emm said:

I saw some footage on the news yesterday morning, because of the wind, the speed the fires are travelling is unbelievable! It races up hills. Everything is so dry from the drought and heatwave, everything burns. They said there was a firefront 84kn long! If you are running from it, you can only run in one direction, and if that is obstructed, you have no chance - not that you could run that fast anyway

My sister just took this photo from her place, the glow is from the fires in Bunyip.

http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au...ummary.htm

anyone in touch with Lilmissy? i know she's in Victoria or use to be.

MagnificentVoodoo said:

haven't heard from her in AGES

ZombieKitten said:

this is a good excuse to back get in touch.

MagnificentVoodoo said:

have you got her phone number still? Give her a call!

ZombieKitten said:

She's ok.

She posted a link today on facebook to an article she had written:

http://atlantawomanmag.co...ralia.html

Otherwise I just can't get my head around all the devastation. It's so awful seeing what people are going through -- they have all lost so much, it's heartbreaking.

Diva said:

aw cool! she's told me about most of these places...lol...

UPDATE:


One-hundred-and three people have been confirmed dead in the ferocious bushfires that ripped through Victoria at the weekend.

The staggering death toll makes these blazes — some of which are still burning — the greatest natural disaster in Australia's history and authorities warn the number of fatalities is likely to rise even further.

"It's now at 108 and still likely to climb unfortunately," Country Fire Authority state duty officer Mark Glover told ABC Television.

PHOTOS: Fatal inferno

A clearly shaken Kevin Rudd has told the Nine Network that if firebugs lit some of the bushfires they are responsible for "mass murder". "What do you say about anyone like that — there are no words to describe it other than mass murder."

PHOTOS: Fire tragedy through reader eyes

"The nation should brace itself for a very challenging time ahead," he said. (Watch Rudd's interview)

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said forensic investigators had begun work in the Churchill region, where police suspect arson was involved.

"At this stage we have a team at the fire at Churchill in the Gippsland Valley, which is certainly one that we believe was deliberately lit," Ms Nixon said.

"Our fire experts and our own investigators have suggested that the way that it happened, how fast that it happened, that there is good evidence to believe that it was lit."

How do you feel about the bushfire crisis? Leave your thoughts below.

The latest death toll surpasses the toll from the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, in which 75 people died in Victoria and South Australia, and the Black Friday bushfires of 1939, which killed 71.

According to police figures, another 11 people were found dead at Kinglake West, north of Melbourne, taking that community's toll to 20 while another four bodies were found at Marysville taking that town's toll to eight.

Only one building was left standing at Marysville after the inferno swept through on Saturday.

At least 750 homes were destroyed in the fires and more than 330,000ha burnt out, and authorities say some fires could take weeks to contain.

Have you been affected by these devastating fires? Send us your stories and photos

Ingenious place to take cover

As a "fireball" engulfed a home in Kinglake, three residents took refuge in a wombat hole.

"By the time I got my neighbours and got back to my house, we were under full fire attack," she told TODAY.

"I looked out the front or out the backyard and noticed that most of this had burnt by then and thought, 'We just need to run and we need to run now'."

With a neighbouring mother and son and also her dog, she moved downhill to a nearby creek but found it provided little cover.

It was then that a split-second decision to huddle in the wombat hole saved their lives.

"We just made a canopy of wet sheets and curtains that we had with us and just hid [in the burrow]," she said. (Read more: Horse saves farmer)

Mother couldn't save children

Among the other tragic stories to emerge from Kinglake were of a young boy and a girl burnt alive inside their home.

"The kids perished, their mother got out but she couldn't get the kids out," Kinglake resident Mary-Anne Mercuri said.

Ms Mercuri also spoke of sisters in their 20s whose bodies were found in the front of their rented house.

"Two young girls around the corner from me were found in the front of their house. There's no way they could have got out. They would have tried to escape but there was nowhere to go."

The mother-of-three said that when the fire arrived it felt like exploding red burning bullets were being shot horizontally at them.

"These big burning chunks started falling from the sky, there was a lot of power behind them. I guess they were exploding parts of trees," Ms Mercuri said. "We are lucky to be alive."

Kinglake resident Chris Harvey said his daughters Victoria and Ali, both in their 20s, told of a local man, Ross, who lost both his daughters and possibly a brother.

"He apparently went to put his kids in the car, put them in, turned around to go grab something from the house, then his car was on fire with his kids in it, and they burnt," Victoria said.
(Watch more: Survivors' tales of terror)

* If you need information on the bushfires, call 1800 240 667

* If you are concerned about family and friends, call 1800 727 077

Fires still burning

Thirty-one 31 fires are still raging throughout the state with five — at Beechworth, Churchill, Murrindindi, the Kinglake complex and Bunyip — causing the most concern, a CFA spokesman said.

DSE spokesman Geoff Russell said conditions had improved from the weekend with a cooler change coming through with moist air.

A southerly wind is pushing fires in a north to northeasterly direction.

"Our biggest concern at the moment is around Beechworth," Mr Russell said.
(Watch more: Rain falls in Beechworth)

The fire has skirted Beechworth, in the state's northeast, and is heading towards Yackandandah.

"There are seven or eight small settlements in the path of this fire and those residents have been urged to get their fire plans under way," Mr Russell said.

The Beechworth blaze has burnt 30,000ha and continues to threaten the communities of Stanley, Bruarong, Dederang, Gundowring, Gundowring Upper, Kancoona, Kancoona South, Coral Bank, Glenn Creek and Running Creek.

The Kinglake fire complex is responsible for the greatest loss of human life. Twenty have been killed in the township of Kinglake alone, with another nine lives lost in Kinglake West — 10km north-west of Kinglake — and four others found dead at nearby Humevale.

The same fire complex claimed 10 lives at St Andrews, five at Flowerdale, four at Wandong , two at Strathewan, two at Hazeldene and one at Arthurs Creek.

The Murrindindi Mill fire meanwhile has claimed eight lives after it blazed through Marysville, the tiny town 99 km north-east of Melbourne which has been left with just one building. That same fire has killed three people in the nearby town of Taggerty.

The Churchill blaze has killed 10 people in Callignee, five in Hazelwood, two in Jeeralang, four in Koornalla and two in Jeeralang.

In and around Bendigo the Redesdale fire has claimed the lives of seven people in Steeles Creek, one in Long Gully and one at Eaglehawk just a few kilometres from the centre of Bendigo.

The Beechworth fire has taken two lives. Another eight people have been found dead in unspecified areas.

To donate to the relief efforts of the Victorian bushfires, go to the Red Cross State Government Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund or The Salvation Army Bushfire Relief Appeal.

be safe out there. i know how scary the fires can be.

ZombieKitten said:

Where does Steve live hun

Diva said:

This is absolutely heartbreaking. Please stay safe ~ you and Ian and your mom and dad and all of the orgers there. Prayers that these devastating fires end soon. Much love, n

ocean said:

shit!!! he should be able to see it from his place

ZombieKitten said:

I haven't seen him on here today ....oh god...I hope hes ok

take a look at this slide show

http://www.flickr.com/pho...3751/show/

how scary!

K & C!!!!
I'm OK! When I woke up Sunday morning and heard it got to St. Andrews I thought OH Shit! We've only got 3 suburbs between us!

Amaxx said:

Stay safe.

Amaxx said:

I should bloody well think so ....check in earlier next time Mr!
[Edited 2/8/09 21:12pm]

This is terrible

I pray everyone stays safe.

prb said:

Thanks!
We'll be right!

ocean said:

Yes Mistress!

The final death toll of the devastating "Hell on Earth" bushfires could be well above 200, according to reports of government crisis meetings.

With the official toll standing at 130, the fires are already the worst natural disaster to ever befall Australians.

Some of the fires are still burning, threatening the Glenhope area north of Melbourne and the towns of Beechworth and Yackandandah in the northeast.

The Victorian government has been briefed to expect
final death toll close to 230, according to a report in The Australian.

The death toll has risen to 130, with police confirming that at least 33 people have died in the small town of Kinglake.

Police have also found eight bodies at Narbethong, north-west of Melbourne.

"[The death toll] is still likely to climb unfortunately," Country Fire Authority state duty officer Mark Glover said.

PHOTOS: Fatal inferno

YOUR PHOTOS: In the line of fire

A clearly shaken Kevin Rudd has told the Nine Network that if firebugs lit some of the bushfires then they are responsible for "mass murder".

"What do you say about anyone like that — there are no words to describe it other than mass murder."

"The nation should brace itself for a very challenging time ahead," he said. (Watch Rudd's interview)

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said forensic investigators had begun work in the Churchill region, where police suspect arson was involved.

"At this stage we have a team at the fire at Churchill in the Gippsland Valley, which is certainly one that we believe was deliberately lit," Ms Nixon said.

"Our fire experts and our own investigators have suggested that the way that it happened, how fast that it happened, that there is good evidence to believe that it was lit."

Nixon said investigators were also working in the Kinglake area north of Melbourne, where most of the deaths confirmed so far occurred. (Click to see a map of the fatal fires)


How do you feel about the bushfire crisis? Leave your thoughts below.

The latest death toll surpasses the toll from the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, in which 75 people died in Victoria and South Australia, and the Black Friday bushfires of 1939, which killed 71.

At least 750 homes were destroyed in the fires and more than 330,000ha burnt out, and authorities say some fires could take weeks to contain.

Have you been affected by these devastating fires? Send us your stories and photos

Ingenious place to take cover

As a "fireball" engulfed a home in Kinglake, three residents took refuge in a wombat hole.

"By the time I got my neighbours and got back to my house, we were under full fire attack," she told TODAY.

"I looked out the front or out the backyard and noticed that most of this had burnt by then and thought, 'We just need to run and we need to run now'."

With a neighbouring mother and son and also her dog, she moved downhill to a nearby creek but found it provided little cover.

It was then that a split-second decision to huddle in the wombat hole saved their lives.

"We just made a canopy of wet sheets and curtains that we had with us and just hid [in the burrow]," she said. (Read more: Horse saves farmer)

Mother couldn't save children

Among the other tragic stories to emerge from Kinglake were of a young boy and a girl burnt alive inside their home.

"The kids perished, their mother got out but she couldn't get the kids out," Kinglake resident Mary-Anne Mercuri said.

Ms Mercuri also spoke of sisters in their 20s whose bodies were found in the front of their rented house.

"Two young girls around the corner from me were found in the front of their house. There's no way they could have got out. They would have tried to escape but there was nowhere to go."

The mother-of-three said that when the fire arrived it felt like exploding red burning bullets were being shot horizontally at them.

"These big burning chunks started falling from the sky, there was a lot of power behind them. I guess they were exploding parts of trees," Ms Mercuri said. "We are lucky to be alive."

Kinglake resident Chris Harvey said his daughters Victoria and Ali, both in their 20s, told of a local man, Ross, who lost both his daughters and possibly a brother.

"He apparently went to put his kids in the car, put them in, turned around to go grab something from the house, then his car was on fire with his kids in it, and they burnt," Victoria said.

the master just told me they are anticipating up to 230 dead now

ZombieKitten said:

I just saw that too .....A girl at work told me that a guy put his two little girls in the car ready to go ...and ran back into the house to grab a few more things and when he came out the car was in flames ....god how would u deal with that ...those poor little kids

ocean said:

That is terrible. Omg. Poor little things and its not over yet

I hope there will be no more loss of life

That's terrible, I was just seeing this on the news & thought of you. It's something I've seen a lot of in California, and have known people who've lost their homes.

But I can't remember so many people ever dying in CA fires. Crazy

This is horrible; fires scare the shit out of me, being burned alive is horrible beyond words...




By the way, it's been a long time since the last time I posted here; but when I heard about the fires I remembered that the org has a large bunch of aussie orgers, so I wanted to see if everyone was ok Stay safe people