Life sucks sometimes.

[gbw]

"The knowledge of the old people is dying out and is replaced by some pimply faced gronk with every article of clothing containing the word "emergency"! "Sadly this is very true. The Department of Human Services were placed on top of the local volunteer brigades. Local knowledge no longer counted and there was a right f... up. And those blokes get paid good money to fight the fire, which does not make volunteers who have been doing it for years feel too smart. AND the paid blokes sit down at the end of 8 hours and the fire gets away. Unless the volunteers keep on going, which they do.There is a rumour that our local blokes have luckily being doing an exercise in cooler times, when little fires have broken out, and there has been no need for controlled burns. Blind freddy can see that with frequent burns the trees get singed, but do not burn.We had a fire about a mile away that cut the railway. If it had gone 50 yards further it would have been into our forest. First class effort to control itGrahamand today is cool with little wind

[bones]

holy crap just read 131 dead now, and they fear it could easily go over 200.Where is all those pen pushing greeny barstards now

[asra]

Where is all those pen pushing greeny barstards nowRight where they usually are when the **** hits the fan, Mark. They won"t surface again until it has "cooled off".The Government announced a royal commision today. They"ll be able to put it in the cupboard with the enquiry before that, and the enquiry before that, and the ........................................, and the enquiry after 1939.

[Brian]

A tragedy that maybe could have been avoided ! So sad to see people die and hear the stories, some won the day and others lost big time.One resident said "This has been four years in the making" end of quote, I heard a few others say the same. I hope they talked to Kev and Brumby and got through to them that this will happen over and over again if we [fed/ state govt and general population are going to pander to the "greenies".Its a fact that areas havent been cleared/maintained or are you able to clear your property or have substantial burning off when conditions allow. The sooner we all wake up that this nation is being hi jacked by a mob who do not have Australia"s best interests at heart, the sooner this senseless mob will get their marching orders and the sooner this country will be safer for all.Got a phone call today and my daughter will be up amongst the worst areas photographing the ones that didnt make it.She was told to be prepared to stay for a few days. Yes, life sucks ! :"( :"(

[joew]

holy crap just read 131 dead now, and they fear it could easily go over 200.Where is all those pen pushing greeny barstards nowI know exactly where one ""of those pen pushing greeny barstards"" is right now!!Federal Parliament, Name: Bob Brown, and not a peep out of him, eh??Sorry about part of my earlier comment: bundle these a@#%$holes into choppers with a hand beaterIt should have read: bundle these a@#%$holes into Gyros with a hand beaterPS. Re Birdy"s rules: Any pen pushn w@nker trys to change me ruels............... theres a hill here with his name onit. Good onya Birdy!!

[Mark Horan]

All said on this forum is true, the destruction of property and the loss of life is unfathomable. The reasons for the disaster stem from ignorance, arrogance and stupidity. The weather didnt help either, but as aviators, we all know that disaster starts with something small that is ignored. Arrogance snowballs the problem until it is unstoppable. We only realise stupidity when it is too late.Fuel loadings in the forrests were ignored, green policies provided the arrogance and the rest is history.In short, if the royal commission finds anything, it should identify the great disconnect between the city and the rural life.For me, one of the most disturbing things happened after the fires went by. People were not allowed to go back to their homes! What the hell has happened to Australia!An entire town is a Crime scene, why?, so that the Vic government can find someone to blame for this disaster? In politics, when you find yourself in sheep dip, the best defence is to deflect peoples attention, but in a Democracy?, In Australia?Watching the ABC last night there was a theme emerging that in future people should not be ALLOWED to remain with their homes and defend. Now the government wants to protect the poulation from itself and perceived dangers. No one noticed our freedoms going up in smoke did they?Lets hope no-one notices Gyrocopters with all those spinning and whirring blades and things!Mark. >

[bones]

For me, one of the most disturbing things happened after the fires went by. People were not allowed to go back to their homes! What the hell has happened to Australia!An entire town is a Crime scene, why?, so that the Vic government can find someone to blame for this disaster? In politics, when you find yourself in sheep dip, the best defence is to deflect peoples attention, but in a Democracy?, In Australia?Mark. >The biggest reason for this i think is so the ferensic police can try to indentify and remains of people that was burnt to just ashes. :"(This morning it 173 dead, not good, glad my problems arent any where like this.

[Tim]

Yes, the silence from Bob Brown and the Rock star is deafening.

[birdy]

Yes, the silence from Bob Brown and the Rock star is deafening.Wouldnt it be a very fitting end, if we found THEM in the ashes.As Horan said, its sad that most of these people got cooked for no reason other than they were ignorant.Ignorance is bliss, wot you dont know dont bother you.At the point of realisation of your ignorance, all rational thinkn goes out the window, coz its a very sudden awakening, and panic sets in, and your history.Thats the sad part.A big part of the population that live in these areas are wot i call yuppys [ not sure wot a yuppy is, but it fits], people who have man made jobs, live ina manmade world, but insist in thinkn they can live in amongst all that tall timber.Iv seen sum footage of houses that are flat as tacks, and you can just make out the remains through the burned timber, rite up to the back door.Wot the hell are these idiots thinkn.???Sorry, i cant feel any sorrow for these losses, they werent askn for it, they were demandn their house get burned in the next fire.I only feel pitty for them, for their ignorance.I mite be just a dumb SCG, but im glad my feet are still in dirt.

[chook]

Birdy, Your last post is so true. My wife has a niece living in Bridgetown (South West WA), who with her female partner built a rammed earth home amongst the trees and forest down there. In fact they had a 30 ft tree growing through the purpose built wooden decking as part of the veranda. I live in Bullsbrook (rural/residential area just north of Perth) and am well aware of the fire danger. When I challenged them regarding their choice I was told that that is their choice and that they were prepared to wear the consequences.About 3 years ago, the power authority"s power distribution grid caused a fire in Bridgetown - the fire approached their property and they decided to leave. The fire went through it but nothing caught ( the vollies were there!) but the vollies left to continue to fight the fire in more pressing areas. A tree which had been singed but not caught eventually flamed up, fell onto the shed which burned and then fuelled other trees around the house. Result - house lost to fire.Now what really pisses me off is that these dreaming romantics are costing Australia a fortune in insurance. If they choose to live this way then a premium should be charged for their cover and i should not have to fund their foolishness.The Canberra fires were similar and from the footage you can see of the Victorian situation the trees are right next door. Tiled roofs - look at ground level into your roof and check out the openings for embers to get inside that cavity and so on.

[asra]

Are you fellas seriousbirdy .... Whats a young fella riding a quad bike around with a loaded gun?...... Are all land owners

[birdy]

Narn, WHATS A YOUNG FELLA RIDING A QUAD BIKE AROUND WITH A LOADED GUN?...... THAT IS IGNORANCENo, thats not ignorance, its careless/recless.Ignorance is wen you dont know. If you know the guns loaded, your not ignorant, your recless.BTW, who said anythn bout a loaded gun??Your only hearn it probably 3rd hand at best.[i]I JUST THINK

[joew]

The Canberra fires were similar and from the footage you can see of the Victorian situation the trees are right next door. Tiled roofs - look at ground level into your roof and check out the openings for embers to get inside that cavity and so on.

[birdy]

BTW, i can smell the fires from ere. A strong southerly blew up last nite, and bout an hour ago i could smell the smoke from them fires down there [ at least 1500km away], and the dust hayz hasa dull grey look init.

[asra]

Yes, the silence from Bob Brown and the Rock star is deafening. Sorry Tim. Not correct. I heard the galoot on the radio today. Interviewed by our national media (If theres one thing worse than politicians, it"s our national media). He said that it was widely known that global warming is a factor. Why did the "horses pitoot" holding the microphone let him get away with that??? (Unless hé"s one of them, and you can take that any way you like