Victorian Bush Fires

Many of you have asked about this week’s Bush Fires throughout Australia. Not knowing how the American media has covered the topic, I can’t comment on how factual the coverage has been. All I can tell you is that these fires have caused more loss of human life than any previous natural disaster on Australian soil. The current death toll is 181 with many people still unaccounted for. Thousands more have lost their homes and businesses.

The Federal government has declared disaster areas, fund raisers are being held in every city and town around the country and across the world. Materials and money is being gathered for those who have lost everything. The immediate needs are measureable; the magnitude of the devastation weighs heavy on those of us who watched the inferno on television. I still struggle to conceptualize that entire rural towns are gone. The town of Maryville in Victoria is approximately the same size as my home town of Williamsfield, Illinois. Not a single structure was left standing in that town and unfortunately it wasn’t an isolated incidence. Ten residents are confirmed dead and over 100 from that tiny tow are unaccounted for. Those who were lucky enough to survive must confront the loss of all their worldly possessions and possibly their jobs along with the reality that someone they know perished in the inferno.

The fires have been raging for over a week now. This morning’s report show’s 13 fires still active. Weather in the last week brought a drop in temperature and wind along with small amounts of moisture. Unfortunately, next week’s forecast calls again for heat and high winds.

If you want to read more the fires check out the following links: ABC News The Age The Herald Sun