Victoria Fires: world wide tributes

Prince Willian and Prince Harry signed the condolence book in England. Princess Anne attended the Service on the National Day of Mouring on Sunday. 

A special Mass was held in a wet Rome, approx. 100 Australians attended. 

There are 6 major fires burning in Victoria, and though they are contained now,  the weather forcast for Friday is causing serious concern. 

A fund raising rock concert is planned for next month. 

 

Victoria Fires: Update

Friday will be the worst fire day since Black Saturday.

The weather bureau is tipping another scorcher on Friday,

with a top of 38C

combined with northerly winds and a southwesterly change.

Victoria in Flames

maps of fire areas, names of those lost etc

see here

Summer leaves as autumn falls.

I have updated my blog header image – so if you are reading this is a reader pop pver to check it out.

 

these pictures are of melbourne, trees up here don’t do this

 

Victorian Fires: through the eyes of a volunteer.

 

Image by Stephen Henderson a CFA Volunteer – Taggery

 

 

Victoria fires: the children of Kinglake

Kids’ recovery moves up a gear

 

THE children of Kinglake are back on their bikes, thanks to local benefactors.

Army officers handed out free bicycles to more than 150 children last night at the Kinglake community centre to kick off a party for bushfire survivors in the devastated town.

There were bicycles in four different sizes from Goldcross Cycles so that every child who lost a bike in the blaze that ripped through their town on Black Saturday had a replacement.

Parents had put their children’s names down at community meetings to secure a set of wheels for their youngsters.

 

 

2 people on left in the water to escape searing heat

Victorian Fires…more heat coming

Victoria’s heatwave lingers

VICTORIA faces another week sweltering under hot temperatures.

“If those thunderstorms do develop we could see some more fires develop,” read here

 

National Day of Mouring.

Ringing of bells to mark start of

National Day of Mourning service

 

 

BELLS will ring across Victoria on Sunday as the nation stops to remember the victims of the state’s deadly bushfires, with the toll now at 209.

A ringing of the Federation Bells at Birrarung Marr at 11am will signal the start of the National Day of Mourning service at Rod Laver Arena. 

Premier John Brumby today encouraged churches, town halls and other facilities to ring their bells at the same time.

more here.

Victoria fires: update

Fire shrine to remember victims

 

A PERMANENT shrine will be built to commemorate the victims and heroes of the Black Saturday bushfires.

As the nation pauses today to pay its respects to those who died on Victoria’s darkest day, the Brumby and Rudd governments will announce a $2.5 million fund for memorials to pay tribute to those who perished.

The cash will include grants of up to $200,000 for fire-ravaged communities to build memorials, monuments or plaques in their towns.

The governments also plan to build a major fire victims’ shrine of remembrance, either off St Kilda Rd, in Fitzroy Gardens, Flowerdale or Kinglake.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said memorials would “give people a place to grieve, a place to honour those they have lost and a place to acknowledge the impact of this tragedy on their lives”.

more here

 

Australians have raised more than

$139 million

to support those affected by the fires. 

photohunter:150

photohunter:warm

actually, these were taken by my sister on a business trip last week

on the road to Shepparton, Victoria. 

It is mid morning some 10 days (oops I said 8) 

after the raging fires; this is the sun through the smoke haze: warm indeed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australia: flood & fire map

Australia Queensland Floods

images by nathan edwards 

 

above – south of Coffs harbour in northern NSW

Queensland Floods: Update

from fire to floods….

 

 

EVEN while firefighters are still battling bush infernos in scorched Victoria huge amounts of Australia are under floodwaters.

Rains have eased, but more than 4000 people remain isolated by flood waters in parts of northern New South Wales, the State Emergency Services (SES) says. This is an Australia wide service. 

The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts a further 100mm of rain in the area today, but Mr Kear said satellite images showed the rain falling over the Pacific Ocean. 

At Bourke in the state’s central north, where a natural disaster zone has been declared, 200mm of rain has fallen in the past few days, equivalent to two-thirds of the city’s annual rainfall. 

Between Bourke and Sydney and stretching to the coast, the SES has received more than 2000 calls for assistance since Friday. 

The weather girl (just now 8:30am Wednesday) said the rain is begining to fall again. 

Victoria Fires: Sam the Koala

Sam the Koala raises $300,000 for CFA

Buy the photo here 

The Herald Sun (Melbourne Newspaper) has sold more than 15,000 copies of the famous photograph of CFA volunteer David Tree giving Sam a drink.

read the story here 

WEC hits the donald. and he ducks…

Donald Trump resigns from board of Trump Entertainment

AMERICAN tycoon Donald Trump has quit the board of debt-laden Trump Entertainment Resorts as the company he founded faces possible bankruptcy this week.

I have nothing to do with it. I’m not in it, I’m not on the board,” said Mr Trump, who was chairman.

words fail me. 

 

Victoria burns as Queensland floods

North Queensland flood towns face another month of isolation.

 

GULF of Carpentaria communities cut off by floods are facing another month of isolation, as Queensland’s damage bill climbs beyond $210 million.

There’s been no road access into Normanton and Karumba for six weeks and authorities expect no change for at least another four weeks.

airlift of aid to townsville in northern queensland

Victoria Fires: Updates

here there are many stories and many images. 

 

Anyone concerned about family or friends in fire areas should call 1800 727 077International callers seeking information about family and friends should call 0011 61 3 5332 5015

or 0011 61 3 8327 7814

Victoria Fires

DONATE HERE

OR

phone 1800 811 700.

 

eery image by nick hill – bunyip

Victorian Fires: a day of mouring

 

AUSTRALIA will honour victims of Victoria’s deadliest bushfires next Sunday on what has been declared a National Day of Mourning.

An 11am service will be held at Rod Laver Arena to remember those killed or missing, and give thanks to the courageous firefighters and volunteers.

here

 

 

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd became emotional during memorial service at Wandong.

Mr Rudd has met privatly with those who have lost familiy and homes –

no media was permitted to be present.

Victorian Fires: Arsonist charged

UPDATE 2.39pm: a man accused of setting a fatal fire has been named.

 

At a hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court this morning, Brendan James Sokaluk, 39, the man accused of starting the recent Churchill-Jeerelang bushfire in Gippsland which resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people, was remanded in custody to appear for a committal mention on May 26.

Mr Sokaluk was in the building during today’s hearing but did not appear in court.

Police Commissioner calls for Calm.  HERE 

by shane quinn – narre warren -7 feb 09

 

Victoria Fires: Update

Portraits of grief

 

Victorian Fires: week 2

Check the map there are fires still buring and some new ones. 

 

Express your condolences here

 

 

Melbourne from what was Kinglake

I found this image on Marg’s Blog

Victorian Fires week 2

Death Toll reaches 189

THE gruesome reality of the search through the rubble of last week’s has become clearer as police admit it is difficult to determine whether remains come from one person, or even if they are human. 

The revised toll included 40 from the hamlet of Strathewen from its population of 200, while 36 have so far been confirmed dead in Marysville which is expected to lose 100 of its 500 residents. 

read more here

Victorian Fires: images

this is all CFA Volunteer fire fighter David Nicholls has left.

Man’s Best Friend

search and rescue dog Gus is on the job. 

(never thought of specialised dogs – great to see)

 

imagine how this looked just 8 days ago…a poignant reminder. 

Victoria fires: Royal Family Responses

Prince Charles said yesterday he was horrified by the devastating fires in Australia, particularly in an area he knew so well from his schoolboy days. 

Hosting a gala reception to raise money for Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service, the heir to the throne said the extent of the Victoria fireswas hard to fathom. 

“Both my wife and I were so horrified, along with so many other people in this country, by the extent of these bushfires,” he said outside his official residence, Clarence House. 

“I know every year Australia suffers from dreadful events, but this year somehow it’s even more dreadful. We just wanted people to know … how deeply we feel for all those families who have suffered so terribly. 

“The sheer extent of the horror is hard to comprehend. 

“To me the tragedy was even worse when so many of the names of the towns and the townships that have been affected are the ones I remember so well from my time in Victoria at Geelong Grammar, up at Timbertop.” 

Charles praised the efforts of emergency service workers who had battled the blazes. 

“I don’t quite know how to express enough sympathy, how much we feel for people and pray that soon the situation will reverse,” he said. 

“But in the meantime, all those emergency services and all the people who work so incredibly hard to try and deal with these crises deserve our gratitude and appreciation.” 

His mother, Queen Elizabeth, this week joined hundreds of British citizens expressing their horror by making a private donation to the Red Cross. 

Victoria fires: memorial

Memorial for Victoria fires victims held at St Pauls in Melbourne. 

‘Tears, dust and ashes: a service of prayer, hope and remembrance.’

It was explained that placing a stone in remembrance was a symbol of both mortality, and hope. 

THE small cairn of white stones on the altar of Melbourne’s St Paul’s Cathedral just kept growing as the names were read yesterday afternoon. 

Twenty-three stones. King Lake … Flowerdale … Marysville … Calignee … Bendigo … Yarra Glen. It was an awful roll call. 

Each white stone symbolised a Victorian community both devastated by the fires and where lives have been lost. 

Then there was a 24th stone – representing “those, as yet, un-named communities”. And the victims yet to be discovered. 

Each stone was tenderly placed by people ranging from MPs to firemen and a hospital chaplain under a tall white candle of remembrance on the altar, lit by Governor David de Kretser

Friday 13th Interactive MAP here 

this was beautiful Gippsland – east of Melbourne. 

 

Australian Bush fire appeal DONATE here

over $94 million so far…

 

 

Australia: Victoria fires – update

Man, 39, charged over fatal Churchill fire

A 39-YEAR-OLD man has been charged over the Churchill fire in Victoria’s east which claimed 21 lives and destroyed scores of homes.

The suspect, who cannot be named, was charged at a local court,with one count of arson causing death and one count of intentionally lighting a bushfire.

Victoria Police said the man, who was arrested in Churchill at 4pm (AEDT) yesterday, had been moved to the Melbourne area for his own safety. 

Fires still burning

Meanwhile, good weather will give firefighters little respite this weekend as 15 fires continue to burn across Victoria. 

Country Fire Authority (CFA) deputy chief John Haynes said the main focus for 3000 firefighters on the job was to consolidate containment lines at all fire sites. 

The blaze of most concern today was in the township Chum Creek, northwest of Healesville, Mr Haynes said.

more HERE 

Friday February 13th

my dad died on this date 5 years ago. 

he was a yachtie, an architect and a perfectioniste.

he loved gadgets, peanuts and jokes. 

he took me to my first movie ‘pollyanna’.

he loved being a grand dad.

i miss him, but mum is with him now. 

i miss her too. 

 

Victoria fires: Updated map

Friday morning here

and still the fires burn  see this MAP

 

more than $77 million raised now

 

 

Australia Unites

Speaking on the program, (Nine’s telethon) Kevin Rudd said the outpouring of generosity from individuals and companies to those affected made him feel proud to be an Australian. 

“Back on Australia Day I was saying a few things about what the spirit of Australia is all about,” he said.  “It’s about courage, it’s about resilience and it’s about compassion – you know, looking after your mates and looking after your neighbours and people you haven’t actually even met before. 

“And what I see across the response to floods in the north and these terrible fires in the south, are all those great Australian values and virtues on display in a very practical Australian way. “

Victoria Fires: fund raising update

Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban 

have donated $500,000

from Nashville Tennesse. 

“that’s what Australian’s do – where ever we are in the world we stick together” Nicole.

“she may have been a star of ‘Australia’, but she is an Australian Star”. 

 

friend on VIRGIN BLUE flight from Perth 

$800 collected from passengers  - Virgin will match $1 for $1 from all flights.

 

 

Victoria Fires: update

over $7 million so far

over $7 million so far

over $7 million so far

over $7 million so far

over $7 million so far

raised for the fire relief fund. 

and more to come….

virgin will match $ for 

$75 993 648

raised as of 11pm Brisbane time 

that’s Midnight EDT

* * * 

sing along to the chorus

Hey True Blue…

(sung on the telethon)

 

 

 

 

for A-M

A-M has cried enough (see comments or previous post) and so have I…

here is a picture to make you smile. 

♥

Victoria fires: Sam the Koala

a friendly sniff – does she recognise David?

a symbol of hope

see more here

news.com.au

 

Victoria fires: sad update

It is Wednesday here now, and the news is not getting any better. 

How sad is this?….our hearts go out to the Davey family. 

 

underneath the image is wirtten

High School sweethearts Rov and Tash Davey died alongside their daughters. 

might there be some comfort in them all being together

I hope so. 

♥

 

80 Missing

DOZENS are missing, presumed dead, amid a warning that the bushfire toll could top 300,

with up to 100 dead in just one town.

Victoria Fires: Sam the Koala

a little ray of sunshine…(yes that song)…has come into our world

Sam the Koala, HERE

gained world wide fame.

Sam turned out to be a Miss Sam,

 watch the video here 

it is touching and gives so much hope. 

you might need tissues. 

Victoria Fires: an open letter

A SHATTERED resident has written an emotion-charged open letter to the arsonist responsible for for killing 21 members of her community..

“She has told of her devastation in the open letter.

“The damage you have caused is so great, I can’t even bear to think of the horror my neighbours who sadly didn’t make it were going through on Saturday,” Ms Michelsson wrote.

“They would have thought, `Oh my God, I’m trapped’. Then, `Oh my God, I’m going to die’. In the end they were probably praying for death.”

read more HERE

Victoria Fires: Interactive Map Update

Updated Interactive Map…fire locations now

 

 H E R E 

 

Energy equivalent of 500 atomic bombs

 

CONDITIONS for a perfect firestorm led to Australia’s greatest natural disaster at the weekend. 

Drought, hurricane-force wind and record temperatures after a record heatwave combined to create the deadly Black Saturday Victoria Fires. 

The University of Melbourne’s senior lecturer in fire ecology and management, Kevin Tolhurst, said conditions on Black Saturday were some of the worst the world had seen for a potential outbreak. 

He said the fires were so hot the energy they released could have supplied Victoria with electricity for at least two years. 

Up to 80,000 kilowatts per metre of heat was expelled as the fires raged on Saturday. 

Dr Tolhurst said this equalled about 500 atomic bombs landing on Hiroshima.

Victoria fires: the wild life

this would be cute if it wasn’t so sad. 

Victoria Fires: Images

Retired news anchor Brian Naylor’s Home Kinglake West: he and his wife died.

looking for victims – Marysville – a heartbreaking task

Victoria Fires: Update evening Tuesday 10th Feb

Drouin

*Public donations to Victoria’s bushfire disaster top $30 million in two days

 

PUBLIC donations for bushfire victims have topped $30 million in just two days in an unprecedented outpouring of generosity and community spirit.

“It is incredible.”

“It’s never happened like this before. 

“It surpasses everything, the tsunami, Cyclone Tracy.” 

The Victorian Bushfire Fund was set up only yesterday by the Australian Red Cross and the Federal Government. 

 

Yarra Glen

The death toll from Victoria’s fires has risen to 173, with 26 fires still burning across the state. 

*First hand footage from Steels Creek (from a survivor) 

HERE

Myrtleford

Victoria fires: Update

sadly the death toll has risen to 181. 147 on the one area.

It will continue to rise. 

see more HERE 

Victoria fires: Update 3pm Tuesday

*Barack Obama calls Kevin Rudd to offer prayers amid Victoria’s bushfire disaster

“President Obama said that we should know in Australia that the prayers of himself, his wife Michelle, their family and of the American people are with the people of Victoria, people of Australia,” he told parliament.”

HERE

 

*Kinglake survivors to return home after police standoff

SURVIVORS of the Kinglake inferno are being allowed to return to their homes after an angry standoff with police. 

Police allowed a partial road opening after frustrated residents demanded to be allowed back to survey the devastation …

HERE

*Identification of Victorian bushfire victims may be impossible.

A temporary morgue similar to the one used after the 2005 London terrorist bombings has been erected at the State Coronial Services Centre to accommodate the growing number of casualties. 

HERE

*$15 million raised for Victoria fire victims and survivors so far…

the true blue aussie spirit has kicked in. 

HERE

cool relief

I thought maybe a few pictures of the ocan might be soothing after all the fire pictures and information. 

(the death toll has not increased during the day) 

Stradbroke Island Qld

Burleigh Beach

by The Spit – Gold Coast

check your school 

yahoo7.com.au/sunrise to see if  it is open. 

1800727 700  to enquire re family and friends. 

GOVERMENT ASSISTANCE:

$1000 adukts 

$ 400 children 

$5000 towards funerals. 

1802211 for more information 

$14, 193,090 donated now. 

commentory from Kochie on 7 as he was flown across Victoria…

“a dozen valleys

fire came form north then wind changed to fierce south 

then changed north again 

the houses blew up 

some spared 

no rhymn or reason 

massive smoke clouds 

cars driven into dams to try and escaspe the fire storms 

media not allowed into Kinglake – public not ready for what is there. “

 

People concerend about pets, wild life  and farm animals etc…

Vets are on call…ready for when the area is opened up. 

Concerns for the wildlife – and domestic animals. 

RSPCA is on the job, ready to go. A lot of Vets and Vet nurses have voluntered….

for donations,

RSPCA (03)9224 2222 to register or enquire re pets, animals in general.

 

Victoria fire news

The Aussie cricket team donating game fees from today’s match and then after the series is over their shirts will be auctioned off with the funds going to the bushfire victims. 

* A little bright note: Yesterday our Heath Ledger won the BAFTA for best supporting actor. The Oscars are 2 weeks away. 

Children are fund raisig giving their pocket money, even their tooth fairy money.. 

$13,666,446 is the new donated total. 

750 coles stores donating all friday’s profit to the fund. 

thank you australia.  keep it coming…

 

VIP: * * * School students in the area of Whittlesea PLEASE  call in to your High Schools/College as Principal are attempting to account for all their students. * * * 

Victoria fires…

With regard to the fires in Victoria, if there is something you want to know and I have not posted about it, leave me a request in the comment. 

No spam please. 

Keep it nice. 

Victoria Fires: work of a serial arsonist?

Police close in on arsonist responsible for Churchill fires in Victoria…

 

• Police closing in on arsonists
• Photos of suspect to be released today
• More than one arsonist responsible

POLICE are hunting down a serial arsonist believed to have been responsible for lighting the worst of the Victoria fires. 

HERE

Victoria fires: Donations

$13,198 million so far 

 

To make $ donations:

BSB: 082001

account number: 860046797

any ANZ, NAB bank. 

Other donations: (the sites are busy but keep trying)

RED CROSS 

the redcross has a secure online donatn form – so if you are outside Australia you can donate. 

Salvation Army 

 

sadly, there is a warning out to watch out for false collectors. 

Make sure you only donate to the above organisations, 

watch televisions stations and listen to ABC radio for updates. 

 

below: a farmer near Beechworth

Fires:Update

Healesville on alert as Victoria’s bushfires continue to rage.

 

THE town of Healesville will come under direct attack from the raging bushfires in northeast Victoria today.

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) says southerly winds are expected to strengthen which will fan the fires that are continuing in the area.

“There’s an urgent threat message out to the community there,” said a spokesman.

HERE

Check where the fires are now HERE 

 

The human face of this tragedy HERE