," Mr Oldham said.

I wonder how fair this statement can be. I also wonder if this will be a wich-burning style of trial. Logically, if she weighs more than a duck, burn her.
People are mad... I just wonder if at this point it's fair to say that the electric company could have prevented this. Not saying that they couldn't, but they have a lot of line, and this was strange time with record heat and droughts right?

three words "Duty of Care"

[deliaselene]

Huge blaze threatens very heart of the Prom

A DESPERATE battle is under way at Wilsons Promontory as 150 firefighters fight to save the heart of the popular national park from a large bushfire that has burnt erratically and quickly through coastal heathland, swamp country, hills and gullies.

- National park closed
- 12,600 hectares burnt

Police Commissioner Christine Nixon believes the death of a firefighter vindicates the strict road-closure policy in fire-affected areas.

The uncontrolled bushfire, which was started by lightning on Sunday, February 8, has now burnt out 12,600 hectares of the park, mostly in the park's north and east. It is now more than double the size of the damaging 2005 Wilsons Promontory bushfire and has burnt about 25 per cent of the 50,000-hectare park.

But it is not an immediate threat to the park's most popular tourist destinations to the south, or to the hamlet of Yanakie and surrounding farmland to the north.

Wilsons Promontory National Park is now closed and will remain shut for weeks and possibly months because of the fire, which in one location has burnt virtually all the way from the east coast of the park to the west. The fire started on the Cathedral Range, about two kilometres north of Sealers Cove.

[PLAYER57832]

One thing the U.S. did learn from the wildfires in Yellowstone, etc. is that these natural areas DO recover. Fire is and always has been a part of the natural ecosystem. I don't know the ecology of Australia, but what it will require is not seeing just the devastation and loss, but seeing it as a learning situation on new beginnings. I am sure that the loss of the park structures, wildlife and vegetation is very sad to Australians, but it will recover.

[PLAYER57832]

Just heard today is the official mourning day for Australia. Over 200 are confirmed dead, with more still to be found and several fires still active.

Our hearts go out to you all. Now comes the tough part... rebuilding lives and communities.

[Iliad]

One thing the U.S. did learn from the wildfires in Yellowstone, etc. is that these natural areas DO recover. Fire is and always has been a part of the natural ecosystem. I don't know the ecology of Australia, but what it will require is not seeing just the devastation and loss, but seeing it as a learning situation on new beginnings. I am sure that the loss of the park structures, wildlife and vegetation is very sad to Australians, but it will recover.

Any vegetation not adapted to bushfires is either European or extinct. Bushfires are quite regular, and so most plants have adapted to have pods that release seeds after a bushfire and the sort, however this one from a combination of insane temperature, insane dryness, insane winds, insane people just got way out of hand.