Bushfires...
Sunday, January 19, 2003 by Jafo | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Victoria, Australia is the most bushfire-prone place on this planet. January is our 'time'.
At the moment, the majority of it all is in the North, and beyond, all the way up to the ACT [Canberra], where to date about 400 houses in suburbia have been destroyed and 3 reported deaths...and counting...
50 knot winds and 40 degree heat....and the worst drought ever on record.
It's going to get worse before it ever gets better.
National Parks have been wiped out, unlikely to recover until your children's children have children of their own.
All those cute wombats, roos and koalas...they'll be toast, now.
If you've never seen a bushfire 'crowning', pray you never do.
Hell on earth....
At the moment, the majority of it all is in the North, and beyond, all the way up to the ACT [Canberra], where to date about 400 houses in suburbia have been destroyed and 3 reported deaths...and counting...
50 knot winds and 40 degree heat....and the worst drought ever on record.
It's going to get worse before it ever gets better.
National Parks have been wiped out, unlikely to recover until your children's children have children of their own.
All those cute wombats, roos and koalas...they'll be toast, now.
If you've never seen a bushfire 'crowning', pray you never do.
Hell on earth....
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IPlural
Reply #42 Saturday, January 25, 2003 2:47 AM
Reply #42 Saturday, January 25, 2003 2:47 AM
keep me in a fit! on my toe's HA! heck this time of year I would be constantly asking people, you smell something? ah, something burning maybe? gee-sh!
You know if the blast would be such a negative thing, I wonder if there would be a way to blast like they do to remove the O2 when caping oil well fires? Of course, that would probably end up blowing ambers everywhere which would be as bad if not worse a thing. One place in Canada they have two large flying boats for fire work, guess they work out well, but they also have the Atlantic right near them.
Stay safe and I am hoping that everyone is safe. Homes, and stuff can be rebuilt, but people....
You know if the blast would be such a negative thing, I wonder if there would be a way to blast like they do to remove the O2 when caping oil well fires? Of course, that would probably end up blowing ambers everywhere which would be as bad if not worse a thing. One place in Canada they have two large flying boats for fire work, guess they work out well, but they also have the Atlantic right near them.
Stay safe and I am hoping that everyone is safe. Homes, and stuff can be rebuilt, but people....
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Reply #41 Friday, January 24, 2003 10:38 AM
Smoke haze is a trifle less than through the day but is still around.
Fires all over the East Coast and in very difficult areas.
The number of homes destroyed in the Canberra suburbs and outer areas has reached 530+ at last report, like we said, this in an area with a total population of 300,000.
The choppers are Sikorsky Skycranes, big mothers and very capable, the cargo pods are replaced by tanks or water pickup gear.
Of course, not a lot of open water around for them to pick up ..... and another pair are on the way.
We live in a (typically) well timbered outer suburb with a lake and parkland bordering our property, being 'bush' it is well set to go up in a flash.
It is accessible for the normal fire fighting services so it is not as nerve wracking as living in the alpine resort areas and waiting for the fires to come over the ridge .... but it sure keeps one on their toes.
Forecast for Saturday, 41C and dry .... and we are almost in the Southernmost tip of the country.
Fire bombing aircraft are a sore point in this country, cost aside, the control of them is a a hot topic and maintaining them is a big issue.
Civilian contractors are not an option, the temptation to cut costs can be ugly, the Herc that augured in last year in California was a classic example, airframe maintenance updates lacking and resulting in catastrophic centre section failure ....... not an unusual happening.
Old airframes subjected to stress and loadings not built into the original design are not happy aircraft!
France has their "Securite Civile" (I think that's the name) airborne fire fighting force and it is an example of the right way to tackle this problem, the Canadians are on a similar footing, both using purpose built aircraft as well as heavily modified airliners or freighters with good service histories.
Over the past few years the manufacturing and maintenance infrastructure in the Australian aviation industry has all but vanished ...... civilians couldn't operate fire bombers and of course, if the RAAF were tasked with the job it becomes very 'political'.
As always, we'll get by, but at what cost?