The fires

[cj!]

We are looking at running a cleanup day this Sunday at Kinglake if access is available and safe. Please see the Trips section and post up if you can help.

[gwagensteve]

An update for you all - We've just come back from the 7.00pm briefing in Whittlesea.

No media account can convey the trauma and grief in the community centre at the moment. I have spoken to a resident who drove from Kinglake West to Kinglake on Sunday and his comment was "what I have seen will stay with me for a very long time"

Andrew, please don't take this the wrong way, but I disagree with your comments. As someone who was on the mountain during the fires, here are some observations:

A) There NEEDS to be a Royal Commission into what happened. Many, many people died because they were unaware of the severity of the risk to their safety. Many people died because they got in their cars, probably at the same time Cj and I got in our cars to leave the mountain with no idea there was a threat. The lack of communication and the possibility of a rapid warning system needs thorough investigation and public comment. There were major systemic issues that contributed to deaths. I cannot think of a better reason for a Royal Commission. It is clear that the CFA did not have any idea how to deal with these conditions.

An example - A resident calls into 774 at about 7.30pm and says "the whole town is on fire - everything is gone" and then AFTER that the "official" CFA line is that Kinglake residents "should be prepared" - and the same information was still being issued at 10.00pm as the official line - while 150 residents stood in the CFA station in Kinglake with two fire pumps and watched the town burn around them. Ask THEM if there needs to be a Royal commision - I reckon they would pay for it themselves.

B) I assume you mean "fuel reduction burning" - This is not backburning. Backburning is burning around a fire to prevent its spread and would have been impossible on Saturday. Fuel reduction burning involves burning out blocks of forest with a cool, isolated fire in a patchwork to reduce the speed a fire can advance through a forest. I do not believe that either of these measures would have had any effect. In fact, the South face of the Kinglake ranges (between Yarra Glen and Mt Slide and between St Andrews and Kinglake) had been subject to widespread fuel reduction burning since the 2006 fires and it looks to have done nothing in this instance.

for the residents in our area of Kinglake, I understand they did not see any firefighting support until 2.00am Sunday morning. I cannot imagine how isolated those people felt for those 8 hours or so.

Anecdotal evidence is that this fire moved, at times, at 100km/h, or exactly the wind speed at the time the South Westerly change came through. From what I drove through on the Kinglake/Mt Slide Road, I have no reason to doubt it. Unless the Kinglake ranges were turned into a moonscape of dirt for kilometres, NOTHING was going to stop that fire.

Lloyd - I am not surprised by this. I reckon the whole "urban" block to the east of the main street will be devastated. It was well on its way before 7.00pm. I hope Dean was able to get something out to make the next few weeks easier. My thoughts are with him.

In relation to a cleanup trip- I do not believe there will be general public access to this area by the weekend. The task for firefighters and police is huge, the area is unsafe, and apparently there were two flareups today in the vicinity of our property that were, in one case, fouth with helicopter water bombing. I am very grateful that there are people willing to help, but there will be a huge number of issues, both from police, security, safety, and insurance companies that will prevent a clean up within the next week.

Also, the CFA are very concerned about the weather conditions next weekend leading to more flare ups. I think it will be 2-3 weeks before a cleanup can get underway.

There is no official word, but we have some evidence that our house and the little block of houses in our area survived intact. We don't know for sure and don't know the fate of immediate neighbours to the East. We haven't seen them (and it seems like everyone is in Whittlesea.) We also don't know if there is any damage, even if the house appears to be standing. It's very early days yet but the reports we have had are from people who have been on the ground in our street and news seems hopeful. Our fingers are crossed but I won't believe it until I see it, I don't think that will be for a while.

Once again, thanks again for your calls and messages of support.

I understand that ex club members Mark Lowry and Melinda Stewart lost their home in Kinglake also. Mark is an ARB employee and the guy you see driving the promo cars in nearly all ARB ads.

Regards,

Steve & Seonaid.

[mightymouse]

Waiting will not be easy - still there is some hope for the shed, no matter how small.

An investigation is necessary IMO - perhaps all that could be done was done, but untill the circumstances are investigated then nothing will be established and no potential improvements made.

I just hope that it doesn't turn into a blame exercise if in reality nothing significantly different could have been done.
Lessons learn't for the future are perhaps the only possible positive outcome under the circumstances.

There seems to be a pool of club people keen to help out.... but of course uncordinated action is not helpfull, so it seems
prudent to wait for a co-ordinated plan.

I know Bill and the Association are very busy working on this and I hope the club will get behind it ( Committee.... ? )

[nosdivad15]

The Committee will have a disscussion with the members at tommorow nights meeting in regards to where we stand and how we are able to help, but I am sure that all members will do whatever possible to help with the relief effort.

Mark Lowry who as Steve mentioned un-fortunatly lost everything and has been at work because he really has nothing else to do or can do atm...this is along with many other ARB employees who have lost everything. This is something that we all need to be aware of, it will take time and when the time is right I am sure we will help in whatever way possible.

The Committee

[joey hall]

Steve & Seonaid,
we are so sorry to hear of the terrible fires in your 'home town'. I wonder if you could 'google earth' and see anything from 'up above' of your little patch. I can't access from our computer, but thought it may give you some 'hope' if you can do so. Just a thought.
Its just so hard to comprehend at the devastation these fires have caused so many people.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you both (and the house and shed of course!)
Joey,Beck & Monique

[andrew_wale]

B) I assume you mean "fuel reduction burning"

Sorry Steve I did mean fuel reduction.

[mightymouse]

If it wasn't so serious you would think it "cute"........ more victims of the fires that can't ask for help.

[zookstir]

Neighbours around the corner from me (O'Shea) have lost their son,daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren to the fires at Kinglake.
The whole thing is so bloody tragic!

[gwagensteve]

That's terrible news Bruce.

We have been very lucky. The fire took out all the scrub out the front of out place and travelled down the fenceline between our house and next door (to our East) but did not spread to our houses.

Our house, shed, vehicles etc are all intact and as we left them on Saturday afternoon.

We have also heard that our neighbours are safe in Yea, currently living in a tent with their animals. Their Longhair Burmese cat is missing, but I'm sure he'll turn up soon enough.

Apparently power will be back on by the weekend.

The story is not as good back into town. Pretty much all of the urban area behind town has been destroyed.

I'll have a couple of photos of our place up soon.

Cheers,

Steve.

[mightymouse]

Our house, shed, vehicles etc are all intact and as we left them on Saturday afternoon.

Very very lucky...... in fact I wouldn't go to a casino for a few years