Comments on: Amazing Photos of the Australian Brushfire

By: lizzza

lizzza — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:08:02 +0000

The bush fires have been absolutely devastating. In the last three years, I haven’t been in Australia, particularly Victoria, for the dry summers and have forgotten the impact it can have on the state and how close these fires can get to the metropolitan areas of Melbourne.

It’s so unfortunate that the death toll keeps rising and that people have lost everything they have worked towards and it disgusts me that some of the fires were deiliberately lit. However, I think a tragedy like this demonstrates the strength and compassion that people often hide.

By: dangerman

dangerman — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:01:39 +0000

Just a small correction. Much like hurricanes are called cyclones in other parts of the world, here in Oz, the correct term is bush fire, not brush fire.

By: Gail Pink

Gail Pink — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:00:07 +0000

This is just so sad and tragic. I can hardly get my head around it.

By: Croops

Croops — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:08:33 +0000

Just a small correction to the post – the temperature reached on the day of the first fires (Saturday 7th February) was actually 46.4 degrees Celsius (115.52 F).

By: Polx

Polx — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:52:58 +0000

I’m on the other side of the world from my adoptive home state of Victoria,and had not been paying attention to any news media for several days. The fires are staggering.

Such a beautiful beautiful place.

It leaves me in tears to see the suffering loss and death there. I can not really look at the pictures anymore. Everytime I see any coverage I can put places back together in my head, there’s somebody’s Dad’s car, the commodore, the son’s old Kingswood and Mum’s barina all parked tidily in a row as burnt out shells in the shadow of the chimney stack and the warped tin roofs remains.

It looks like tunguska now.

If I believed in god I’d pray. But I don’t, I do believe however in the amazingly big hearts of Australians. SO I know that the survivors will be looked after.

Thanks to all of the CFA crews who have come from all across the state, indeed the country to help.

To the cops for moving so fast on the murder investigation, to Kevin Rudd for getting soem money moving that swiftly and to the people of KIngslake Maryville and to all the Aussies who were lost,who were hurt,who were burnt out, who helped their fellows.

Sorry to ramble but it is horribly upsetting.

By: FelixThePat

FelixThePat — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:41:23 +0000

I’m a victorian thankfully not from an affected area.
It is such a horrible thing to happen, it’s at the stage that people from further north in the country are being devastated by floods yet are readily handing over thier aid money to the victims of the bushfires.
I’m donating all my un-needed clothes and food and hope that other australians can further help out these poor victims.
I’d also like to give a BIG thanks to the dedicated emergency workers, without your help it would be so very much work.

By: Bonehead108

Bonehead108 — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:32:25 +0000

My cousins and their parents own a ranch in Narbethong, and amazingly they managed to save the house and all the horses. But everything for miles around them is devastated.

By: hannus83

hannus83 — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:51:49 +0000

I’m a police officer in Victoria, and it’s been crazy down here during this last week. Devastating to see the hundreds of people who have lost their homes, and worse, the the growing death toll (now over 180, believed may reach 300). These fires have truly gutted this state. But the country is backing the survivors with truly giving and supportive hearts. Millions of dollars have been raised through the Red Cross and other appeals.

By: Johnny Cat

Johnny Cat — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:40:40 +0000

The Big Picture is a great picture blog, and fire lends itself well to big pics. I hope they can get it under control soon. Oh, and nice job on blocking the corpse photo with a blackout/disclaimer.