Fires around the world

[angelburst29]

An Australian volunteer firefighter died on Monday and two others suffered burns after their truck rolled over when it was hit by extreme winds amid raging bushfires.

One firefighter dies, two injured in Australian bushfire

Battle to save Australian wildlife as bushfires rage

A possum severely burnt by bushfires in Australia's Blue Mountains laps water from a bowl as her rescuer holds her gently in a towel, while at a nearby home a kangaroo with bandaged feet is rocked like a baby by another carer.

 

[angelburst29]

Australian authorities on Wednesday confirmed a third person had died in devastating bushfires that engulfed the southeast coastal region this week and said a fourth person was missing and feared dead.

Three dead, several missing as Australia counts the cost of devastating bushfires


Thousands swarm to Australian beaches to escape bushfires
Thousands swarmed to beaches on Australia's east coast on Tuesday to escape fierce wildfires bearing down on several seaside towns,
as the government readied naval vessels and military helicopters to aid firefighting and evacuations.

 

[angelburst29]

Bushfires continue to engulfed Australia's Southeast coast - Military are helping with evacuations.

Military moves in to help mass-scale evacuation from Australian bushfires

Tens of thousands of holiday makers raced to evacuate popular seaside towns on Australia's east coast on Wednesday, fleeing ahead of advancing bushfires, as military ships and helicopters planned missions to rescue thousands more trapped by the blazes.

Australian authorities scramble to reach victims of deadly fires as death toll rises
A third person was confirmed dead on Wednesday in devastating bushfires that engulfed Australia's southeast coast this week and a fourth was missing and feared dead, as navy ships rushed to provide supplies and assist with evacuations.

 

[Arwenn]

I’m in Australia (NSW) and had fires near me in late October & November which was very stressful. Our fireys did an amazing job containing them, they are absolute heroes Dunno if we have members in Vic & South Australia, if so please take care! Another state of emergency has been declared for the next 7 days, with extreme conditions forecast for the weekend

 

[Voyageur]

I’m in Australia (NSW) and had fires near me in late October & November which was very stressful. Our fireys did an amazing job containing them, they are absolute heroes ❤ Dunno if we have members in Vic & South Australia, if so please take care! Another state of emergency has been declared for the next 7 days, with extreme conditions forecast for the weekend

Having been through many wildfires in time, I sure feel for you folks down under; it can be so damn scary and the effects unforgivable. I know you all will follow your gut instincts and keep anchor points in sight that you can escape to if need be.

A couple of things looked up: the McArthur Forest Fire Danger Index (Australia) is a variant to other indexes, yet was unfamiliar with its workings - "The index combines a record of dryness, based on rainfall and evaporation, with meteorological variables for wind speed, temperature and humidity" and its workings are standardized fire-weather conditions. The fire's observed look to be Rank 5-6, and other than trying to steer them, create anchor points, only the lack of fuel or precipitation will abate them - hope the precipitation will come soon!

Here is the chart for NSW as at January 3rd, 2020 - looks like some slight reprieve in some areas for Monday/Tuesday:

New South Wales Fire Danger Ratings

Issued at 2:56 pm EDT on Friday 3 January 2020.

On a preventative note - on abating fuel strategically for communities, came across this on Watts Up With That by Eric Worrall, and have not assessed the validity or how widespread (and for how long) this has been going on. Obviously drought, fuel and fire is the question:

JoNova: Aussie ABC Disappearing Evidence They Helped Climate Activists Campaign Against Controlled Burns

h/t JoNova The government backed Australian Broadcasting Corporation has been caught red handed deleting a facebook post which demonstrates their complicity providing uncritical publicity to a climate activist campaign to disrupt Australia’s bushfire safety controlled burn programme.


The following is a post on an official ABC Facebook page which has been removed from Facebook, but which can still be reached, at least for a short time, via Google Web Cache.

Screenshot: ABC Gippsland Controlled Burn Climate Campaign (link google cache)
Click the google cache link of the deleted facebook post and see for yourself – the google cache link will likely stop working in the near future.

The regions named in the deleted facebook post have been devastated by huge bushfires, or are under threat.

It is disgusting that the ABC encouraged this murderously irresponsible climate activist campaign by providing them with uncritical publicity. But it is even more outrageous the Australian Government ABC is trying to remove evidence of their involvement.

So this was back in September under slightly different indices, and although I don't know what the detailed places were and how vast the program was, fuel reduction with an aim to creating critical safe zones would be objectives. The objectives were not reached because of this pressure from groups that this area(s) seem to have been thereafter devastated.

In British Columbia back during the firestorms of 2003 there was a lot of activist pressure, and it has continued by climate groups to curtail prescribed burns or other abatement strategies - this has taken place in the States as has been recently seen, too, and old thinking is starting to reverse these 'do nothing' trends that place so many at risk.

Keep safe and will pray for some reprieve for you folks.

 

[PERLOU]

Et tous les animaux décédés dans d'atroces souffrances...

And all the animals that died in excruciating pain...

 

[angelburst29]

I’m in Australia (NSW) and had fires near me in late October & November which was very stressful. Our fireys did an amazing job containing them, they are absolute heroes ❤ Dunno if we have members in Vic & South Australia, if so please take care! Another state of emergency has been declared for the next 7 days, with extreme conditions forecast for the weekend

Reports of very dangerous conditions with the fire advancing very quickly and that the brushfires are creating their own "weather system".

The bushfires ravaging Australia are generating so much heat that they are creating their own weather systems including dry lighting storms and fire tornadoes.

Authorities warn Australian bushfires developing their own weather systems

Authorities warn Australian bushfires developing their own weather systems

Thick plumes of smoke rise from bushfires at the coast of East Gippsland, Victoria

On Saturday (Jan 4), the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) warned that a fire on the coast was generating its own weather system 287 km south of Sydney.

The weather conditions are the results of the formation of pyrocumulonimbus clouds. They have been recorded all over the world but as the global climate changes, they may become a more frequent occurrence for Australians, the country's Climate Council said in a 2019 report.

A RFS firefighter was killed on Monday by a fire tornado caused by the collapse of a pyrocumulonimbus cloud formation that rolled over the fire truck he was in.

Shane Fitzsimmons, the NSW RFS commissioner, pointed to that death when asked about the fire-induced weather patterns.

"That extraordinary event resulted in cyclonic-type base flipping over a 10-tonne truck. That is the volatility and danger that exists," he said.

The pyrocumulonimbus clouds are essentially a thunderstorm that forms from the smoke plume of a fire as intense heat from the fire causes air to rise rapidly, drawing in cooler air, according to information from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
As the cloud climbs and then cools in the low temperatures of the upper atmosphere, the collisions of ice particles in the higher parts of the cloud build up an electrical charge, which can be released as lightning.

These can cause dangerous and unpredictable changes in fire behaviour, making them harder to fight as well as causing lightning strikes that could ignite new fires.

The rising air also spurs intense updrafts that suck in so much air that strong winds develop, causing a fire to burn hotter and spread further.

'Too late to leave': Bushfires out of control across southeast Australia
'Too late to leave': Bushfires out of control across southeast Australia

The sky glows red as surrounding wildfires close in on the town of Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia, Jan 4, 2020, in this photo obtained from social media. (Photo: Reuters)

Authorities said the worst of conditions was yet to come. By late afternoon, Victoria had 17 fires rated at emergency or evacuate warning levels and New South Wales (NSW) had 12 fires rated emergency, with more than 100 others burning across the states.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said more than 100,000 hectares of Kangaroo Island, about one quarter of its total area, had been burnt, but weather conditions have now improved after Friday's fires.

The first of thousands of residents and vacationers stranded on a beach in Mallacoota in southeastern Australia landed near Melbourne on Saturday morning after a 20-hour journey by ship.

A much bigger ship, carrying about 1,000 people, is due to arrive on Saturday afternoon.

An Australian firefighter on New Year's Eve. (AFP/SAEED KHAN)

Bushfires rage out of control across southeast Australia

Bushfires burned dangerously out of control on Australia's east coast on Saturday, fanned by high temperatures and strong winds that had firefighters battling to save lives and property, as a change in wind conditions merged several large fire fronts.

Australian government deploys army reservists, third navy ship to support firefighters

The Australian government said on Saturday that up to 3,000 army reservists would be deployed to help communities hit by spreading wildfires and a third navy ship had been readied to support evacuations from coastal towns.


Pillars of fire and smoke from bushfires are tarnishing Australia's reputation for pristine vistas abounding in wildlife and wreaking havoc on tourism, operators say, as authorities are forced to cancel concerts, close parks and evacuate towns.

 

[MusicMan]

Reports of very dangerous conditions with the fire advancing very quickly and that the brushfires are creating their own "weather system".

The bushfires ravaging Australia are generating so much heat that they are creating their own weather systems including dry lighting storms and fire tornadoes.

Authorities warn Australian bushfires developing their own weather systems

Authorities warn Australian bushfires developing their own weather systems

Thick plumes of smoke rise from bushfires at the coast of East Gippsland, Victoria

On Saturday (Jan 4), the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) warned that a fire on the coast was generating its own weather system 287 km south of Sydney.

The weather conditions are the results of the formation of pyrocumulonimbus clouds. They have been recorded all over the world but as the global climate changes, they may become a more frequent occurrence for Australians, the country's Climate Council said in a 2019 report.

A RFS firefighter was killed on Monday by a fire tornado caused by the collapse of a pyrocumulonimbus cloud formation that rolled over the fire truck he was in.

Shane Fitzsimmons, the NSW RFS commissioner, pointed to that death when asked about the fire-induced weather patterns.

"That extraordinary event resulted in cyclonic-type base flipping over a 10-tonne truck. That is the volatility and danger that exists," he said.

The pyrocumulonimbus clouds are essentially a thunderstorm that forms from the smoke plume of a fire as intense heat from the fire causes air to rise rapidly, drawing in cooler air, according to information from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
As the cloud climbs and then cools in the low temperatures of the upper atmosphere, the collisions of ice particles in the higher parts of the cloud build up an electrical charge, which can be released as lightning.

These can cause dangerous and unpredictable changes in fire behaviour, making them harder to fight as well as causing lightning strikes that could ignite new fires.

The rising air also spurs intense updrafts that suck in so much air that strong winds develop, causing a fire to burn hotter and spread further.

'Too late to leave': Bushfires out of control across southeast Australia
'Too late to leave': Bushfires out of control across southeast Australia

The sky glows red as surrounding wildfires close in on the town of Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia, Jan 4, 2020, in this photo obtained from social media. (Photo: Reuters)

Authorities said the worst of conditions was yet to come. By late afternoon, Victoria had 17 fires rated at emergency or evacuate warning levels and New South Wales (NSW) had 12 fires rated emergency, with more than 100 others burning across the states.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said more than 100,000 hectares of Kangaroo Island, about one quarter of its total area, had been burnt, but weather conditions have now improved after Friday's fires.

The first of thousands of residents and vacationers stranded on a beach in Mallacoota in southeastern Australia landed near Melbourne on Saturday morning after a 20-hour journey by ship.

A much bigger ship, carrying about 1,000 people, is due to arrive on Saturday afternoon.

An Australian firefighter on New Year's Eve. (AFP/SAEED KHAN)

Bushfires rage out of control across southeast Australia

Bushfires burned dangerously out of control on Australia's east coast on Saturday, fanned by high temperatures and strong winds that had firefighters battling to save lives and property, as a change in wind conditions merged several large fire fronts.

Australian government deploys army reservists, third navy ship to support firefighters

The Australian government said on Saturday that up to 3,000 army reservists would be deployed to help communities hit by spreading wildfires and a third navy ship had been readied to support evacuations from coastal towns.


Pillars of fire and smoke from bushfires are tarnishing Australia's reputation for pristine vistas abounding in wildlife and wreaking havoc on tourism, operators say, as authorities are forced to cancel concerts, close parks and evacuate towns.

Hello Arwenn,
I'm just touching base to let you all know that I am OK where I am, which is near Canberra, the Nation's Capital. The last few days have been amazing, and who knows, it may be a new reality, but the smoke from all the fires has been moving in from the coast every evening with the sea breeze and currently, like right now, we are blanketed with smoke which is limiting visibility down to about a block.
There is a web page which is "Fires Near Me" put up by the RFS, and this is indicating that the closest fire to us is a controlled fire the other side of Captain's Flat which is 45 km to the South East. All the other fires, which are much larger, are also much further away.
It's amazing how far the smoke has travelled. When we go out I have to wear a mask.
That pic you put up of a bloke on his roof will give you an idea of what it is like here.

My older daughter had to be evacuated from the fire where that firey was killed, when his 10 ton truck was upended by the wind, she is safe at home now. My older son is a paramedic and he has been active in the Nowra area going to pick up patients in the fire zone, he had to be escorted through road blocks with lights and sirens so he has a few memories to share. He said a lot of people have lost homes in the area.

You know, in a normal year the coastal towns are packed with tourists, campers, travellers, all having fun on the beaches and rivers and enjoying the summer. They were packed again when the fires came through and because there were so many roads closed a lot have had problems with boats, trailers and caravans, getting their families out.

For those who lived in the area there will be a lot of sad stories, and more misery to come. An acquaintance of mine had a shop in Mogo with a house above it. She has lost everything, business, stock, and house. I heard that all the animals in Mogo Zoo were safe, they had an excellent fire plan. I'm glad of this because they had rare white lions and albino kangaroos in their menagerie.

And New South Wales is not the only State having problems: There have also been fires in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. I don't think this country has ever had such a widespread fire problem, even though things like this are accepted as normal by most Australians. I saw some individuals stressing out at the Prime Minister the other day, I would put that down to emotional tension due to the trauma they had just been facing, and not to put too much score on it. No doubt they will need continuing assistance over the coming months until they are back on their feet.

Had some rain last night. Little more than a spatter. Enough to cover the car with spattered mud! Relief that today's temperatures were down in the low 20C's as opposed to yesterday's 41C which was unbearable to be out in.
So, to my fellow Aussies, stay safe, and let's Make 2020 Great Again!

 

[Arwenn]

Glad to hear that you & your family are safe, @MusicMan. It’s been an incredibly stressful few months mate, I’ve never seen anything like it. So many uncontrolled fires all across the nation :( Sadly it has become a very political issue, with blame being passed tossed about (mainly climate change from the left). I do think the drought (so yeah, perhaps some climate aberrations, not man-made though as we all know) coupled with govt. oversight, intergovernmental squabbling & lack of resources that led to a failure to do controlled back-burning has contributed to this disaster. All I can say is God bless the RFS, they’re absolute legends.

 

[angelburst29]

Arwenn and MusicMan, you and your Families are in our thoughts and Prayers!

Australia begins damage assessment amid temporary respite from bushfires

Australian authorities began assessing the damage on Sunday from heatwave-spurred bushfires that swept through two states a day earlier, as cooler conditions provided a temporary respite from blazes that have scarred the country's east coast for weeks.

Australia's bushfire evacuees prepare for another night on the beaches
The immediate threat from Australia's devastating bushfires may have eased - at least temporarily - but thousands of people are still living in campsites along the country's east coast, unable to return home.

Australia's bushfires turn neighboring New Zealand's skies bright orange

Smoke from raging bushfires in Australia blanketed parts of neighboring New Zealand on Sunday, turning the sky over Auckland a bright orange.

Australian Prime Minister Morrison defends bushfire crisis response

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison found himself on Sunday again defending his actions in response to the country's unprecedented bushfires crisis that has killed 24 people and left thousands more homeless.

Actors, popstars raise funds to support victims of Australian bushfires

Actors, popstars and Britain's royal family have stepped in to offer support for victims of Australia's unprecedented bushfires, helping to raise millions for firefighting services and wildlife shelters.

 

[Brewer]

G'day!

Glad to hear you're all safe and I hope it continues that way. I've been fighting these fires since last November and the end is not in sight yet. My town got hit last Saturday and we lost five houses in outlying areas and will probably get hit again this Friday.

It's always interesting to watch peoples reactions when it hits the fan. My three neighbours panicked and ran when the first warning came through leaving me surrounded by poorly prepped houses as the ember attacks began.

Luckily my son and brother were with me to wet down the area with garden hoses, a fire broke out in the bush in front of the house behind me and we all went down to defend it, with garden hoses. If that house went up then mine would've probably gone too as all fire trucks in town were committed at this point. I should've been with my fire truck at this time but as the neighbours had bailed I had to hang around till more fire trucks arrived in town.

Here's a photo I took of my son and brother defending the neighbour's house with garden hoses, the flames had died by this point but the embers attack for hours afterwards. They did a fantastic job!


Here's the view from my front yard about 4 hours before....


Take care everyone, interesting year ahead!

Brewer

 

[Nienna]

Oh my goodness, Brewer! Please take care and stay safe! May you and your home get through this tragedy unscathed.

 

[Tuatha de Danaan]

Wow Brewer, you stood your ground with your son and friend. Such unity and bravery speaks volumes. For another's property as well. Bravo and a big bear-hug.

 

[Gawan]

Yes, Aussies, take care everyone and stay safe !

Here is a good summary by Paul Joseph Watson of the fires in Australia and some causes.

And yes, as written in a comment on Sott, the Aborigines once used controlled fires that fires don't spread that far. And I'm not entirely sure if it can be only blamed on arsonists, because the government stopped controlled fires since 2009 (as stated by Watson), plus earth changes may also take its effect on this one.

Another analysis by Adapt 2030 and that the news leaves out "the first week of 2020 25+ locations in the country [Australia] set their all time lowest cold record for January".

 

[Brewer]

Oh my goodness, Brewer! Please take care and stay safe! May you and your home get through this tragedy unscathed.

Thank You!

Wow Brewer, you stood your ground with your son and friend. Such unity and bravery speaks volumes. For another's property as well. Bravo and a big bear-hug.

Thanks again! Another big night on it's way tonight and early tomorrow morning, my team will be here which means I can be with my fire crew. Here's some video taken on the night, shows some the chaos of the night. At 2.50 you'll see a fire truck, it's out the front of the house we protected from ember attack, you can see the garden hose we used to the left of it and at 3.22 is the fire, by this time it had progressed further but they had the means to take it down, look at those embers fly!

Here's an ember attacked cushion the next morning, this is what starts fires in houses most of the time.


Thanks for your concern!

Brewer