AUSTRALIA: BUSHFIRE UPDATE – Monday 23rd February 2009

The bushfire emergency in Victoria is far from over tonight as the death toll for the fires has now reached 210 confirmed dead. Three fire-fighters have been injured today as a number of new fires have broken out and older fires continue to burn.

Currently under threat are communities to the east of Melbourne, where a home (in Belgrave Heights) is believed to have been destroyed today, with the possibility of others also having been destroyed. Two fire tankers have also been lost to the fire.

Communities in the Dandenong Ranges have come under threat due to a sudden wind change which is now pushing a bushfire in their direction. The blaze is thought to be threatening Upwey, Tecoma, Belgrave Heights, Belgrave South and Belgrave.

Students at Belgrave Heights Christian School were evacuated this afternoon as the fire came within 4 km of the school. Residents in the communities of Warburton and Yarram have also fled their homes as the fire approaches.

Daylesford may also come under threat, with a bushfire burning to the south of the town. The fire may cause a threat to the communities of Bullarto, Bullarto South, Leonards Hill, Musk, Woodburn and Newbury.

The huge Kilmore East fire (80 000 hectares) is moving ever closer to Warburton, while the Murrindindi North fire (155 000 hectares) is burning to the west of Enoch Point.

Another fire (19 000 hectares) is still burning out of control in the Wilsons Promontory National Park and small communities in the area are preparing for worsening fire conditions.

Current Updates and Advice on the fires can be found at the CFA web site:

http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/incidents/incident_updates.htm

The full list of fires (and there are dozens) can be found at:

http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/incidents/incident_summary.htm

BELOW: Footage from the National Day of Mourning Service

AUSTRALIA: BUSHFIRES UPDATE – Sunday 15 February 2009

It has been over a week since the bushfires in Victoria took a turn for the worse. Bushfires had been burning in heatwave affected Victoria for some time previous to the conflagration that took place last Saturday, but it was on that day that they turned deadly.

A week since that deadly day and the death toll remains unclear, with 181 confirmed dead and some 120 people still missing, feared dead. Over 1800 homes have been destroyed, along with many other buildings including churches, schools, police stations and shops. The damage bill is expected to run into the billions of dollars.

Whatever way you look at it, this bushfire crisis is a major disaster and the worst to have ever come to Australia. All other disasters fade away in contrast to this.

The death toll breaks down to this:

Callignee Upper	1
Callignee	11
Koornalla	4
Hazelwood	4
Jeeralang	1
Mudgegonga	2
Eaglehawk	1
Humevale	6
Steels Creek	7
St Andrews	22
Arthurs Creek	3
Yarra Glen	1
Hazeldene	2
Taggerty	3
Marysville	15
Narbethong	9
Flowerdale	4
Heathcote Junction	1
Kinglake	35
Kinglake West	4
Strathewen	30
Wandong	4
Clonbinane	1
Others	10
Total	181

 

Thus far we know that some of the fires were started by lightening strikes and arsonists. It is now thought that at least one of the fires may have been started by poorly maintained electrical infrastructure near Kilmore East. A class action against the private contractor SP Ausnet (Singapore based) is being planned. Over 100 people died from a blaze in the Kilmore East area.

ABOVE: Another theft of a bushfire appeal collection tin