# Austrailia's Fires



## steamer (Feb 9, 2009)

To all my Aussie Friends:

I couldn't think of a better place to put this, so here it is.  Mods please move to a better place if you can

I read accounts of the fire in your country. Horrifying!

Flame fronts moving at 60 mph ( 100 kmh!) over taking cars, animals and people alike.

More horrifying still to find that it is highly suspected that an arsonist caused it!

My thoughts and prayers to you all.  

Please be careful and please find shelter well in advance of having to.

Sincerely,

Dave ( Steamer)


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## Philjoe5 (Feb 9, 2009)

I'll chime in too and say to all you Aussies, stay clear and be safe. Our thoughts and prayers are also with you

Phil and family


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## Maryak (Feb 9, 2009)

Dave and Phil,

Thanks for your concern :bow:

The fires in Victoria, (next door to us in SA), are the worst in our history. As of last night the death toll was 131 and more than 400 are hospitalised with severe burns. 2 small towns have been wiped from the map.

I for one cannot understand the mentality of somebody who would do this deliberately. It is as our Prime Minister said - Mass Murder.

In far North Queensland we also have the worst flooding in our history. Talk about Ordeal by Fire and Water; and to think we call this the Lucky Country.

Bob.


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## Shopguy (Feb 9, 2009)

My thoughts and prayers are with you. You folks are certainly getting the rough edge of the stick. 
Ernie J


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## Metal Mickey (Feb 9, 2009)

There is nothing words can say to cover the tragedy your country is suffering at the moment. So I will only say my thoughts are with all the families affected and the firefighters and others trying to help. May your god go with you.

Mike


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## malcolmt (Feb 9, 2009)

To all our australian friends, stay safe. All praise to the emergency services. My thoughts are with you all.

Hoping for no more tradegy.
Malcolm


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## Kludge (Feb 9, 2009)

All of our Aussie friends are in this old minister's prayers. 

Your PM has the Right of it but, to be honest, I hope the perpetrator never makes it to trial but rather gets handed "local justice" for his crime. Not vengeance - that's God's turf - but proper justice. Trial by fire comes to mind.

BEst regards,

Rev. Kludge


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## steamer (Feb 9, 2009)

Kludge

I can think of no other justice that could be more appropriate......My simple mind just can't fathom what to do with this kind of evil......

Dave


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## rake60 (Feb 9, 2009)

Stay safe there!

To think any of those fires were intentionally set is 
mind boggling. 

Rick


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## jack404 (Feb 9, 2009)

Folks thank you all for your kind thoughts

yesterday i was on the radio with our SES ( state emergency service) at bankstown ( no where near any fires)
running the supply network ( send salvation army and red cross folks out to feed and water crews and let the SES operator go and fight the fires instead of sitting in the store house here)

what i heard really upset me , 60% of the fires are deliberate these in turn stared other fires.. , the PM has declared the entire state of Victoria a crime scene meaning they ( cops) can do anything to get these mongrels

i have a few friends in the fire region who are ok, but am personally more worried about friends in the floods up north

the army is using APC's to punch through the fires to get to folks that the kiowa crews ( choppers) are spotting and the infanty are fighting fires and helping recover bodies

engineers are trying to get services going and everyone is pitching in where they can

we'll get it sorted though it will be years for the poor folks directly affected to rebuild and recover if possible
at all.

pray for the folks who have lost thier family's and homes, they surely need them. 

jack


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## Kludge (Feb 11, 2009)

Jack, please keep us posted as you can. The several prayer groups I know already have Australia included so you (plural) have that support. 

The losses suffered are not unlike those of war, unforgiving and irreversable. I've already stated my feelings about what should be done with the person (or people) responsible but, on reflection, I think even that's too good. 

Anyway, good on you for helping as you can. I hope others are doing so as well.

BEst regards,

Kludge


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## max corrigan (Feb 11, 2009)

I would like to add my condolanscess to all our aussie friends i remember being in Melbourne back in the mid sixties when they had bush fires and the speed it can travel at is amazing, but it was nothing on the scale of these ones, lets hope they get the b-------s that started these, apparently they have one suspect already!
God help you all, and all the bereaved families concerned.
Max..........


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## Bluechip (Feb 11, 2009)

What can I add.

There's been some heart rending scenes on UK TV. Living in a fairly tame country, we get nothing on this awful scale. to think it may be deliberate is beyond belief. 

Being an Atheist, I will leave the prayer part of it to Kludge, however, the bit I can do is donate.

In UK ..

http://www.redcross.org.uk/donatesection.asp?id=90849

Give it a try, does nothing for those lost, but maybe helps in a small way for those who have to live on, who have all that they once cherished destroyed. 



Dave


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## tel (Feb 11, 2009)

Thanks to all for your good wishes, it's been a harrowing time for all, even those of us out of the danger zone. A local truck operator here in Bathurst is running a semi down this week to deliver donated goods from our area - we're all pitching in with what we can - 5000 made homeless, many without insurance, need all the help they can get.

As our politicians, in their 'wisdom' abolished the death penalty here many years ago we can only hope that some cop has the good sense to put a pill behind the ear of anyone responsible - 'resisting arrest'.


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## Maryak (Feb 11, 2009)

I can only repeat and agree with Tel 110% :bow: :bow:

Best Regards
Bob


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## baldrocker (Feb 11, 2009)

Killing is too swift too final! It does nothing to help those who have passed.
It is now the survivors who have lost loved ones and property who need a form of revenge
(that may not be the right word but the best I can come up with).
May I suggest any convicted arsonist be branded on the forehead and both cheeks and the chained to
a post in the streets of the burntout towns he/she has destroyed.
Surely to be cast out, to be reviled, to be spat upon, for the rest of their lives may be more
fitting than a swift death by hanging or injection. 
Cruel and unusual punishment yes, but the sheer scale of suffering these arsonists cause
IMHO calls for cruel and unusual.
BR

PS I speak as an ex CFA volunteer from the 70's in the Dandenongs. I have seen.


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## ksouers (Feb 11, 2009)

BR,
I think the word you were looking for is "justice".
It doesn't necessarily mean the victims have been made whole again, but that the perpetrator has paid just as dearly and suffered just as greatly as the victims.

Of course, nothing can erase this horrible tragedy but perhaps a bit of justice will help people to move on and put their lives back together.


Kevin


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## Kludge (Feb 11, 2009)

tel  said:
			
		

> we can only hope that some cop has the good sense to put a pill behind the ear of anyone responsible - 'resisting arrest'.



Nah, brah. See that he (they?) "escapes" right into a crowd of those adversely affected by the fires - the displaced, the families of the victims et al. That way the officer "loses track" of the perpetrator rather than having to fill out all that silly paperwork involved when they fire their weapons. Justice is still served without tying up the courts with what would be pretty much a slam dunk anyway.

BEst regards,

Kludge


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## steamer (Feb 11, 2009)

Kludge,

I have been sitting here trying to describe my confused feelings vengence vs justice against these animals.....Honestly .....I like your plan best.


Dave


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## Kludge (Feb 11, 2009)

steamer  said:
			
		

> I have been sitting here trying to describe my confused feelings vengence vs justice against these animals.....Honestly .....I like your plan best.



It has the advantage of being inexpensive to the state, anonymous and complete. Of course, the families of the perpetrators might have a problem or two with it but it probably wouldn't be too wise for them to raise any serious objections.

BEst regards,

Kludge


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## Huntinguy (Feb 11, 2009)

Sorry to hear that the Australia dropped the Death Penalty, too bad that criminals have not done the same. But, ain't that always the way. ???

I will hold my peace until we hear how the fire was caused. Man made, arson can mean several things. Years ago we had a nasty fire in Washinton that was "arson," seems a greeny decided to burn their used toilet paper. That suggestion has now been removed from the "green" hiking books. Just can't help stupid. 

My heart goes out to those that have been injured or worse by the fires. I can feel for you all. 

Godspeed to all. Pray for rain.


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