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Australian Wild Fires
Joel_W
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Posted: Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 02:12 AM UTC
I've been following via the news the devastating Australian Wild Fires, and hoping that all of our Australian Kit Maker Network friends, family, and homes are safe from them.

1st the almost yearly Californian wild fires, the rarely reported massive Alaskian wild fires, and now the Australian fires threaten so many, and there's just so little that can actually be done to prevent them. As we head into the holiday season, here's hoping that all are safe and remain so.

Joel
chauvel
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Queensland, Australia
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Posted: Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 04:10 AM UTC
Thanks Joel. It's very disheartening and iresome to learn that some of the fires have been started deliberately. By juveniles. Who, whilst I appreciate the foundations of our judicial system, will be dealt with under The Children's Criminal Act. Which makes no sense to me - regardless of your age, if you commit an act where you are aware the consequences of your actions will lead, or potentially lead, to the loss of life or possessions, then you should be dealt with as an adult.
Rant over
Back to modelling 🍺
brekinapez
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Posted: Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 04:58 AM UTC

Quoted Text

...and there's just so little that can actually be done to prevent them...



Well, in the case of California, poor forest management has been the main factor in that mess.
AussieReg
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
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#007
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 01:53 PM UTC
It really is a tragedy and a huge effort by all emergency services to minimise the damage done. Over 2 million hectares and 500 homes destroyed, several lives lost, and almost 150 separate fires burning across New South Wales and Queensland. Some of these were deliberately lit, which is truly unthinkable in this time of the year, and many started by dry lightning.

Dry material build-up from reduced or cancelled back-burning and controlled fuel reduction burns adds to the ferocity of these fires.

I live in the middle of the area where the black Saturday fires raged in 2009, 173 lives lost, 450,00 hectares and 3,500 buildings (including over 2,000 homes) destroyed. Luckily we have not faced such dangerous conditions yet this year, but it will come.

Everybody in these areas, stay safe and take no chances. Get out early if the services give you the word.

Cheers, D

Stickframe
#362
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California, United States
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Posted: Sunday, November 17, 2019 - 03:34 PM UTC
Hi D,

Stay safe, and I agree with your advice, to follow the directions of local authorities - if they say get out, do so.

My family and many friends live in Santa Rosa, Ca. There was a bad fire there in 2017 and again, a few weeks ago. My parents evacuated for both, and fires were close to their home.

The origin of these fires stemmed from very high winds knocking power lines down in very remote, rugged places (steep, rocky hills, scrubby grass lands, coastal oak woodlands) - it’s a bit of a misnomer to suggest that the scale of the fires reflected forest management - at least in these cases, or the recent fires in So Cal. The bigger problems were: extreme heat, very low humidity, gusty high winds - over 70 mph. The fires were so strong as to create their own gusty winds - blowing embers several miles from the initial event.

So, stay safe and best wishes

Nick

Joel_W
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Posted: Monday, November 18, 2019 - 02:05 AM UTC
Damian & Nick,
My concerns for both of you, your families, and homes is with me everyday, especially when I watch the news.

Hoping that the winds die down and those much needed rain storms come sooner then later.

Stay well, and be safe.

Joel
Merlin
Staff MemberSenior Editor
AEROSCALE
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Posted: Friday, January 03, 2020 - 08:21 AM UTC
Hi everyone

I'm just bumping this back to the top because, for all the shocking news from Oz through Christmas and New Year, the weather forecast for this coming weekend on the east coast is looking really frightening.

Take care and keep safe!

Rowan
AussieReg
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Posted: Friday, January 03, 2020 - 11:56 AM UTC
Thanks for the concern guys, it really is appreciated. The scale of these fires is truly staggering. Approximately 10% of my state Victoria is currently burning. Across Australia, thousands of homes and buildings in dozens of towns, and the human toll is rising.

To put it in perspective, here is an overlay showing the current fire area across Australia (almost 6 million hectares) compared to London area.


I have good friends who have been evacuated from regional towns with fires close by, and others who have lost everything.

The pall of smoke from the Victorian fires has reached New Zealand, and covers an area approximately the size of Europe.


There is a thermal imaging video taken from a helicopter which is quite frightening. Thermal Imaging

And the true heroes, the volunteers, showing what they face hour after hour, day after day. Flashover

The thing is that these fires will be burning for weeks, if not months, to come with no real prospect of assistance from the weather, so we are all bracing for a tough period.

I hope that our other Kitmaker friends are safe.

Cheers, D
Klaus-Adler
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Posted: Friday, January 03, 2020 - 12:15 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi everyone

I'm just bumping this back to the top because, for all the shocking news from Oz through Christmas and New Year, the weather forecast for this coming weekend on the east coast is looking really frightening.

Take care and keep safe!


I couldn't agree more, especially as my wife and I are having our honeymoon there in two weeks.

keep safe and don't take any risks please
Rowan

AussieReg
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Posted: Friday, January 03, 2020 - 12:25 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I couldn't agree more, especially as my wife and I are having our honeymoon there in two weeks.



Hi David.

I saw the other thread on Armorama but didn't comment as I am down south in Victoria and not too familiar with the hobby shops in Sydney.

Congratulations on your marriage, and I hope that conditions here improve before you arrive. Sydney really is a stunning city, and you will be very safe in the CBD, it might be the air quality from the smoke haze that makes it difficult for you.

Is this your first trip down under?

Cheers, D
Klaus-Adler
Staff MemberGroup Build Administrator
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Posted: Friday, January 03, 2020 - 01:15 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I couldn't agree more, especially as my wife and I are having our honeymoon there in two weeks.



Hi David.

I saw the other thread on Armorama but didn't comment as I am down south in Victoria and not too familiar with the hobby shops in Sydney.

Congratulations on your marriage, and I hope that conditions here improve before you arrive. Sydney really is a stunning city, and you will be very safe in the CBD, it might be the air quality from the smoke haze that makes it difficult for you.

Is this your first trip down under?

Cheers, D



Yes it's my first trip there, I tried to do it back in the 90's and I was hoping to get Darwin but due to unrest in Bali the airport was closed and so to was much of the roads so I only got as far as Singapore.

so here I am having another crack at getting there.
2002hummer
#257
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Posted: Friday, January 03, 2020 - 03:15 PM UTC
Hello fellow Australian modellers. Me(living in Niagara Falls Ontario) do not face the devastating natural disasters that occur in the rest of the world. Because of this we do not realize the heartbreak that these people endure. This includes the Australian wild fires,tsunamis floods etc. I hope that the people caught in these disasters will recover. Good luck.
Joel_W
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Posted: Saturday, January 04, 2020 - 03:52 AM UTC
D & All our Australian list friends,

I never thought that there could be forest/brush fires equal to what occurs almost yearly in California, but what I've seen on the news and the Net, the Australian fires are worse. The Thermal imaging was just horrific to watch.

I, like everyone else I know, especially a few very close friends of mine from my teen years who live in California, are hoping and praying that some major rain comes your way as it's about the only way to extinguish those massive fires.

Please my friends, if the time comes that you need to evacuate, then do so. Yours and your families lives are not replaceable, everything else is one way or the other.

Joel
petbat
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Queensland, Australia
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Posted: Saturday, January 04, 2020 - 08:32 AM UTC
These situations bring out the best and worst in people. The poor firefighters are exhausted but still out there doing what they can. Their courage and determination is nothing but awe inspiring.

The people have lost everything they worked hard for. Yes some things can be replaced, but some are just memories now. The heart goes out for those who have lost loved ones.

Then you have the low life's that go out and intentionally start new fires - why people??? And the looters that go in and help themselves to possessions of those that have evacuated their homes.

You just have to wonder about people that enjoy other people's misery...
2002hummer
#257
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Posted: Saturday, January 04, 2020 - 08:37 AM UTC

Quoted Text

These situations bring out the best and worst in people. The poor firefighters are exhausted but still out there doing what they can. Their courage and determination is nothing but awe inspiring.

The people have lost everything they worked hard for. Yes some things can be replaced, but some are just memories now. The people who have lost loved ones.

Then you have the low life's that go out and intentionally start new fires - why people??? And the looters that go in and help themselves to possessions of those that have evacuated their homes.



Canada,among other countries have sent fire fighters to help. God bless those men and women who have worked beyond exhaustion.
To the arsonists I hope you burn in hell.
AussieReg
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
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#007
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Saturday, January 04, 2020 - 10:24 AM UTC

Quoted Text

And the looters that go in and help themselves to possessions of those that have evacuated their homes.



This is one of the most inexcusable acts I could imagine. We hosted a family last night, very close friends, who have evacuated from Bright in the high country. They have their home as well as 2 B&B units in town, and the husband is part of a small business in Mount Beauty. All right in the way of about 5 fires threatening to converge. They left town with a few possessions and their 2 dogs. All night we sat and drank wine and chatted, but all night we were constantly monitoring the reports on the various emergency services media. Unfortunately reports started filtering through of possible looting sin their town, but nothing confirmed. They have friends in the services who have stayed in town and are keeping a close eye on any activity, when they really should be focussed on keeping the properties and lives safe.

Those caught and convicted of arson or looting in this situation should receive the highest penalty.

D
Joel_W
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Posted: Sunday, January 05, 2020 - 03:24 AM UTC
I've never understood how these looters look for personal gains in times like these, but just as the best of the best rise to the top and inspire, there are a very small group of Scum that come up from the bottom of the barrel to take advantage whenever they can. Hopefully they will be caught, tried, and sent off to jail for a good long time.

Every time we've had a major Hurricane event, you hear about looting and looters so that the Army National Guard is sent it to take control.

Joel
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