Australia is a land of extremes. We have bushfires still burning out of control in Victoria and floods across the country in Queensland, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, South Australia and now in Western Australia as well. Somewhere between 15 and 20 percent of Australia is flood affected, while something like 50 percent of the country is still stricken by drought. Some areas have now been in drought for 11 or 12 years.
Flood waters are now beginning to recede across most of the country; however there is still plenty of rain about – especially in Queensland where an active monsoonal trough is still dumping rain on Queensland.
In Queensland authorities have captured the crocodile that took a 5 year old boy in flood waters. The boy’s remains were found inside of the crocodile. The crocodile is not going to be released back into the wild and will probably be sent to a crocodile farm.
The death toll in Victoria’s bushfire disaster now stands at 209, including a fire-fighter who was killed by a falling tree damaged by the fires. The fire-fighter was from interstate and had gone to Victoria to assist in the crisis. He was due to go home the next day.
The police have stated that the death toll is no longer expected to climb much further than 209.
The official damage bill for in the bushfire areas of Victoria is fast approaching $1 billion Australian dollars and is expected to go beyond that.
Police have now arrested a woman who claimed her father was killed in the bushfires after it was discovered she was not related to the man she claimed was her father. The woman was trying to obtain $10 000 in bushfire relief money.
BELOW: Dramatic video footage as a bushfire approaches a house at Anglesea in the early hours of the morning of the 14th February 2009.
Random Thoughts 
I have set out some other ideas on building preparation for fire & flood disasters and information collection / dissemination that might help at:
http://adelaidepete.wordpress.com/2011/01/06/bushfires-and-floods-sense/
REPEAT WARNING FOR THIS SPRING: -WILDFIRE ARSON is becoming commonplace in our state and country and has to be combated. Reports from arson investigators in Australia indicate over 1500 arson caused wildfires there since October of last year reportedly causing the worst natural disaster in the history of Australia. In view of this we must BEWARE OF al-Qaidas’ worldwide wildfire threat recently.– REGARDING THE MASSIVE AUSTRALIAN ARSON WILDFIRES going on there and wildfires now occuring across America, where arson is suspected, that have already killed one firefighter in Oklahoma, I think it’s obvious this kind of thing can, is, and has happened here and in other countries, which is why we need to build and employ large numbers of Supertanker Jumbo Jet firefighting aircraft as rapidly as possible as al-Qaida has said they intend to employ wildfire against the whole world (that means us), even to the extent of creating artificial climate change from the fire pollution. WE MUST DEMAND THE SUPERTANKERS BE BUILT AND USED – NOW, (there are 9 Supertankers operational worldwide at this time that could have saved Australia, and can save our country IF used this year (see: JBS.org (search: wildfire) or: (1-800-JBS-USA-1 for free info. packet) or: waterbomber.org or: evergreen supertanker (on internet). – Ed Nemechek, Adelanto. California -U.S.A. —760-246-8059. — ednemechek@verizon.net
(letter to Editor, for publication) –STOP THE AUSTRALIAN WILDFIRES AND IMPEACH THE TOP RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS !! –Why didn’t they call in the available Supertanker waterbomber aircraft (12,000 to 24,000 gallon water or retardant drop capacity) that would have stopped these fires cold in the beginning of the fires? –see: evergreen supertanker (on internet) or: waterbomber.org (on internet) or (-1-804-240-4065 Global Emergency Response- IL-76, Supertanker).
These eight aircraft should have been called in weeks ago, two from California and six from the international Russian Water Bomber fleet and even NOW! –and put on contract for future use. These fires shouldn’t have to happen year after year (JBS.org (search: wildfire). -What is happening in Australia now is an example of what has been happening in America also for many years because they REFUSED the Supertankers. The responsibility for these fires rests with the top fire officials and government potentates at the top who have REFUSED to use the Supertanker final solution for over 14 years and let Australia (and America) burn. Impeachment and appropriate prosecution is certainly in order for these top officials, from the Prime Minister (or President) on down. Supertanker water bombing aircraft have been available for over 14 years and not used by top fire officials !! -Sincerely, Ed Nemechek, Landers, California.92285 -760-246-8059. ednemechek@verizon.net