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Australian bushfires
ViolentDove:
Yeah, we had some fires on the Central Coast when I was back up there this weekend. Thankfully they didn't get too bad.
I read that thing about someone re-lighting the fires after the fire brigade had put them out as well. I hope that's just the media reporting speculation, 'cause man that's a seriously fucked up thing to do.
Spike:
Here are various photographs taken of the fires, and the areas that the fire has left.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/bushfires_in_victoria_australi.html
RedLion:
These seem to happen in cycles, just like the yearly outbursts of forest fires on the U.S's west coast. After awhile, you kind of become inured to it you know? When I hear about something like this nowadays, I feel for the people, but on the whole it barely even phases me.
I've heard it tossed around that these fires can actually be beneficial, in a cleansing way--clearing out dead trees, brush, etc. Any basis to that?
johnny5:
i thought the california ones were bad, but i guess you guys also have 110+ degree weather. the fires must be moving fast
Inlander:
Parts of Victoria have had 40+ degree Centigrade weather for days on end, and that combined with the severest drought on record and the natural flammability of the Australian bush, plus strong winds on Saturday (plus, unfortunately, a touch of arson - though this was by no means the cause of all the fires) meant that the conditions were nightmarish for fires. And on top of that all, Victoria has a pretty high population density by Australian standards.
Fires are definitely a seasonal thing here: basically no Australian summer is complete without bushfire alerts. But these fires are above and beyond anything anyone here has ever experienced. In case anyone's wondering about the sheer ferocity of the fires, check out this photo: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/bushfires_in_victoria_australi.html#photo23.
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