I think I remember something along the lines of 330,000 hectares (so 3,300 sq. km. or 815,500 acres) but I am not 100% sure. I know there have been bushfires in Victoria that burn out national park areas the size of Belgium.

Those pictures are daunting enough, it is hard to imagine the intense heat, lack of oxygen and choking smoke standing even far away from that wall of fire.

ShadowDrgn

United States2497 Posts

February 09 2009 05:23 GMT

#24

On February 09 2009 13:35 il0seonpurpose wrote:
Just curious for those who live in Australia or southern California. If those places know there will be fire, why do they bother to keep on rebuilding? Same with reoccuring natural disasters like hurricane.

Although natural disasters like these occur on a regular basis, the odds of them actually affecting YOU are pretty small. When Southern California burns every year, what percentage of houses in all the vulnerable areas combined are actually destroyed? 0.1% or less? People are willing to take that risk. Plus there aren't very many places to live that aren't susceptible to some form of disaster.

RowdierBob

Australia13529 Posts

February 09 2009 05:27 GMT

#25

Australia is a dry place, so you can't really predict where the fires will be. Unless you live in the tropical areas up north, you're under threat from bushfires every summer. It's not like tornadoes that generally hit the same areas. Fires can start anywhere, any time and you can't predict where it will happen.

haduken

Australia8267 Posts

February 09 2009 06:12 GMT

#26

Melbourne guy here, temp has being >42C for the last few days. The place is so hot that i don't think a bush fire is out of the question. Australia is just so... dry...

RIP to everyone suffered from the fire.

GTR

51698 Posts

February 09 2009 06:15 GMT

#27

it's like a fucking disaster for the east coast in australia, victoria with the bushfires and northern qld (?) with the cyclone/floods.

Roxen000

1226 Posts

February 09 2009 07:04 GMT

#28

I live in Victoria (Geelong) where the fires are taking place. It's pretty crazy, Saturday it was 47 degrees where I live (highest on record) and extremely windy. Crazy stuff

Eternity241

Australia342 Posts

February 09 2009 07:06 GMT

#29

131 dead, wow, thank goodness I live in NSW, the scale of the fires are massive...

Our school is organising a donation for them, anyone else donating?

Scaramanga

Australia8093 Posts

February 09 2009 07:58 GMT

#30

Yeah its really bad over here

The death toll has climbed up to 138 and its expected to hit 200. The fires were caused by firebugs which makes this a whole lot worse, the temprature hit 46.5 and the fire spread like wild fire

Fen

Australia1848 Posts

February 09 2009 08:40 GMT

#31

Yeha this is pretty devestating.

It seems hard to imagine how people can be caught by fires like this. But during summer, when its consistantly above 40C everything dries out soo much, everything goes up in flames in such a short period of time. Then when a major road is cut off by the fire, you have a major distaster on your hands.

My thoughts go out to those affected by the fires.

Lamentations

Australia211 Posts

February 09 2009 11:26 GMT

#32

I heard there was some instance where the fire was 80km away and hit in 2 hours - travelling 40km/hr average. I am sure some of it was faster (i.e. more than 40km/hr and not travelling at constant speed). At first it didn't sound so fast when you look at how it overran cars, but to think that you hear that the fire is 80km away you would expect you have a lot of time, and then in just two hours your house is completely gone. Damn.

The_Conclave

Australia122 Posts

February 09 2009 13:31 GMT

#33

I live not far from Kinglake where over 20 people died. I can tell you I have never felt so little in all my life as I did on Saturday. Below is the worst picture:

http://www.news.com.au/gallery/0,23607,5037339-5006020-20,00.html

This was taken at one of two roads which lead outwards from the firefront at Kinglake. Unfortunatley he like many others took the path deemed safer and ended up stumbling into 50kmph firestorms racing to Whittlesea. The other path is what gives me so much distress about this photo. It is a section of road 20km+ long and stretches just as much as the great ocean rd. There is nothing around but trees and National park yet this day, It was the safest way out even though it meant racing through roads capable of averaging about 60kmph for the journey with no other way out for 20km.

They never saw it coming and when they finally did, death was like pouring boiling water down a occupied rabbit hole. To my family friend I am sympathetic towards your loss of house and car, to the man who lost his three kids I cannot imagine what it is like to see your whole world in a car and have it swooped in flames and I can only understand why you now are so badly burnt. Physical pain must have been nothing compared to watching your family die. Sorry. So very sorry.
To everyone else effected, rebuild, grow, and never forget.

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