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Articles: The trail of destruction ... and the outlook

Started by ozbob, February 09, 2009, 03:57:22 AM

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ozbob

Sincere condolences to all who have lost loved ones.  To those injured a speedy recovery, our thoughts are with you.  To all who standfast and fight these fires, thank you.

QuoteThe trail of destruction ... and the outlook

    * Ben Schneiders and Farrah Tomazin
    * February 9, 2009

HOW DISASTER STRUCK

The fires that claimed Marysville, known then as the Yea-Murrindindi fires, were first seen at 3pm on Saturday from the Mount Despair fire tower, the Department of Sustainability and Environment said.

Witnesses said things turned bad in Marysville late afternoon, about 5pm or 6pm, and the sky turned black. By morning the fires were so severe that it was as if the town had been bombed. It had, in effect, been wiped from the map.

Urgent threats: Latest information from the Department of Sustainability and Enviroment and the Country Fire Authority View Larger Map

The other large arm of the fire, what was at first called the East Kilmore fire, started earlier on Saturday about midday. That fire "spotted" to Kinglake, where at least 12 people have died.

The two fires, now known as the Kinglake Complex blaze, stretched over more than 200,000 hectares and was responsible for most of the houses lost in Victoria.

ON THE ROADS

Dozens of roads have been closed, particularly around Victoria's north-east (Healesville, Kinglake), central district (Bendigo), and around the Kilmore area. The Princes Freeway and Princes Highway from Melbourne to the NSW border was reopened yesterday but with speed restrictions.

For the latest updates on road closures, go to: www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/ NewsRoom/BushFiresRoadClosures/

WATER SUPPLY WARNINGS

The Kilmore water treatment plant is seriously damaged and stage 4 water restrictions are effective in the area immediately.

Residents of Broadford and Waterford Park are urged to use water for essential in-house purposes only until power is restored to the Broadford water treatment plant.

Water authorities are unable to gain access to Marysville and Buxton, but warn that residents should assume their water is unsafe to drink.

THE WEATHER OUTLOOK

Milder conditions will help in the battle against fires, but expected strong winds for much of the week are causing concern.

Victoria today: Isolated light showers on and south of the ranges. Isolated thunderstorms in the north clearing. Cool to mild with moderate to fresh south-west to southerly winds. Maximum fire danger: Very high in the north, high in the south.

Tomorrow: Isolated light showers on and south of the ranges. Cool to mild with moderate to fresh south-west to southerly winds.

Wednesday: Isolated showers in the south. Cool to mild with moderate to fresh south-west to southerly winds.

RAIL LINES CUT

Train services to Warrnambool, Seymour and Shepparton to be replaced by road coaches until at least tomorrow because of damage to tracks.

Coaches to operate between Geelong and Warrnambool.

Belgrave-to-Ringwood line damaged and Connex running bus services until further notice.

THE CONTINUING THREAT

Last night authorities warned the Beechworth fire was threatening areas of Stanley, Bruarong, Dederang, Khancoona, Khancoona South, Coral Bank, Glen Creek and Running Creek. Residents were at risk of embers reaching their properties.

Large fires centred on Kinglake were hitting around Glenburn, with concerns for homes along Melba Highway and Yea River Valley, towards Murrindindi. Firefighters were also being sent to areas between Alexandra and Eildon and Molesworth.

North of Marysville a 57,000- hectare fire was burning in a north-easterly direction, threatening Taggerty, Crystal Creek and Connellys Creek. Eildon residents can leave through Thornton for Alexandra.

For the latest information go to: dse.vic.gov.au

MAKING INSURANCE CLAIMS

Policyholders are urged to make contact with their insurer to seek advice about claims. People should not worry if their insurance documents have been lost or damaged because companies keep electronic records, requiring only a name and address to find a policy.

Insurance Council of Australia chief Kerrie Kelly says it is too early to put a figure on the estimated cost of claims, but a taskforce has been set up to deal with the crisis.

THE POWER OUTLOOK

Power supplies are reported to be improving: 19,500 homes were without power by late yesterday, but this figure was 63,000 on Saturday night.

FINANCIAL RELIEF

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announces a $10 million emergency relief fund. Centrelink payments available immediately. Federal disaster recovery payments of $1000 for eligible adults and an additional $400 for children available to those seriously injured and admitted to hospital and to those who lost homes. Phone 180 2211 for inquiries.

STRIKE OFF

A 24-hour strike planned at Telstra today has been called off as a result of the bushfires.

HOW TO HELP

A 2009 Victoria Bushfire Appeal Fund has been launched and donations can be made through the Red Cross (see web address below). Several companies and charity organisations have set up relief funds. Four Australian banks have pledged more than $3 million to help victims of the fires.

The National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the ANZ have pledged $1 million dollars each in funds or donations. The Bendigo and Adelaide Banks have launched a Bushfire Appeal with an immediate $100,000 donation. The Salvation Army has established a fire appeal for families. The Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund is calling for donations to help people affected in Gippsland. The fires have also resulted in loss of wildlife, and the loss of at least two wildlife shelters. Wildlife Victoria has called for donations to save animals.

redcross.org.au

salvationarmy.org.au

bendigobank.com.au

nab.com.au

anz.com.au

commbank.com.au

adelaidebank.com.au

relieffund.org.au

wildlifevictroria.org.au

With AAP
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ozbob

Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
09/02/2009

Premier offers sympathy and pledges aid to Victoria

Premier Anna Bligh has offered her condolences to the victims of the Victorian bushfires and promised that Queensland will provide all the resources it can to help the stricken state.

Premier Bligh said that, although too many Queenslanders had experienced the devastation that natural disasters can cause, they had been shocked by the tragedy in Victoria.

"These fires have taken a terrible toll and come at a time when much of Queensland is experiencing devastating floods," she said.

"But the terrible loss of life and property in Victoria has shocked us all and we stand ready to do all that we can to assist the fight against these fires.

"Yesterday I asked Health Minister Stephen Robertson, Police Minister Judy Spence and Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts to talk with high level members of the Victorian Government and offer our help.

"They will report back to us today to tell us exactly what they need."

The Premier said that much of Queensland's resources were occupied with the devastating floods in North Queensland.

"But these are two very different disasters and that means that we do have resources, such as fire engines, fire fighting personal and medical assistance that we can send south if needed."

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From the Herald Sun click here!

Train driver's last ride

Quote
Train driver's last ride
Article from: Herald Sun

Geoff Wilkinson

February 10, 2009 12:00am

TRAIN driver Arthur Enver had survived his share of trauma and tragedy, but he could not outpace the raging inferno at Kinglake.

His beloved Harley-Davidson motorcycle was no match for the roaring wind, choking smoke and trees that crashed across the road as he fled from the home he'd moved into only six months ago.

Arthur died on Saturday after telling his partner of 35 years, Petra, to put their dogs in the car and make a run for safety while he followed on his bike.

Petra survived, then waited in vain for hours before learning that Arthur had become a victim of the killer blaze.

His heartbroken mother, Nadia, tried for hours to contact her only child before learning on Sunday morning he had died. "He couldn't make it. Now I have nothing," she sobbed yesterday.

Mr Enver, 57, lived with his mother in Campbellfield until he moved to Kinglake last year. He survived a sea drama two years ago when the 13m catamaran he had just bought and was sailing home from South Africa was disabled when its mast crashed.

He and three others were rescued by a fuel tanker after more than a day adrift.

His cousin, Mick Nazim, said yesterday Arthur was a keen sailor who "loved the adrenalin" of boats, bikes and driving trains. But he'd seen some terrible things during his 26 years as a train driver.

In 2004, the Herald Sun rode with him in the cabin at night on a return trip to Hurstbridge, not far from where he died at the weekend.

He was explaining the dark, unspoken phenomenon of suicide by train, and the toll it took on drivers.

At that time, after 17 years without being involved in a fatality, he'd been involved in three in four years.

All three who had deliberately ended their lives under his train were in their late teens.

The last time it happened he was on stress leave for almost four months, then went back to work.

"A lot of blokes only have one qualification - and this is it," he said while explaining how long it took to pull up a six-carriage train weighing more than 300 tonnes.

"All you can do is sit there and watch . . . and wait.

"It's not a question of whether it will or won't happen, it's a question of how often. What you can't predict is where or when."

Mr Envers said he couldn't sleep after each of the deaths.

"You just walk around like a zombie and end up in this depressive cycle. Some people just never get over it," he said.

"There's not a day goes by when you don't think about it. It never leaves your mind."

He pointed out that when he did get back to work he could pass by the spot where he'd hit someone four times a day, and every time remember every last detail.

Most people would have probably succumbed to that sort of pain and anguish, but Arthur Envers kept getting back behind the controls.

When record temperatures were predicted late last week, his mother reminded him that the Premier had urged people to stay home from work if they could.

"He said he had to drive the train," Mrs Enver said. "He was my only one. Now I have nothing".

RIP
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