Serious fires

Doggie 1 · **January 04, 2013, 07:04:17**

We have serious fires in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia.
I hope all our members are ok.
I've just heard on the radio that houses have been lost in Tasmania today.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/searing-heat-puts-nation-on-edge-with-high-fire-warnings-issued-for-many-states/story-e6frg6nf-1226547552054

Phil №❶ · **Reply #1: January 04, 2013, 07:13:03**

No probs in my zone, but I fear this is just the start of a horror week of temps / fires.

Doggie 1 · **Reply #2: January 04, 2013, 07:18:16**

We've had more than our fair share of serious fires in W.A. over the last couple of years, but we were lucky this last week during the heat wave.
We lost over seventy houses in one fire in 2011 and have had several other serious bush fires metro and country this last year.
I hope you guys don't get the same.

2i30s · **Reply #3: January 04, 2013, 09:43:57**

our flash news just reported 70 houses have burnt and one person dead in a small tassie town,the residents are sheltering on a beach .

2i30s · **Reply #4: January 04, 2013, 09:59:48**

dunalley is the town i mentioned above.

Doggie 1 · **Reply #5: January 04, 2013, 10:03:03**

Gee, that's terrible.

That's an awful lot of homes. I hope no one was inside any of them.

Dazzler · **Reply #6: January 04, 2013, 12:14:26**

I haven't been through there for years but apparently only has about 300 residents so 60 or 70 homes would be half the town..

2i30s · **Reply #7: January 04, 2013, 19:16:04**

but you know how inaccurate the news often is,its probably more like 2 houses and a guy with a burnt hand.

TazManiac · **Reply #8: January 04, 2013, 21:33:10**

It is really bad. We have friends in the area. 65 houses lost in Dunalley, including the school and bakery which are both on the main highway. 30% of houses.

More houses lost in other towns around there too. Added up to about 80 or so all up.

Doggie 1 · **Reply #9: January 04, 2013, 23:31:05**

That is not good news.
Is the death confirmed?

TazManiac · **Reply #10: January 04, 2013, 23:35:39**

Not yet. The police went in and did a search of the area but couldn't find any deceased.

Doggie 1 · **Reply #11: January 04, 2013, 23:38:55**

Thanks, here's hoping for zero.

Dazzler · **Reply #12: January 05, 2013, 08:53:21**

There was a rescue helicopter in the background at one of the fire sites on the Local News tonight.

I'm guessing Jamie (Fatboy) is out and about helping.. Hoping him and his Family and Aaron and his family stay safe...

It is pretty dry and hot where Aaron lives and there was a minor vegetation fire at Cygnet (where Jamie lives) earlier in the day

Doggie 1 · **Reply #13: January 05, 2013, 08:59:35**

Yes, here's hoping.

Phil №❶ · **Reply #14: January 05, 2013, 09:02:56**

Stay in touch, fellas

TazManiac · **Reply #15: January 05, 2013, 09:35:27**

We will be perfectly fine here. No risk from any of the current fires anyway. At least one of our friends has lost everything. Will be some difficult times ahead for many. Power won't be restored to any of the houses on the Tasman Peninsula for at least a few weeks. Hope Jamie is flying safe. Visibility here, 20 km away from any fires, is terrible.

Dazzler · **Reply #16: January 05, 2013, 09:41:49**

Quote from: TazManiac on January 05, 2013, 09:35:27

We will be perfectly fine here. No risk from any of the current fires anyway. At least one of our friends has lost everything. Will be some difficult times ahead for many. Power won't be restored to any of the houses on the Tasman Peninsula for at least a few weeks. Hope Jamie is flying safe. Visibility here, 20 km away from any fires, is terrible.

Thanks for reporting in Aaron, apparently more than 300 power poles have been destroyed by fire

Doggie 1 · **Reply #17: January 05, 2013, 09:49:55**

Yes, thanks Aaron.
Just need to hear from Jamie. I suspect he'll be ok being above it all, hope all the family is ok too.

TazManiac · **Reply #18: January 05, 2013, 09:54:37**

Probably been told to put his mobile in flight mode...

Hope you're alright Jamie.

TazManiac · **Reply #19: January 05, 2013, 09:57:48**

If you're interested in listening to the local emergency radio announcements then there is an app on Android called tunein which is free and the station to look for is 936 Hobart. Probably similar programs on i devices.

TazManiac · **Reply #20: January 05, 2013, 10:16:31**

I will try to upload a photo of the current brushfire extents. It is pretty massive at the moment. The one at ellendale is covering about 95 square kilometres. Haven't done the sums on the other one but the one on the peninsula is much bigger.

TazManiac · **Reply #21: January 05, 2013, 10:16:57**

Dazzler · **Reply #22: January 05, 2013, 10:33:17**

Thanks Aaron

FatBoy · **Reply #23: January 06, 2013, 22:21:39**

We are safe down in Cygnet. I was called in on Saturday to help out. I was mainly ferrying people and equipment from one place to another (paramedics, technicians, Command and Control, etc). The images on the TV and in the newspapers do not provide a realistic image of the devastation that has occurred from Forcett right through to the Tasman Peninsula. I have seen a few houses on fire (and many, many more destroyed). The land is black and now devoid of all vegetation. There are about 100 people still missing, and police have said to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. I hope that it isn't too many.

FatBoy

Dazzler · **Reply #24: January 06, 2013, 22:24:42**

Wow, 100 still missing (i didn't realise that)

TazManiac · **Reply #25: January 06, 2013, 23:10:32**

Yeah it is a terrible situation at the moment. Convoys of community owned boats are heading over this morning with much needed food, generators, batteries, etc. I don't think the road in and out well open today either.

Doggie 1 · **Reply #26: January 07, 2013, 00:03:10**

I heard on the news this morning that so far no bodies have been found so that's good news.

TazManiac · **Reply #27: January 07, 2013, 01:03:54**

Still no bodies found.

eye30 · **Reply #28: January 07, 2013, 10:59:27**

on uk news last night.
I hope all tassie members and kin are all safe.

Dazzler · **Reply #29: January 07, 2013, 11:30:36**

Quote from: eye30 on January 07, 2013, 10:59:27

on uk news last night.
I hope all tassie members and kin are all safe.

These fires seen a lot more widespread than the ones that killed many people and destroyed a lot of property in 1967.. Hopefully the milder weather conditions and some forecast rain will help bring things under control...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_Tasmanian_fires