Heatwave in SE Australia - Page 8

Aliantha · 02-14-2009, 09:01 PM

Well, I guess it's a human reaction to want to blame someone for the losses suffered. I just don't know if it'll make them feel better in the end whether they win or lose. I suspect that nothing but time will heal these wounds.

Shawnee123 · 02-14-2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Things are not too bad by the looks of things mate. It's good that they're making progress with some arrests although not all have led to charges being laid.

There's also a class action against a power company over faulty power lines starting one of the fires. I'm not sure how I feel about that considering the extreme conditions. I think they might have a hard time proving negligence under the circumstances. Time will tell though.

Hadn't heard from you in a couple days and was worried, then saw a post saying you would be missing for a couple days.

Absolutely it's good to find arsonists...but in the grand scheme this is just huge tragedy for your country. My thoughts are with you.

TheMercenary · 02-14-2009, 10:09 PM

Glad to hear things may be improving.

Aliantha · 02-15-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Hadn't heard from you in a couple days and was worried, then saw a post saying you would be missing for a couple days.

Absolutely it's good to find arsonists...but in the grand scheme this is just huge tragedy for your country. My thoughts are with you.

I was just away with Dazza for the weekend. Our last little break for probably at least a year. lol I'm nowhere near the bushfires (or floods), but it's nice to know that people care.

Sundae · 02-15-2009, 04:06 PM

Ooh of course - your retreat into the treehouses.
Very glad it wasn't in your neck of the woods (which isn't to say I'm glad it was in other people's!)

Was talking to my Aunt in Brisbane just this morning.
She said that everyone seems to know someone who was at risk in some way, but no-one who has actually lost anything (everyone among her friends and colleagues I mean). She made me realise that no matter how huge Australia is, you still have a relatively small population - it must be a real shock to the national consciousness - shock as in traumatic occurrence rather than surprise.

How about Cooper Phoenix McPhee in recognition

Aliantha · 02-15-2009, 04:11 PM

That name has a nice ring to it SG, but I think we're set on Max now.

It's true what you say about our population. With only just over 20 million people, we're pretty small in comparison to just about everywhere. It has shocked us all.

Shawnee123 · 02-15-2009, 04:18 PM

I don't know if I ever told you, but when I was in HS I really wanted to move to Australia. I'd had a dream about it. Weird, but it just seems like a beautiful place. I wrote a really bad poem about it, even.

ZenGum · 02-16-2009, 09:16 PM

Does you poem include the word "girt"? If not, it isn't as bad as our national anthem.

The weather here is mild - moist south-easterly winds in the fire areas, but at least five fires are still uncontained and out of control.

This link goes to the bushfire stories page of Four Corners, the best current Affairs show in Australia, which has now done a "what the hell just happened" review and explanation of the fires.
The main story is here but it is 45 minutes and needs broadband. There are plenty of other stories at the first link.

One significant point: we have a bushfire weather index, that considers heat, wind strength and direction, humidity, drought etc. anything over 50 is rated as extreme.
Everwhere in Victoria went OVER 150 that day - three times the "extreme" figure. It isn't mentioned in the program but a firefighter I know says one place got to 265. These figures were all the highest ever recorded.

Kingswood · 02-17-2009, 01:57 AM

Death toll has been revised to an even 200.

In other news I'm looking forward to tomorrow's forecast - late showers! 2009 has been so dry that in some parts it's the driest start to the year on record. Melbourne's at 2.2 mm total for 2009.

Here is a map that contrasts the wet weather of the north with the dry to the south.

ZenGum · 02-17-2009, 05:16 AM

2.2 mm? LUXURY!

Over here we're on 1.8mm so far this year.

ETA: ... and "something" has gone wrong with the weir holding Lake Torrens, the city's central garden water feature, resulting in our (usually very stagnant and always unswimmable) showpiece looking like this, with little chance of any inflow until we get some half-decent rain.

Name: torrens.jpg
Views: 138
Size: 49.3 KB

Name: torrens.jpg
Views: 138
Size: 49.3 KB

Aliantha · 02-17-2009, 07:34 PM

It wont stop raining in Qld.

Urbane Guerrilla · 02-18-2009, 11:05 PM

Flooding Down Under has made the TV news up here. The scenes look like around the Mississippi during a wet season. Everyone thinks it's a durn shame the floods can't move over to the fires.

I like girt. Of course, I do use words like "hauberk" and "eftsoons" in almost-daily conversation.

Aliantha · 02-18-2009, 11:11 PM

There are a couple of communities up north which have been cut off for a month now, and one is expected to be cut off for at least 2 more. It's a bit rough, but when you choose to live in an area that is affected by monsoonal rains (even though they haven't come through properly for about 10years), it's one of the things you have to live with from time to time.

The gov is sending supplies up there, and besides, most people who live in Karumba don't usually make plans to travel during the wet season anyway.

Dazza and I have a theory that the people making the complaints are those who've moved to the area during the dry spell and just aren't prepared for the big wet they're having now.

Also, the council needs to build a bridge over the river there and they wouldn't be cut off at all...except by all the other flood waters they'd have to get through to get anywhere.

Kingswood · 02-25-2009, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenGum

2.2 mm? LUXURY!

Over here we're on 1.8mm so far this year.

Much of southern Australia is in the grip of a record dry spell, so I'm not surprised.

I'm not looking forward to Friday. Forecast of 38 degrees, but with the amount of rain we've had since Christmas (record lows) that's a pretty ominous forecast.

Some of those Black Saturday fires are still burning. A decent dump of rain will put them out, so that shows how bone dry it's been.

ZenGum · 02-25-2009, 05:23 AM

This weekend looks quite nasty. Hot and windy - not so bad as last time, but the firefronts that are now burning total over 1,100 km. in length. On the other hand, the public complacency is mostly gone, and much of the ingnorance too.

In SA several rural schools have closed for the day for fear of fires, merely as a precaution - there are no fires, but the schools abut dangerous bushland growths.

02-14-2009, 09:01 PM	#106
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Well, I guess it's a human reaction to want to blame someone for the losses suffered. I just don't know if it'll make them feel better in the end whether they win or lose. I suspect that nothing but time will heal these wounds. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

02-14-2009, 10:09 PM	#108
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Glad to hear things may be improving. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

02-15-2009, 04:06 PM	#110
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Ooh of course - your retreat into the treehouses. Very glad it wasn't in your neck of the woods (which isn't to say I'm glad it was in other people's!) Was talking to my Aunt in Brisbane just this morning. She said that everyone seems to know someone who was at risk in some way, but no-one who has actually lost anything (everyone among her friends and colleagues I mean). She made me realise that no matter how huge Australia is, you still have a relatively small population - it must be a real shock to the national consciousness - shock as in traumatic occurrence rather than surprise. How about Cooper Phoenix McPhee in recognition __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

02-15-2009, 04:11 PM	#111
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	That name has a nice ring to it SG, but I think we're set on Max now. It's true what you say about our population. With only just over 20 million people, we're pretty small in comparison to just about everywhere. It has shocked us all. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

02-15-2009, 04:18 PM	#112
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	I don't know if I ever told you, but when I was in HS I really wanted to move to Australia. I'd had a dream about it. Weird, but it just seems like a beautiful place. I wrote a really bad poem about it, even. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

02-16-2009, 09:16 PM	#113
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	Does you poem include the word "girt"? If not, it isn't as bad as our national anthem. The weather here is mild - moist south-easterly winds in the fire areas, but at least five fires are still uncontained and out of control. This link goes to the bushfire stories page of Four Corners, the best current Affairs show in Australia, which has now done a "what the hell just happened" review and explanation of the fires. The main story is here but it is 45 minutes and needs broadband. There are plenty of other stories at the first link. One significant point: we have a bushfire weather index, that considers heat, wind strength and direction, humidity, drought etc. anything over 50 is rated as extreme. Everwhere in Victoria went OVER 150 that day - three times the "extreme" figure. It isn't mentioned in the program but a firefighter I know says one place got to 265. These figures were all the highest ever recorded. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

02-17-2009, 01:57 AM	#114
Kingswood Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Melbourne, Vic Posts: 316	Death toll has been revised to an even 200. In other news I'm looking forward to tomorrow's forecast - late showers! 2009 has been so dry that in some parts it's the driest start to the year on record. Melbourne's at 2.2 mm total for 2009. Here is a map that contrasts the wet weather of the north with the dry to the south. __________________ Ur is a city in Mesopotamia.

02-17-2009, 05:16 AM	#115
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	2.2 mm? LUXURY! Over here we're on 1.8mm so far this year. ETA: ... and "something" has gone wrong with the weir holding Lake Torrens, the city's central garden water feature, resulting in our (usually very stagnant and always unswimmable) showpiece looking like this, with little chance of any inflow until we get some half-decent rain. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl. Last edited by ZenGum; 02-17-2009 at 06:14 AM.

02-17-2009, 07:34 PM	#116
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	It wont stop raining in Qld. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

02-18-2009, 11:05 PM	#117
Urbane Guerrilla Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,674	Flooding Down Under has made the TV news up here. The scenes look like around the Mississippi during a wet season. Everyone thinks it's a durn shame the floods can't move over to the fires. I like girt. Of course, I do use words like "hauberk" and "eftsoons" in almost-daily conversation. __________________ Wanna stop school shootings? End Gun-Free Zones, of course.

02-18-2009, 11:11 PM	#118
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	There are a couple of communities up north which have been cut off for a month now, and one is expected to be cut off for at least 2 more. It's a bit rough, but when you choose to live in an area that is affected by monsoonal rains (even though they haven't come through properly for about 10years), it's one of the things you have to live with from time to time. The gov is sending supplies up there, and besides, most people who live in Karumba don't usually make plans to travel during the wet season anyway. Dazza and I have a theory that the people making the complaints are those who've moved to the area during the dry spell and just aren't prepared for the big wet they're having now. Also, the council needs to build a bridge over the river there and they wouldn't be cut off at all...except by all the other flood waters they'd have to get through to get anywhere. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

02-25-2009, 05:23 AM	#120
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	This weekend looks quite nasty. Hot and windy - not so bad as last time, but the firefronts that are now burning total over 1,100 km. in length. On the other hand, the public complacency is mostly gone, and much of the ingnorance too. In SA several rural schools have closed for the day for fear of fires, merely as a precaution - there are no fires, but the schools abut dangerous bushland growths. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)