VICTORIAN BUSHFIRES AUSTRALIA 2009
On last Saturday 7th February 2009, local time, the state experienced its hottest ever day. The temperature in Melbourne hit 46.4 C (116F) and 47.9c (118F) in Avalon, a town located between Melbourne and Victoria’s second largest city Geelong.
Bushfires had started across the state as the heat, intensified, and as a cool change came through , backed by winds gusting up to 100 km/h the fires continued to move.
Entire towns have been wiped off the face of the earth. The words through the papers were " HELL ON EARTH'
Marysville, a popular village in the Yarra Ranges near the popular skiing resort of Lake Mountain, 90 minutes outside of Melbourne was destroyed by the fire, with reports that there was only one building left standing. The town has a population of 519 people, but significantly higher during peak holiday seasons. Locals were reported to have evacuated to the town oval, and were safe. Many are and have still remained unfound as friends and families search for loved ones.
King lake, about 1 hour out of Melbourne was destroyed in what witnesses described as a “holocaust” of fire. Dozens of cars were burnt out on the outskirts of the town as residents tried to flee, with at least 3 killed, but possibly many more.
Reports indicate that “hundreds” of houses have been lost in and around Bendigo. Someone knows someone who has been affected in these events as they still continue.
Other locations reported multiple losses of houses around Melbourne and in the east of the state.
The official death toll stands at over 200, but is expected to increase as authorities gain access to devastated areas. One source claims the toll could be as high as 400, confirmed. Many still not identified.
Today, several days later, our City has turned into a morgue. With multitudes not being able to fit into the morgues in Victoria, temporary morgues have been set up in the inner city of Melbourne to help facilitate with identification, for forensic specialists.
The Nation is in warfare, as they call in for the troops, the Army, tanks also, to help assist with building barriers for the containment lines. They have stated that " Now we have the warfare to help with this destruction" But there is a problem! The containment lines that were made, have not helped. The fires are now still burning with rage as other towns are being put under threat.
As the high winds came over our Nation, other reports say that the winds came up to 120 ,km/h. People only had seconds to flee. There was no warning for some people in the valleys, they only saw the flames 10 or 5 minutes beforehand.
Their shoes were burnt by the intensity of these flames, the rubber, stuck on the ground, leaving impressions of a mans last step.
Cars were huddled together on roads, as people were trying to escape. These flames raged onto the streets, the roads. Bodies were found dead, incinerated, by the strength of these flames, they never made it through the fire.
There were no phone calls, no sirens, people only seconds to escape with their lives. Some chose to protect their homes, things they could not leave behind. People who left the area 1 minute later were not spared, they perished.
We have heard of many testimonies, some were miracles. As people prayed, their homes were spared, but their neighbors were not only meters away. Another man had his wife and family pray and they believed that they would not find him again. Suddenly they watched in amazement as this man came running through the trees that were on fire, flames were around him, trees were falling and crackling, smoke was everywhere around him, yet he escaped unharmed.
People hid in wombat holes to protect themselves. Thousands of animals also have lost their lives and now one of Victoria's largest bushfires is heading into Healsville Sanctuary.
Now More than 900 homes have been destroyed and 7,000 survivors have registered for assistance, southerly winds were also fanning the fires as this trail of fire swept through our state.
Evil Arson?
There is now a royal commission investigating the fact that there are several people involved with these fires. Arsonists, who are believed to be young, as young as 15 years old.
Also the mistakes and warnings that were never made.
