One of the towns totally destroyed by the fire was Marysville where I visited only a few months ago. Finding the following photo is what prompted me to write this post as I have an almost identical photo from November last year. What was a luscious green country town is now a smoking heap as you can see here...
Before (November 16, 2008)
After (February 8, 2009)
My hometown of Warragul and its neighbouring town Drouin were both on alert on Saturday but were given the all clear later on Sunday. I'm just thankful that my family is OK even though my brother said burning embers were landing in his backyard in Drouin.
The ABC website has a page where you can ask or offer help. We've given clothes and food and have offered housing if anyone needs it.
It seems to be a time to break records with Melbourne recording its hottest 3-day streak last week with a 43c+ (109.4f) hat trick and its hottest day on record on the day of the fires where it got up to a horrible 46.4c (115.4f). Throw in gale-force winds and pyromaniacs and you have the perfect recipe for disaster.
Today, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that if the Victorian fires had been deliberately lit it would amount to "mass murder". Later, Attorney-General Robert McClelland agreed saying, "Anyone who lights fires deliberately, with reckless disregard for the safety of their fellow Australians, in our view establishes the requisite criminal intent that would sustain a charge of murder." ...so say we all.
No comments:
Post a Comment