Any Australian fellas on TB?

[WickedPissah]

To all our Australian friends-
I've heard about the massive fires in Victoria and NSW. Are your homes affected?
I'm hoping that these will be put out very soon, and people will stop losing lives and homes...

[stoneboy26]

Thanks mate.

Things are pretty bad down in Vic at the moment. Over 700 houses destroyed and over 100 lives lost and the police are nowhere near through their recovery efforts.

A close friend of my sister lost their house and I know one from on here who has a house in the area. Not sure if they saved it or not though. Fingers crossed!!

[Disco_Gee]

The whole situation is incredibly tragic. The death toll is now over 130 people, and it's still climbing. I was in Canberra when the '03 bushfires came through and unless you've been in one, it's impossible to understand how frightening it is, and how dangerously quickly the fire can spread.

I have extended family down that way and thankfully they are all ok.

[Cambass]

It's terrible. I'm getting nervous as I live in an area in S.A. that is prone to bushfires (the Ash Wednesday fires were close here in the 80's).

My thoughts are with those affected.

[j0n0j0n0]

yea whoever these fukin arsonists are need to be burnt on a cross that's a fukin discrace. My heart goes out to those familys who have lost their homes and/or loved ones. Apparentley the fires just swept through towns like freight trains and all they had time to do was jump in their car and leave everything they've ever worked for behind. I hope those people have insurance.

[jdieh1]

Yeah, I cannot believe that someone deliberately lit the fires... And it's WELL over 100 lives lost now...

[dan.ablett]

the death toll is over 200 now.

[jdieh1]

Originally Posted by dan.ablett

the death toll is over 200 now.

Wow!! It's risen by just under 100 in less than a day... I wonder what it will be tomorrow...

[dan.ablett]

yeah, this morning's paper (west australian) stated 193. the number has climbed since then. it will be weeks before they can get the full picture

[jimmyjammer]

The death toll (as of 8pm Wednesday) is officially 135. I can say this as I work in the media and we are tracking it.

The worst peacetime disaster in our history. The pictures coming through our photo agencies are heartbreaking; car bodies containing incinerated people who were trying to escape, in one case six in a single vehicle. People standing amongst what remains of their houses, shellshocked. Farmers destroying their stock, entire towns reduced to cinders.

One picture is taken from a plane above the fire, the entire frame is taken up by billowing smoke. A waterbomber plane is flying low, ready to dump. It is a tiny silhouette against this massive smoke cloud. Terrible stuff.

[dan.ablett]

EDIT: sorry, 200+ is the ESTIMATED death toll. sorry

[Relic]

this is terrible. To any TB'ers near all of this - stay safe and I hope you all come through this ok..

[Kgoodrich]

Please be safe, TB just wouldn't be the same without you aussies

[Fassa Albrecht]

Yeah Aussie TBers, stay safe!

[DaveDeVille]

... my thoughts and prayers are sent to all who are affected by this tragedy .

[Jake of Bass]

I live in Brisbane so I'm safe, but it's really hard to watch what's happening. The entire town of Marysville has been destroyed (according to the news there's one building left) and so many people have died. Worst fires on record coupled with the hottest recorded day on record makes for a very disasterous combination. It's pitiful comfort to hope those who started the fires are brought to justice on the multiple murder charges they'll most certainly receive that seem insignificant by comparison. I think a lot of people will never really recover from this one.

[Spector_Ray]

My heart and prayers go out to all my Aussie friends.

[bassteban]

Prayers goin' up tonight.

[sandman]

Yeah, we are thinking of all you vics.

Hi Dan, wassup.

[Hawaii Islander]

My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the fires. To all the Australian TBers in that area; stay safe!