Bush Fires

[Black Orchid]

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) has announced 69 houses have been destroyed and 39 damaged in a blaze that is still actively burning in the coastal town of Tathra, near Bega.

Initial damage assessment has found 30 caravans and cabins were also destroyed, but 398 houses were saved or untouched.

It is still not safe to return to the town, but work is being done to make the area safe as quickly as possible, the RFS said.

It is believed four people in the Tathra region have been treated for smoke inhalation and one RFS volunteer has been injured, but there are no reports of missing people.

Residents huddled on the beach to try and escape the flames before being evacuated, with hundreds spending the night in nearby Bermagui and Bega and some sleeping in their cars.

RFS Deputy Fire Commissioner Rob Rogers said the fire jumped rivers on Sunday and was "like a perfect storm" with a combination of strong winds, hot temperatures, low humidity and dry bush.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian flew down from Sydney to the devastated area and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is expected to speak in Tathra soon.

Weather conditions eased overnight and the fire, which spans more than 1,070 hectares, was downgraded from emergency warning to watch-and-act level.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-19/n ... st/9561734

That's a lot of damage. Poor things. I know what living through bushfires is like and it is not good.

[The Mechanic]

lots of grass fires all around western Victoria as well...

lightening strikes and high winds...

up until now its been a very very quiet bush fire season...

[Black Orchid]

Meanwhile in Queensland this is how they shelter from a storm.

Chickens were stashed in a luxury cabin and helmet-wearing home owners crawled into their bathtubs for another weekend of weather madness in Western Australia's remote north.

Tropical Cyclone Marcus became the fourth cyclone to hit the Kimberley since Christmas when it crossed the coast near Kalumburu as a category two system on Saturday.

As the storm passed overhead, Mr Adams and his wife Ali Moore — wearing a motorcycle helmet for protection — took shelter under support beams.

"We tried to stay in the safest places … under the biggest beam you can find."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-20/c ... wa/9563258

[Neferti]

We had very strong winds on the weekend, plus a dust storm, which looked like smoke from a bush fire but wasn't ... the wind was so strong that I lost connection to the Foxtel satellite dish on Sunday afternoon. Had the techies here this morning and the wind had broken a part of the dish metal connections. They were here for 35 minutes or so drilling and so forth and I now have Foxtel back working. VERY strong wind! I was so bored that I downloaded a Foxtel app to my PC and watched some programs on the computer. Tried the FTA channels .... y.a.w.n.

[BigP]

Meanwhile in Queensland this is how they shelter from a storm.

Chickens were stashed in a luxury cabin and helmet-wearing home owners crawled into their bathtubs for another weekend of weather madness in Western Australia's remote north.

Tropical Cyclone Marcus became the fourth cyclone to hit the Kimberley since Christmas when it crossed the coast near Kalumburu as a category two system on Saturday.

As the storm passed overhead, Mr Adams and his wife Ali Moore — wearing a motorcycle helmet for protection — took shelter under support beams.

"We tried to stay in the safest places … under the biggest beam you can find."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-20/c ... wa/9563258

You look sexy in that bubble-wrap BO

[Black Orchid]

Awww shucks. I thought the helmet added some class too.

[Neferti]

In the Canberra bush fires in 2003, I believe that somebody filled the bath with water and got "stewed" alive. Cods might recall something about that, unless it was via the bush telegraph and was a lie.

[Black Orchid]

You are actually supposed to get in the bathtub and wrap yourself in wet towels. You are not supposed to fill it with water first. One year when the bush fires surrounded me a woman jumped into her swimming pool with 2 kids and they all perished. You are definitely NOT supposed to jump into a pool. I think the oxygen gets sucked out of the air above the water and it becomes toxic.

[cods]

In the Canberra bush fires in 2003, I believe that somebody filled the bath with water and got "stewed" alive. Cods might recall something about that, unless it was via the bush telegraph and was a lie.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. no never heard that one nef....... I do know a lot of animals suffered...as well as 4 people dying....

and dont forget nef there was a stuff up with the fire brigades back then... not as bad as whats happening in NSW but just the same...two big egos I reckon waring over territorial rights its bloody disgusting.... we pay extra on our house ,insurance for fire protections and the people of NSW are treated by buffoons in a turf war...

[cods]

You are actually supposed to get in the bathtub and wrap yourself in wet towels. You are not supposed to fill it with water first. One year when the bush fires surrounded me a woman jumped into her swimming pool with 2 kids and they all perished. You are definitely NOT supposed to jump into a pool. I think the oxygen gets sucked out of the air above the water and it becomes toxic.

we mustnt forget these people are in PANIC.....I do recall when some firies died in their truck it was suggested they have a way to get into their water tanks....not sure where that went....

as a bush fire country isnt it time we did better than we are?..