Australia Wildfires

waltky · Jan 13, 2013

Australian wildfires threaten Siding Spring Observatory...

Fire threatens leading telescope site
Mon, Jan 14, 2013 - Australias top research observatory, home to several telescopes used by scientists from around the world, was under threat from wildfires yesterday as hot weather and lightning storms stoked scores of new blazes.

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) of New South Wales, Australias most populous state, issued an emergency warning for an out-of-control fire raging towards the Siding Spring Observatory, a remote global research facility. About a dozen isolated properties at Mount Woorut, including Siding Spring Observatory, may come under threat, the RFS said. Police are evacuating the area. Firefighters and waterbombing aircraft are on scene. Siding Spring, a mountain-top site in the Warrumbungle ranges about 500km northwest of Sydney, houses 10 operating telescopes run by Australian, Polish, British, South Korean and US researchers.

Administered by the Australian National Universitys research school of astronomy and astrophysics, Siding Spring is the nations major optical and infrared observatory and one of the top facilities of its kind in the world. A partner observatory at Canberras Mount Stromlo was destroyed by wildfires in January 2003 that killed four people and razed more than 500 homes. Five telescopes, residences and more than a dozen buildings were ruined in the Mount Stromlo inferno, forcing the termination of a number of major projects, including a digital survey of the southern hemispheres skies.

Large parts of Australia have sweltered under extreme heat in the past week, sparking hundreds of wildfires that have destroyed more than 100 homes. In the northern state of Queensland train services were halted yesterday due to fears that tracks would buckle under scorching heat that has seen bitumen road surfaces melt in some towns. The RFS said lightning storms started about 40 new fires overnight in northern New South Wales, fanned by strong winds, though most were in remote areas and not a threat to properties.

Wildfires are a common threat in arid Australia, particularly in the hotter months between December and February, and the governments Climate Commission has warned that global warming will increase the fire risk. About 173 people were killed and more than 2,000 homes destroyed during the so-called Black Saturday firestorm in 2009, Australias worst natural disaster of modern times.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2013/01/14/2003552510
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waltky · Dec 27, 2015

Granny says "Fire an' flames an' vapors of smoke - like it says inna Bible...

More than 100 homes lost in Australia's Christmas Day bushfires
Sat Dec 26, 2015 - More than 100 homes burned down in a leading Australian tourist area in bushfires on Christmas Day and the situation remained dangerous on Saturday, as officials predicted more blazes to come later in the hot southern summer.

While around 500 firefighters and 13 firefighting aircraft battled the flames along parts of Victoria state's picturesque Great Ocean Road, teams moved in to assess damage from fires that had lit up the night sky along the coast on Christmas. A spokesman for the state's emergency services said 98 homes had been confirmed burned in the community of Wye River and another 18 in nearby Separation Creek, for a total of 116 in the two townships, located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) southwest of Melbourne.

A bushfire burns at Wye River near Lorne, south of Melbourne

Top emergency officials warned that dry conditions posed a threat of more fires for the Great Ocean Road area and the rest of Victoria. "This fire doesn't go away," Craig Lapsley, the state's emergency services commissioner, told a news conference. "We will be back into hot, windy weather in January without a doubt. Everything's available to burn." The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia's biggest tourist draws with its spectacular scenery and unusual offshore rock formations. It remained mostly closed to traffic on Saturday during what is typically one of its busiest times of the year.

Although an evacuation alert was lifted for the popular tourist town of Lorne and rain overnight had helped the firefighting operation, officials said the situation remained potentially dangerous with many hotspots. Images from the scene showed hillsides charred to the ground all the way down to the coast. State Premier Daniel Andrews surveyed the area from the air and commended emergency services, noting that there had so far been no loss of life, but he warned that the number of homes destroyed could rise. Meetings were held on Saturday for hundreds of victims urgently moved out of affected towns on Friday, many spending Christmas night in hurriedly organized shelters. Andrews said financial grants had already been issued to help those who had lost their homes.

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See also:

Family drives through Southern California wildfire: 'It was terrifying'
Sat December 26, 2015 - Wildfire was caused by downed power lines, fire officials say; "Our car could have exploded," woman says of family's drive through fire; The family thought they were a safe distance from the Solimar wildfire

Maaike Maks and her Dutch family believed they were a safe distance from the Solimar wildfire that roared along the Southern California freeway on Christmas night. The blaze appeared 30 minutes away. Moreover, they saw no road blocks.

But they suddenly found themselves in the heart of the furnace. Embers landed on their windshield, and flying torches hit their speeding car. They captured their brush with the inferno on video. "We didn't realize it was this big and frightening," Maks said. "There was nobody stopping us on the highway as we got closer and closer, so we thought it was totally safe for us to drive past it. As we started getting closer, I decided to record the fire we saw next to us, as I had never seen this before. "Then all of the sudden, all these sparks and a burning bush hit our car, and we couldn't see anything of what was around us because of all the smoke. I was terrified and in a total shock. In the end, it only took a few seconds, but it felt like an hour," she said. "It was terrifying. We were very lucky. In a worst-case scenario, our car could have exploded."

On Saturday afternoon, only 10% of the 1,200-acre fire was contained, but authorities were still able to reopen U.S. Highway 101 and Pacific Coast Highway in Ventura County. The highways had been closed in both directions in an area 70 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. Highway 101 and the Pacific Coast Highway, which is also designated as California Highway 1, are heavily traveled corridors in Ventura County and carry motorists between Los Angeles and central California. The highways feature scenic vistas of the ocean and mountains. Authorities asked motorists Saturday to use caution on the freeways near the fire.

Maks and her family were driving on the highway after attending the NBA game in Los Angeles between the Lakers and Clippers, and the family was headed to their holiday home in Santa Barbara about 11 p.m. Friday. Maks' parents and two brothers were visiting from Haarlem, the Netherlands, said Maks, who lives in New York. "We are a family of five and spending the holidays in Santa Barbara," she said. California is parched under a historic drought, and Friday's winds whipped flames through the dessicated vegetation. The fire was caused by downed power lines, fire officials said late Saturday.

The flames came within striking distance of area beaches, in addition to "bumping against the roadway," Ventura County Fire Capt. Steve Kaufmann said in a video posted to his department's Facebook page. "We're seeing fire embers all over the place," Kaufmann said. The fast-moving blaze burned through Christmas night and into Saturday, according to Ventura County Fire spokesman Capt. Mike Lindberry. As of Saturday, some 600 firefighters were at the scene while four helicopters dumped water on the blaze. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, to the ankle and knee, authorities said.

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Adultmale · Dec 28, 2015

Your point?

waltky · Jan 8, 2016

Whole town of Yarloop burned off the face of the earth...

A Raging Wildfire in Western Australia Has Destroyed an Entire Town
"I look around 360 degrees and everything is burnt to a cinder"

The remote Australian town of Yarloop, population 600, is the latest casualty of a string of wildfires that have razed parts of the country in recent months. Some 95 homes were lost in the town, located about 120 km from the Western Australian capital of Perth, after wildfires swept through it Thursday night after burning through more than 31,000 hectares earlier in the week, according to news site WAToday.com.au.

Hundreds of people have fled to evacuation centers to escape the fire, which was caused by a lightning strike Wednesday evening local time. Theres very little of Yarloop left I look around 360 degrees and everything is burnt to a cinder. I think the post office is the only building left standing [in the main street], one resident reportedly told local radio.

WAToday.com.au cited Perth television journalist Geoff Parry, who on Friday morning flew over Yarloop in a helicopter, as saying Theres a house here and there and thats it.

Dry and hot conditions across Australia make rampaging wildfires known locally as bushfires a seasonal hazard. More than a hundred homes were destroyed in a fire on Christmas Day in the southeastern state of Victoria.

http://time.com/4172484/yarloop-western-australia-wildfire-bushfire/
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lizarddust · Jan 8, 2016

waltky said: ↑

Whole town of Yarloop burned off the face of the earth...

A Raging Wildfire in Western Australia Has Destroyed an Entire Town
"I look around 360 degrees and everything is burnt to a cinder"
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As was Marysville in 2009.

Bushfires are a sad fact in Australia. Expect many more before summer ends.

waltky · Jan 8, 2016

Australia bushfire threatens more towns...

Australia Waroona fire threatens more towns after devastating Yarloop
Fri, 08 Jan 2016 - A massive bushfire that devastated a small town is still burning out of control in Western Australia, threatening several more towns.

A massive bushfire that devastated a small town is still burning out of control in Western Australia. About 95 houses in Yarloop, south of Perth, have been destroyed and three people are reported to be missing. Wind gusts of up to 60km/h (37mph) overnight fanned the blaze, dubbed the Waroona fire, to heights of 50m. The fire area is now 58,000 hectares and emergency warnings remain in place for Waroona, Harvey and surrounding areas including Preston Beach.

This handout photo from firefighters shows the Waroona fire burning near Yarloop

A local politician told the BBC the fire "could well be the end" of Yarloop. Western Australia Fire Commissioner Wayne Gregson told a news conference that the fire in Yarloop was too intense to be tackled head-on. He said four firefighters were injured battling the blaze and one fire truck was destroyed.

'Could be the end'

A large thunderstorm hit the town of Pinjarra to the north of the fire zone at about 10:00 local time (02:00 GMT). Reports said lightning struck an evacuation centre in the town, injuring a man in his 50s and cutting power. The storm was understood to be heading towards the fire zone - a downpour of rain could ease conditions, but lightning strikes could also spark further fires. Local politician Murray Cowper told the BBC that the loss of property was "significant". He said firefighters told him the town's pub, bowling club and historic timber workshops had been destroyed. "You've got seasoned firefighters who've been around for many years saying they've never seen anything like it," Mr Cowper said. "A big fireball came through and there was no way they were going to stop it. "This could well be the end of the town."

Yarloop resident Alex Govanovich told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the fire was "crazy - one fireball after another" with "devastating" winds. A Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) spokesman said conditions were "very tricky", with wind gusts of up to 60km/h expected again on Friday. Thunderstorms and sea breezes could add further unpredictability to the situation if they rapidly pushed the fire in new directions. Thunderstorm systems could also be generated within the fire itself, the spokesman said.

What causes the fires?
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axialturban · Feb 2, 2016

Lightning, idiots flicking ciggy butts out of car windows etc, hot car exhaust pipes rubbing on dry grass when parked, camp fires, firebugs (they sting something nasty) and once started in hot weather with strong winds its all over red rover. Probably cigarette smokers would be the worst offending non-deliberate, non-natural fire starter I reckon.... but its interesting how many people start them deliberately, the no life nutjob losers.

waltky · Nov 5, 2016

Is bushfire season in Australia...

Australian firefighters battle five bushfires going out of control, as 60 other fires flare up across NSW
Saturday 5th November, 2016 - Hundreds of firefighters are engaged in battling bushfires that have flared up across New South Wales, since the afternoon of November 4.

A large fire had enveloped a wrecking yard in Revesby, turning hundreds of cars to ash but on Saturday, NSW Fire and Rescue said in a statement that the fire has almost been extinguished. However, the blaze led to one man suffering minor burns and two others who suffered after inhaling the smoke. All three of them have undergone treatment and the man suffering from burns is likely to be transferred to Concord Hospital, while the two others were since discharged. Close to 100 firefighters and 20 fire trucks are on the scene, trying to prevent the fire from getting out of hands and spreading across the neighbourhood. Diversions were earlier placed on The River Road but were later removed and eastbound lanes on Canterbury Road are now accessible. Firefighters had a tough time battling the flames and the warm winds made matters worse, spreading the fire across Castle Cove, Mulgrave, Llandilo, Revesby, Terrey Hills and the Hunter Valley.

According to Rob Rogers, the Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner of New South Wales, the fire was burning extremely ferociously in high winds. FRNSW Commissioner Greg Mullins stated, This is a very serious fire, very volatile. This fire is still spreading ... it's quite a desperate battle. According to Mullins, four houses in the neighbourhood have been evacuated in the fear of 30 kgs of LPG gas cylinders exploding. Yet another region of NSW, Callala Bay, is dealing with a bushfire that started on Friday and hasnt been contained so far. The bushfire is said to have consumed 490 hectares in a dangerously spreading fire and fire services are reportedly trying to contain the spread, the NSW Rural Fire Service said.

NSWRFS stated, A spot fire has occurred earlier this morning to the west of Stott Crescent, Callala Bay and continues to move towards homes in that area. NSWRFS Firefighters are on scene however there is no immediate threat to homes in the area. There is a large cleared area behind homes in Stott Crescent which firefighters will use to protect property if the need arises. A strong south westerly wind change has moved across the fire ground whilst this will move the fire away Callala Beach and Callala Bay - it may put pressure on the northern containment line along Forest Rd. Roskell Road and Caffery Circuit in Callala Beach are being serviced by another crew. Residents living in neighbourhoods nearby have been advised to pay attention to the conditions and seek help from fire crews if needed. They urged, If the fire impacts your property, seek shelter to protect yourself from the heat of the fire. Further, authorities had earlier downgraded a bushfire in Racecourse Road at Cessnock but have now said that the fire returned to emergency warning status after it escaped containment lines.

About 175 firefighters are at the spot, engaged in efforts to prevent the spread of the fire that has already impacted some properties on several streets and now threatens about 50 homes around Kitchener, Abernathy and Kearsley. Fire and emergency units are also stationed in the Hunter Region, to deal with a fire north of Raymond Terrace that has reached emergency warning level, burning towards Limeburners Creek. Other units are dealing with the blaze off Lone Pine Road in Port Stephens covering 620 hectares. According to reports, bushfires are burning out of control at Wollongong and Shoalhaven and 31 other such fires have still not been contained. RFS Inspector Ben Shepherd said, It will still be warm and dry on Sunday, heating up on Monday and on Tuesday - we could see some hot and windy weather before some possible cooler weather returns on Wednesday.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/...control-as-60-other-fires-flare-up-across-nsw
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waltky · Feb 13, 2017

Fire season down under...

Australia bushfires: 'Most buildings' in tiny town damaged
Mon, 13 Feb 2017 - Locals say most buildings in Uarbry are destroyed, as 80 fires burn across New South Wales.

Bushfires ravaging the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) have largely destroyed a very small town, residents have said. More than 80 fires - including 20 uncontained - were still burning on Monday following record temperatures. The Rural Fire Service (RFS) said it was remarkable no lives were lost amid "catastrophic" weekend conditions. But about nine of 12 buildings in the tiny community of Uarbry had been destroyed, according to locals. RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons could not confirm that number but said "most buildings" in Uarbry had been razed or damaged.

The blaze, dubbed Sir Ivan, had an active fire edge of about 200km (124 miles) and had burned through 50,000 hectares near Dunedoo, Mr Fitzsimmons said. "One of our captains in that local area was a resident of Uarbry," he said. "He was out fighting the fires and he has come back to find that his home is destroyed." Local resident Peter Gilmour told Sydney's Daily Telegraph that only three houses in the town were unaffected. "Most neighbours have lost everything," he said.

Conditions to ease

More than 2,500 firefighters, many of them volunteers, were battling the fires. One firefighter had suffered a severe hand laceration, while another suffered serious burns to the hands, arms and face, Mr Fitzsimmons said. Officials said the weekend conditions were worse than during the 2009 "Black Saturday" fires in the state of Victoria, which killed 173 people. NSW broke its record for the hottest average statewide temperature on Saturday, with 44C. The towns of Forbes (46.C) and Richmond (47C) had their hottest days on record. Interstate, records were also broken in the Queensland towns of Gatton (45.6C), Oakley (42.6C), Toowoomba (40.8C) and Kingaroy (41.6C).

An aerial photo of the Sir Ivan fire near Dunedoo

Australia's weather bureau forecast a cool change to arrive on Monday. Emergency Services Minister Troy Grant said the conditions were unprecedented. "Those in our community who are feeling relieved that we may have dodged a bullet, we must remember that there are many who have been devastated by fires in their regions," he said. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian thanked firefighters for their efforts. "We are not out of the woods, however, we are beyond the worst part of those catastrophic conditions that existed over the weekend," she said.

Australia's severe bushfires
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scarlet witch · Feb 13, 2017

it's crazy the whole Australia is sweltering and in Melbourne it's rainy and cold, I'm wearing a jumper fgs

LeftRightLeft · Feb 13, 2017

axialturban said: ↑

Lightning, idiots flicking ciggy butts out of car windows etc, hot car exhaust pipes rubbing on dry grass when parked, camp fires, firebugs (they sting something nasty) and once started in hot weather with strong winds its all over red rover. Probably cigarette smokers would be the worst offending non-deliberate, non-natural fire starter I reckon.... but its interesting how many people start them deliberately, the no life nutjob losers.
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broken glass thrown out as rubbish has started fires

- - - Updated - - -

scarlet witch said: ↑

it's crazy the whole Australia is sweltering and in Melbourne it's rainy and cold, I'm wearing a jumper fgs
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That's Straya for ya

cerberus · Feb 13, 2017

scarlet witch said: ↑

it's crazy the whole Australia is sweltering and in Melbourne it's rainy and cold, I'm wearing a jumper fgs
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scarlet witch · Feb 13, 2017

lol thanks Cerb, to be honest I'd rather wear my jumper than swelter

cerberus said: ↑

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cerberus · Feb 13, 2017

scarlet witch said: ↑

lol thanks Cerb, to be honest I'd rather wear my jumper than swelter
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Speak for yerself, Witchypoo - this'll be me in a month or two . . .

scarlet witch · Feb 13, 2017

Couldn't possibly be that warm in Autumn. Where you going... South of Spain, isn't that where all the Brits go?

wait... he's not wearing anything... you a nudist?

scarlet witch said: ↑

lol thanks Cerb, to be honest I'd rather wear my jumper than swelter
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