FIRES...the new normal?

Woke up today to grey skies, choking air....the new normal? The day is closing and most of our view is still grey and occluded. Still reeking of fire. And we are at a fair distance from the tragic consequences of the immediate fires.  We in rural NSW are learning that the biggest threat from climate change for us is fire. We who live with bush surroundings are scared. Most rural dwellers are surrounded by bush. Where is PM Morrison? What does he have to say about "the new normal"?  

We need more planes to drop water. Will our government give us these resources or will our government continue to deny the effects of climate change? 

 

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Yes NY19, had that in the property next door to us about 15 years ago when we lived elsewhere. We saw a fire flame that was about 100 metres from our home, that looked like a tornado of about 100 feet high, then there was a break of nothing of perhaps 30 feet and another fire flame above the gap that was about 40 feet. That thing whipped around like one of those side show machines where everyone throws up on. It hit the property it was on and bent over from the tip as if it was hell bent on not missing one single tree or blade of grass.

Luckily the wind was in our favour and we had very few trees and grass was mowed to almost bowling green height. But if ever you wanted to know what hell would be like, that night I am sure I saw it.

Seems Slomo is considering climate change may well be a factor in the fires. Gosh this guy a slower than molasses in winter, its too little and too late. Now he questions the validity of burning off the undergrowth as being a useful item to prevent bushfires as it has burned through some of these areas. Well, if the clearing fires had been done a lot earlier than leaving them for years, and scomo jumped on the bandwagon immediately instead of pissing off to Hawaii, the fires would not have gotten so big, so out of control, that in the end it not only had full control but had a mind of its own as it created its own weather.

Slomo is a pure liar, he just made NSW agree to open up gas fracking in lieu of receiving energy funding. Santo's will be using about 37 billion litres of water to gas frack, as though we have any water to spare. 

From the email I received from Lock the Gate Alliance: 

"In a foul manoeuvre, Scott Morrison and his cronies have just forced an 'energy deal' on NSW*. They hand over cash for energy projects ONLY IF the state opens up new gas. 

Unbelievable. The target, from Morrison at least, appears to be getting a green light for the polluting Narrabri coal seam gas (CSG) project.

The deal looks designed to unleash CSG drilling in north-west NSW, threatening drought-affected farmers and allowing Santos to drain 37 billion litres of groundwater".

Here is a petition regarding how insurers define fires in their policies:

https://action.choice.com.au/page/55064/petition/1?ea.url.id=4553661

Interesting "exclusions" on a graphic in your petition link Musicveg.

Yes that is what I thought and wanted to share thanks for posting the graph RnR, did not think of doing that.

Thank you for the list. I don't have mine on it, so will go and check. Nope not under that list or on the page.

Honestly, I reckon all of them have a loophole somewhere where they can wriggle out of paying. No matter how long you have been with them and the thousands paid over many years.

Yes the wiggle room is a problem

Looks like our fires are over with all the rain down the NSW coast. What a godsend! I sincerely hope I'm not speaking too soon. For all of those who have been affected by fire this spring and summer I wish you well in your recovery. Community is everything, the strongest thing we have with each other so that is the way forward for all of us. 

I am in a safe area luckily but we did get the smoke a little, it is travelling all around the globe. Only good thing about the fires is it is bringing people together instead of the usually dividing that happens.

So true musicveg :)

We too are relatively safe in Qld. No smell of smoke in the air, sky clear except for rain clouds. No fires but for 2 or 3 in the early days and they are out now. No orange hue in the sky either. For once Qld has come through unscathed. But then our lot have been so busy illegally clearing the bush, there would stuff all to burn anyway.

Yes way too much clearing of bush so is NSW but on a positive note Queensland leads the way with renewable energy, so there is hope yet.

How long before some read from the outside before they become a member? After reading posts, then decide to come in purely to correct what they see as wrong. Self-appointed and self-opinionated where all others who do not agree with him/her are then verbally abused. It becomes a "them and us" scenario and the one who bullies the most persistently will eradicate the competition. This then would only leave the not so nice people who would agree on everything as they would have no one to correct what they believe to be true. Sounds much like a takeover bid amd a forum full of robots who can't see any other point of view. Then to take copies of others posts as a record to prove or disprove another, is tantamount to stalking and is premeditated. All have a right to their own opinion based on what they know from where they live. Some who live in a city will never understand the full complexities of life on the land, but by the same taken, a person of the land would not fully comprehend those who live in a city.

Good for you NY19, it will give peace of mind to remain with those who accept there are more sides to a topic than one.

 

Wow - anyone watch the "Fire" segment on 60 Mins. last night?  Was gobsmacked to see ole Baaaaaanaby J. there looking super uncomfortable!  Why they pick him I wonder?

I'm not sure of the name of the guy who was second from the left hand side of the screen - the tall balding guy in the blue shirt?  I thought he would have made a great PM for some reason ......they all spoke so much sense (apart from BJ)........but then that's to be expected haha

Also - Andrew Bolt in today's Herald Sun ...(the big climate change denier.....) is having a heyday re the fact it is flooding in lots of States.......brought up heaps of instances where the Weather Bureau stated "there would be very little or hardly any rain expected until the end of April".......

Bolt is asking in his column:  How did they get it so wrong?  blah blah.....

 

Hey guys and gals, take a look at this!  We are talking to brick walls here, money hungry bunch.

Teeming with life, Scott Reef in Western Australia is critical habitat for many rare and endangered species. Yet Woodside Petroleum is seeking approval to drill 54 oil and gas wells directly beneath their homes

 Public feedback closes on WEDNESDAY - Say NO to Oil & Gas at Scott Reef!

https://email.marineconservation.org.au/t/j-l-ckibdd-qqlhihlh-j/

Stupid fools, they are beyond all common sense.

I missed that show Foxy. We had a bit of a rough night with thunder and the dogs unimpressed and wanting not only to get on our lap but if they could, jump into our skin.

Awwwww ....... poor furkids ...........  :)

Poor furkids are 13 next month but the male is no more than 17 inches high to the shoulder, his sister is only about 15inches. These two aren't so bad, but when the youngester aged 5 and twice their height (red speckled cattle x smithfield) wants to do the same, holy cow I can't breathe.

Great news IMO.

Firefighters say the past week's torrential rain has extinguished the Gospers Mountain "mega-blaze" north-west of Sydney and is on track to put out the state's remaining fires this week.

The Gospers Mountain fire, which burned through more than 512,000 hectares after it was ignited by lightning strikes in a remote forested area on October 26, was once considered "too big to put out".

Full story.

Thats wonderful news RnR, about time we got some.

Been thinking about my Uncle in Sydney (he's 90) and so hope he is okay with the flooding. No good phoning as he gets too many crank calls so he wont answer until after its gone to the answering machine or if not home, message bank. But the down side is then he will phone me and that costs him, better if I phone him.

 

.... tonight's News ....6pm (13/2)

... showed the beautiful regrowth already of the ferns/tree's etc. from the bush fires!  I was amazed at how pretty some of them were - especially the tree's with the yellow blossom/flowers of some kind on them?  

They also said that certain native tree's/shrubs etc. have to "have fires" every so many years else they would become extinct......I learnt something new...... 

The pictures showed were amazing ..............

Some more "happy news" too ..... quite a number of the koala's from the various fires are recovering extremely well and some already are well enough and have been re-settled onto Phillip Island here in Vic.   :))

 

 

 

Yes many native species of plants need it very hot to sprout the seeds.

As far as I heard only 4 koala's went to Phillip Island, they were transported from Healsville after being rescued from Mallacoota.

 

Phillip Island & San Remo Advertiser 3 February at 11:00 · 

LOCALS' WILDLIFE MERCY MISSION

Four koalas injured in the bushfires around Mallacoota are being cared for by Phillip Island Nature Parks’ staff, after being transported here recently.

While the animals are treated on the island for burns injuries, Nature Parks also confirmed two of their specialised wildlife care team have been deployed to East Gippsland wildlife triage centres, at Orbost and Mallacoota.

PINP spokesman Roland Pick said Nature Parks had also offered its services following the French Island fires to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

“We have not yet received a request and have not taken in any koalas from French Island,” Mr Pick said.

“We are awaiting a request from DELWP once a wildlife assessment has been completed, should they require any assistance.”

Mr Pick said the four koalas were transported from Healesville Sanctuary on the weekend, where they were taken in to care from Mallacoota by Zoos Victoria.

“They are now coming down to Phillip Island to continue their rehabilitation, with the ultimate goal of being released back into the wild if and when appropriate.”

The koalas will remain on Phillip Island in specially built pens at the Koala Reserve until they fully recuperate.
“In a perfect world, they would be released back to Mallacoota, however this is subject to the vegetation levels and sustainability,” Mr Pick said.

He said that if the koalas were not able to return home, then they will stay at the Koala Reserve, if that “is the best place for them.”

He said the PINP rangers at the Orbost and Mallacoota wildlife triage centres would be rotated out and replaced “within the next week or so”, with details yet to be finalised.

Wildlife triage units have been established in Mallacoota, Bairnsdale and Corryong, with five additional triage units also set for deployment, each staffed by a manager, vet and vet nurse, to assess fire-affected wildlife, treat where possible and release or move to a wildlife shelter for longer-term care and rehabilitation.

The 2019/2020 Victorian bushfires have been “exceptional in size and impact”, according to the State Government, with about 1.4 million hectares burnt, while more than 170 of Victoria’s rare or threatened species have had over 50 percent of their known habitat burnt.

Fire boots representing the six RFS and Coulson Aviation firefighters killed in the recent bush fire on stage during the Bushfire State Memorial

 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8033929/Children-hero-dads-died-battling-blazes-share-teddy-bear-emotional-state-memorial.html?ito=email_share_article-image-share

 Fire boots representing the six RFS and Coulson Aviation firefighters killed in the recent bush fire on stage during the Bushfire State Memorial Harvey Keaton, son of RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton, and Charlotte O'Dwyer, daughter of volunteer Andrew O'Dwyer shared a teddy bear during the Bushfire State Memorial at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Sunday  

Harvey Keaton, son of RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton, and Charlotte O'Dwyer, daughter of volunteer Andrew O'Dwyer shared a

Teddy bear during the Bushfire State Memorial at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Sunday

 

... thanku Celia for posting that ...........

 

I was totally outraged upon hearing this news on Chn. 9 at 6pm today (Sunday):

A family was finally allowed back into their street (that had been fenced off since the fires due to apparent hazard reasons.....)

...to find the remains of their home - everything that had been burnt - removed!!!  They were emotionally distraught!  They had gone back to see if they could salvage any memories of their families "life" in the house....gone!  Cleared an empty block - nothing!!

Homes had been "cleared" by the N.S.W. Govt.!!!  Teams of "operators" designated by the Govt. had moved in (when the families had not been advised/given permission) and ...nothing left!  Nothing!!

When Chn. 9 contacted the N.S.W. Govt. - they were told :  "We don't have to advise people we are clearing their land after the bushfire emergency...."       Wtf !!! ???  Seriously?

The couple said they had at least wanted to see if they could find any jewellery - anything...they may have been able to sift thru' the rubble and find!  They said that at least being able to sift thru' their burnt property and maybe find "something" would have helped them heal and helped them with some kind of "closure"!

Dunno' about anyone else but I find this whole thing totally appalling!!!  How dare the Govt. do that!!!

Imagine if it were your property?

 

 

 

That is terrible, how can the Government be allowed to do this? Our freedeom and choices are being eroded more and more. I would certainly want to sift through rumble, finding a bit of memory sure would be precious and help you heal, and these people have had that right taken away, shocking.

 

... this is just what I heard 10 mins ago from a long time and trusted friend of many years .....

A friend of hers sits on the Board of WIRES which received MILLIONS of dollars for bushfire victims and mainly animals!  My friend said she "thought" it was $60 or $70 mill.?  Well apparently this mob so far have only used/donated $7 Mill. of the money!  

They stated (when questioned by other members at the meeting) they have "no immediate" plans to distribute any more of this enormous fund with any urgency!

I repeat this is "secondhand"  info. -  however - is anyone surprised?  Disgusting if true!

Also in todays paper - Celeste Barber is still meeting with lawyers as all the MILLIONS she helped raise - is going NOWHERE!  What a joke!   Aussies gave from deep pockets and kind hearts - for what????

PATHETIC!!!

 

I agree and its why I refuse to donate to any charity, they are as bad as the Government - greedy money grabbing, tight fisted bunch of a-holes.

If I was filthy rich, I would go directly to the people who need it and give them what they need to clean up, rebuild, increase stock, whatever. At least I would be sure of them getting it.

If I was in control, I could tell the Government or any ruling body wanting me to do this or that, or put it here or there, I would tell them as G.I. Jane did to her commanding officer - Suck my d**k!

It is a worry who handles all the charity money, I wonder too if the Firefight concert money raised is being distributed too, are we being taken for a ride? Are the charities investing this money elsewhere? Do we need a royal commissin into how charity money is spent? I prefer to donate direct to smaller wildlife shelters. If you are lucky to have one nearby you could visit them and donate time or goods that they need too.

All charities should have to pay tax and then they would be under the auspices of ATO

Royal Commissions are only waste of money.

 

Suze but no doubt if the current Government had anything to do with taxing charities they would be not including churches, which leaves out Scomo's Pentacostal, his mates Hill Song, Scientologist and other cults.

And of course they would love to tax any environmental groups or wildlife charities. Possibly leave out all the "medical" ones too which Big pharma get funding from.

 

Exactly!  Waste of money and they cost millions too!  No one learns from them or adapts to any of the "suggested policies" when they are completed!

How many Royal Comm. into Bushfires have we had up til now - 2 - 3 ?? Maybe more I don't know.   No one listened to any advice after those!  That I do know!  

Why has it gone "so quiet" about all this money? Are unscrupulous people lining their own pockets - creaming off the top?  Who knows?  Awful thing to suggest or think but...................??

hmmmm ... just decided to Google "Where has all the money donated to Australian bushfires gone?" ..... a minefield online!  Nothing listed of real substance (apart from some of the larger donations from celebs. and companies)

 

Foxy don't use Google (or Bing) it filters too much, try another search engine like DuckDuckGo.

 

.... hope you're not having a quack at me? lolololol ... ok cool thanks for that! :))

 

 

No Foxy no quacking here, I just found by experience that Google looks after their paying customers more and over time I have found it frustrating,unless you go to about page 20. They also seem to give results that are biased.

I refuse to use Bing and Google too. I use a search engine called https://www.startpage.com/ and it has duckduckgo, Google too but its filtered so I don't get a lot of hits so it keeps the crap out, there is Wiki and amazon too. You can add more or select the ones you want.

 

Just read this article here is the start and the link for you to continue reading if interested is below:

Confirming what had been widely suspected, researchers have found that human-caused climate change had an impact on Australia’s recent devastating bushfires, making the extremely high-risk conditions that led to widespread burning at least 30 per cent more likely than in a world without global warming.

http://econews.com.au/63804/scientists-confirm-climate-change-did-affect-australias-bushfire/

This is nothing new. We who live in the bush could see the toll the drought and heat was taking on our bushland and our own gardens. We knew we were in for an abnormal fire season even before it began. Morrison, Coalition members and conservative right wing diehards have tried to use the blame game (RFS failed to adequately back burn) to divert from the real cause which is climate change. We are in for more horrific fire seasons and other extreme weather events in future years because we have left it too late to act on mitigating climate change but if we do act now, in really committed ways globally, we can perhaps turn it around and make life easier for future generations of humans and all of earths creatures. We have to act because the alternative is too dire for all living things on earth.

Your right musicveg,but what can people say over and over again climate change is happening now,then you get the likes of Tony Abbott telling us this millions of years ago,Morrison who still can't believe there is such a thing as climate change,with the other boof heads like Abetize,Canavan,Hanson,Joyce and a whole herd of other boof heads who simply won't except there is climate change.....right now.

Your right musicveg,but what can people say over and over again climate change is happening now,then you get the likes of Tony Abbott telling us this millions of years ago,Morrison who still can't believe there is such a thing as climate change,with the other boof heads like Abetize,Canavan,Hanson,Joyce and a whole herd of other boof heads who simply won't except there is climate change.....right now.

Have you watched Damon Gameau's film 2020, a very inspiring film (the guy that made the That Sugar film). Well worth watching, starts off grim but ends up positive about the changes we can make without waiting for Governments.

Well my friends this rather disturbing news isn't going to brighten anyones day.

https://www.facebook.com/Lock.The.Gate.Alliance/videos/223451298792395/

Got the link but I don't belong to FB. Damn shocking with our sneaky Government. If you don't have FB either, here is another link for you...https://www.lockthegate.org.au/dont_frack_qld_rivers

Yes I have been following lockthegate campaign, I just cannot believe we are even going down the road of fracking in this dry continent, no don't do facebook either.

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