While Gaz and I were shopping in the air conditioned comfort of the shopping mall yesterday, many Victorian towns were fighting fires brought about by the high temperature (peak of 46.5 deg) and strong winds. We woke up this morning to the news on the telly announcing a loss of 25 people in a fast, furious fiery wave that swept through several semi-urban and rural towns. I sat transfixed in front of the telly after cooking lunch and saw the Victorian premier John Brumby unable to control his emotions on national telly. At least 750 homes had been destroyed in the fires, and countless lives were affected. A little boy was captured on the telly crying with fear, his little face smeared with dirt and soot while seeing the destruction around him. A man hosing down the smoldering earth on which his house once stood, was openly crying as he told of how his neighbour had come to help him protect his home, only to lose his.
By 10pm, the toll had risen to 84 people. Those who escaped were lucky to be alive, as many who had tried to escape were overcome with the speed of the fire, or blocked by fallen trees. Those who escaped had nothing left, except the clothes on their backs.
A terrible tragedy for Victoria, and I do hope that the many generous donations already submitted today will continue to help rebuild the lives of those affected by this disaster.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/death-toll-rises-from-bushfires-20090208-80jv.html
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