Victoria, my home state in Australia, is in the midst of its worst bushfires on record with 21 fires still burning. Temperatures cooled this week, after last week’s record high of 46.4C in Melbourne, but there is more hot weather ahead.. The death toll currently stands at 181 with more expected. Thousands are homeless and some towns and villages no longer exist; people who worked there jobless.
Photo: sunrise.seven on Flickr
What is heartening, in the midst of the tragedy, is the way individuals, groups and organizations have been so generously donating their money, time and efforts to help out those who have lost their homes and possessions and livelihoods:.
Sitepoint is offering five of its books for the price of one until the end of today – if you have a hankering to learn about web design, CSS, PHP, javascript or flipping websites for profit then you will find something to your liking among their selection. All proceeds are to go to victims of the bushfire appeal. So far they have raised $75,000 (the message of their donation spread quickly around twitter). and are now aiming for $100,000.
Here are but a few other examples of how others are helping out:
- The supermarket group Coles has pledged to donate all of Friday’s profits – I am going to do a big shop later today
- Hoyts will donate $2 for every movie ticket sold on Sunday.
- 24 hours of Power is a "24 hour tribute
to help provide some form of relief, during a time of mass devastation" which has been arranged as part of the Yarraville Arts Festival. It takes place Friday 13th February 2009 8pm – Saturday 14th February 2009 and is being streamed live over the internet. - A Bulldogs/Essendon NAB Cup Bushfire Appeal game is to be played at the Telstra Dome today February 13, at 8.40pm
- Dogs Victoria is hosting an International Virtual Dog Show .
- Bushfire Housing Org is matching those in need of shelter with those offering accommodation.
The response has been amazing so far:
- Our Channel 9 TV station very quickly gathered together a line up of celebrities and aired the Australia Unites bushfire telethon on TV last night. $21.5 million was pledged bringing the current total of bushfire donations to over $77million.
- The Sydney Spirit basketball team donated their last pay packet to bushfire appeal.
- Banks and department stores and businesses have donated millions of dollars, some stores such as Target, have offered baby goods and bedding.. Tabcorp is donating $2 million, IGA, the Independent Grocers of Australia, are going to donate $1.5 million in food vouchers to bushfire victims. Australian banks, NAB, ANZ, Westpac and CBA, supermarket chain Woolworths, Australia Post, News Limited and insurer AMP have each pledged $1 million. My son donated a whole 2 weeks pocket money!
- UNIONS have called on all working Australians and their employers to donate one hour’s wage to help the victims of the Victorian bushfires
- Sony has launched a fundraising album, "Bushfire Aid: Artists for the Bushfire Appeal" with tracks by Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Midnight Oil, John Butler Trio, Hoodoo Gurus, Delta Goodrem, John Farnham, Jessica Mauboy and Wes Carr.
If you want to find out more:
- The Herald Sun has more details of those who have donated and upcoming fundraising events and fundraising events are being posted on The Age’s Bushfire fund-raisers page
- Thousands of Australians are wearing ribbons to show their support of the bushfire appeal. If you are wondering where to get them, they are being made and given out in Spotlight stores around Victoria.
- The main Bushfire Appeal is via the Redcross Victorian Bushfires Appeal. The Salvation Army is also collecting donations (specify you want donations to go the bushfire appeal and goods. Ourcommunity.com.au lists these and other places where you can donate and volunteer to help: The Victorian Bushfires: How You Can Help They also and have a page on organisations collecting donations online
- 3AW’s is hosting a Fire Assistance Directory
Online
- The 2009 Vic Bushfire Support Facebook cause has 479,014 at last count.
- ABC Radio Melbourne is twittering updates at @774melbourne and showing multimedia on its Bushfire Emergency Page and the
- The Salvation Army can be found at @salvos
- The CFA (Country Fire Authority) are updating on twitter at
@cfa_updates ( the town of Healesville is under threat today) - Messages of commiserations can be send via #firecomments
Although taken just before the latest bushfires, this photo of Sam the Koala drinking from firefighter David Tree’s drink bottle has captured hearts worldwide. You can purchase this picture from the Herald Sun website . All proceeds from this go to the Country Fire Authority www.heraldsun.com.au/shop
Photo: sunrise.seven on Flickr
Here is the video of Sam and David:
I absolutely freak whenever there are wild fires. I think I’m more concerned about the wildlife than I am about humans. The only good news about fires is that most who die become overwhelmed with the smoke and become unconscious. That alone is a merciful death yet, what the animals go through before they’re overwhelmed with smoke inhalation is absolutely terrifying.
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Hopefully many of the animals escape because of their innate senses. Humans can only travel by roads and often there is only one in and out of town.
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This is an unbelievable tragedy and we’ve heard a lot about it on the news in Norway. I’ve been thinking of you a lot dear blog friend!
Hope you’ll have a nice weekend and VD
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Thanks Renny. Your blog photos are welcome in this heat – I look at them to cool off
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Hi Sue,
My Auntie lives in Melbourne and I have not heard from her yet, so that is quite worrying..
I can’t see why people want to play with fire – I have heard on the news that some the fires were started deliberately – how sad is that!!
Andy
If your Auntie lives in Melbourne itself she will be safe – it is some of the small towns and villages outside of the city that have been affected.
It is hard to believe that some of them were deliberately lit isn’t it. I was listening to a psychologist on TV who said that those that light these sort of fires tend not to be the psychopathic type that light fires in buildings. They are often petty criminals – if this is the case then surely they must be just stupid for not realizing what the devastating effects can be.
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I offer my sincere sympathies to all Australia and those that have been affected in whatever way. Has there been any progress in finding the arsonists who are said to have started the fires?
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Thank you Nicole. Two suspected arsonists have been arrested although they think there are still more out there. What is shocking is that after the first fires that caused so many deaths more fires were deliberately lit.
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I am not surprised. There are mad men running around everywhere who think this is fun. I hope that all of them are caught and due punishment meted out to them. I can even think of sending them to work on the areas affected by fire to do community work till they drop dead.
This is tragic.
They are great photos.
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It’s a such disaster
I’m happy that there are companies who try to help even if that’s a marketing move.
By the way, Sitepoint people were really cool in twitter leveraging. Web 2.0 technologies also help people
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Onya, Sue for promoting the various fundraisers.
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Yes, as Renny said we have been following the story on the news and it is truly awful. Terrible that some are losing their homes or even their lives not to mention the beautiful countryside which is being burned away. We are glad you are okay!!
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In the same spirit as the Sydney Spirit basketball team I believe the Canberra Capitals in the WNBL also donated their wages from this week’s game to the cause.
Hope Australia is recovering from that tragedy
Yeah I hope many animals escaped from that tragedy.
That was a great post. I hope you are doing ok. I was in Canberra’s bushfires and only 4 died. I just cannot imagine the terror those who made it through this current disaster had to go throgh. They would still be in shock I am sure. The country has pulled together.
I have just read that the death toll has risen to 200 and it is expected to rise further. The man arrested with a funny name Sokaluk is facing the ire of the public who want to lynch him. It is getting crazier!
It was deliberate? Some one started that fire?
Hope they catch them all and roast them alive.
I saw the pics on BBC and was aghast.Hope all the survivors are going to get a fighting chance.
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How is the recovering after the fire? Is it going well?
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Man. This fire looks like a killer. I hear hundreds have already died. Thats just tragic.
If the team does not go they should be fined to the maximum allowable amount.
The bushfires are just horrific. The people who were responsible for setting some of the fires need to be punished to the fullest. I hope the victims and their families and friends pull through okay and are able to group together and rebuild their lives. By the way, I thought the Koala video was taken before the bushfires started but somehow got confused as having been involved in the bushfires?
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The Koala pic and video are very moving. You’ve done a great job of putting together a ton of information on this Sue.
~ Colleen
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Hi Sue,
I hope and pray that these will be the last fires of the summer.
Although I live in the UK the tragedy of these fires is all too real. The blogging community, i feel, is a close one and many of my online friends are Australian.
Since the fires started I have not heard from a couple of them, I just hope they are alright.
My thoughts are with you, your family and friends.
Take Care
John
Thanks for sharing this post and really this post is very nice.
Wow…amazing pictures…
AU is an amazing country…been there several times..gorgeous scenery!
It has been terrible my sister said it was so hot she thought something like this would happen, of course not as tragic.
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It makes my heart sink every time i hear there’s a fire. best of luck down there
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A sad, sad time. A very moving day of mourning in Australia today.
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The firefighter giving water to the koala is so cute! Especially how the koala really is acceptable.
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The bond between the Koala Bear and the Fighter is just beyond words and un-describable!
I think the investigators already figured out and pointed suspect(s). But I heard that they will only file an arson case.
It’s a shame that these cases can’t be tried as capital one murder.
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Hi Sue,
The first picture (via the news) of the wildfire is absolutely incredible and frightening. On the other hand, the picture of the firefighter? feeding the koala is priceless.
Anyhow, aside from the pictures, it is great to see such a great response from the community in regard to coming together to help overcome such tragedy. I’m going to head on over to Sitepoint now!
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Everyone is right, the crazy people should be roasted alive so they can feel what they’ve done to these not crazy people. i hope they catch them and put them in jail for a very long time. I hate the criminals and if i ever got to see these people, the first thing i’d do is swear at them and then start bashing the up. I hope all the bushfires can find a way to rebuild their lives and the bushjfire victims should just know that we are all thinking of you’s and we would do anything to help yous.
Nadia,14, victoria
Greetings I really regret to you in your trouble though in mass media at us in the country spoke nothing. It is very a pity that really because of fires people animals and woods burn. The only thing that well that became visible united to help one idea of people
really very poor. i seen lot on news channels and i think suspect are grabbed and if not so they will be grabbed soon.
I hope they grabbed out soon and get worst punishment which never ever given any one so others thinks before to do such poor things.
Wow those fires were really bad. You are right though it is really touching and hear warming to see people come together in these hard times and donate both time and money to those in need. Yes the picture of the firefighter giving the koala a drink is especially touching.
-Randy
Despite the tragedy, I still consider Australia a great place to live. My aunt lives in Melbourne and she invited me and my wife to visit her place this December to celebrate Christmas.I still don’t have enough money saved. Perhaps, I would sell my used ATV to generate funds. But, that’s gonna be my last resort.
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Yes there is no doubt about the AU is the great place inspite such tragedy. Its really bad to have such news.
good luck! Koala…
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Totally horrible accident and been terrible if animals not prevented at time, hope thing settle down soon.
In the same spirit as the Sydney Spirit basketball team I believe the Canberra Capitals in the WNBL also donated their wages from this week’s game to the cause.
Horrible fire. I hope the animals are ok.
really horrible. hope people smoke less.
It’s really horrible. I hope everything will be alright.
These fires were really bad for you this year, and for me the hardest thing to watch is the animals that suffer, and watching that video of Sam and David just broke my heart, and too see a Koala drinking water like that is amazing as these animals don’t ever drink water they get all their liquids that they need from the leaves that they eat.
It’s terrible when these things happen, hopefully they were able to clear up the aftermath.
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Wow really very nice and good information you share here. I read your entire post and really superb information you share here on funny stuff thanks for your information.
Sure! there is no doubt about the AU is the great place inspite such tragedy. Its really bad to have such news.
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Cute video, im surprised the koala isn’t afraid of humans.
-Jack
for me the hardest thing to watch is the animals that suffer, and watching that video of Sam and David just broke my heart, and too see a Koala drinking water like that is amazing as these animals don’t ever drink water
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That looks like some fire!
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Haha. The photo of the Koala drinking from firefighter is an almost unreal photo!
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I fear from the fire, it’s so scary picture.
It is sad to know that some would deliberately set fires that in this case killed over 140 people so far MB2-633 dumps. Is that nor a form a terror? Yet this one merely for the fun of it, so it seems. Like rebels with out causes JN0-531 dumps. Maybe we need to stop spoiling our youth for it is not healthy for their minds.
Hmmnn…
I’m sorry to hear that..
It very make me sad..
wow..very interesting video..and i think your blog is very interesting too for me..nice to visiting you..
I know that Australia will be allright
Very Interesting post! Thank you
Thank’s For share
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wow, it’s so big fire. i hope everything will be OK and no more victims again.
It was deliberate? Some one started that fire?
Hope they catch them all and roast them alive.
Fire disaster is everywhere now. From Ausie to LA
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see a Koala drinking water like that is amazing as these animals don’t ever drink water they get all their liquids that they need from the leaves that they eat.
The Koala pic and video are very moving. You’ve done a great job of putting together a ton of information on this Sue.
ngetest doank kok..
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Saya ikutan ngetes bang…
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In the same spirit as the Sydney Spirit basketball team I believe the Canberra Capitals in the WNBL also donated their wages from this week’s game to the cause.
Be patient, yak…
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aw
stumble upon!!
Ikutan testing
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what a terrible disaster
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big fire, !!!
be carefully
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disaster is very bad
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wow it is a big disaster…. We hope it’s not happen anymore….
let’s pray together… we hope it’s not happen anymore …
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thanks for share
Sad story
great share and thank for write this article
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i’m sory to hear that…
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sad story
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I hope all the bushfires can find a way to rebuild their lives
I hope they grabbed out soon and get worst punishment which never ever given any one so others thinks before to do such poor things.
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poor koala im very sad
:’(
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This is tragic.
They are great photos
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wow… funny animal
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glad…….
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I saw this on the TV in SA….and my heart goes out to all…I sent out a mass prayers to be said for all…this was a terible disaster…was the fire started by someone..Sue…Thanks for sharing…
This is tragic.
They are great photos ..omg
Actually I saw this news on TV and definitely was a shocking news .I was very worried about the animals.
The video of a Thirsty Koala -A Firefighter Gives Koala water really touched my heart…
I really hope that a tragedy like that won’t happen any more.
We were living in New South Wales at the time. It was dreadful and so worrying.
I hope all the bushfires can find a way to rebuild their lives
Sad story, thanks for the article.
That’s a famous movie , of the koala and the woman. It made it around the world.
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Hope Australia is recovering from that tragedy
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Oh! My condolences to those who’s suffered from this disaster – poor victims:(