To our friends in the Land of Oz (Australia)

[missymotus]

Missymotus, is your friends name Annie by any chance? You were talking about your friends plan to jump into her dam, there was a woman on the news with her hubby talking about that.
/QUOTE]

No, that wasn't her but thanks for posting. Stay safe

Originally Posted by WellingtonCats

Were they the Birman breeders? My friend Cheryle Uren told us about the Birman breeders hubby who died in Bendigo

Yes Birman breeders.

 

[addiebee]

Originally Posted by catsknowme

Thank you for sharing a sliver of good news among the horrific stories resulting from this tragedy

My prayers and vibes for safety, calm winds, lower temperatures and rain are going out to all the Australians everywhere
Growing up in my area of California, the Australians were always held in great regard. Some of our local WWII vets here worked alongside them, and many Australian hardrock miners relocated here, until the mine closed in 1982.....This is such a tragedy

I am also praying that God stops the arsonist(s) immediately and permanently

Ah, geez! Californians know all about wildfires.

 

[sarahp]

Originally Posted by AddieBee

Ah, geez! Californians know all about wildfires.

I think Australian bushfires end up being a lot worse unfortunately

If anyone wants to donate, you can do so to the Australian Red Cross Bushfire Appeal:

https://www.redcross.org.au/Donation...eDonations.asp

With the current exchange rate, US$10 ends up being about AUD$15, so it's great if anyone in the US can donate, it ends up being worth a bit more.

 

[trouts mom]

I just saw this on the news..how terrifying

Sending many vibes for the people involved.

 

[sarahp]

Originally Posted by sarahp

I think Australian bushfires end up being a lot worse unfortunately

I was thinking about this in the car, and wanted to clarify this: no bushfire is good, any fire that results in the loss of houses, lives or pets is bad.

It just seems worse in Australia because of the drought we are in. I believe they consider it to be a 10 year drought. There's no wet season in a lot of Australia anymore, there's no snow to melt and dampen things a bit, and there is no wastage of water.

The fact that this bushfire is the worst in Australia's history is, I believe, a sign of worse to come

 

[carolpetunia]

I've been out of touch the past few days, but finally saw the fires on the news tonight... I'm so sorry this is happening to you down there! Please stay safe... here's hoping for rain:

 

[dragoriana]

Well i finally got home an hour ago, i was meant to yesterday but there were lots of road blocks and we didn't want to stay away if extra hands were needed. Tristan's mum was freaking out about having another person in danger and wanted me safe. But i was willing to stay. I don't really know the people in that area too well even though i've been with Tristan over 3 years and visiting in that time as well. But the phone rang a million times. I've heard of so many of their friends and neighbours being killed, ending up in hospital and losing their homes and animals. It's been so terrible. I've been doing pretty well at not going mental. When it all started on Saturday we had to move lots of furniture away from the house, sweep away litter, plug and wet the down pipes etc. I've never been through that before. Tristan and i escaped the heat on that day before the fires started to see Transporter 3. We got a call half an hour before it was due to finish saying theyd spotted fires in their area. We stayed a little longer then all the power cut out in the cinema and throughout some of the shopping centre. Driving home there was just this huge sky of black and brown. It's safe to say i was in need of new underwear after that.

The toll is now 128. Atm is it cool, less than half the temp it was 2 days ago. But it's still been windy. Tristans family are in no immediate danger, but they are still in watch because of the wind and there are still spot fires popping up near them. Elvis the huuge chopper flew over our head this morning, really low, that was an impressive sight. It's a pity that PM Krudd can't give some of his holiday money to buy another of these so we don't have to keep getting them flown in from Canada.

Yes i've had my shower, i need lunch though i don't think i'm that hungry. Oh and mum called me on that day as well and said Charlie (the naughty boy) had pulled one of the stitches out of his ears. He was due to have them out the day after, his ear is ok but we've had to cancel the appointment twice because of these fires *sighs*

 

[kiwideus]

I just learned that a family friend's brother in law's body has been found and his wife is missing. So sad.

 

[missymotus]

Originally Posted by Kiwideus

I just learned that a family friend's brother in law's body has been found and his wife is missing. So sad.

I'm so sorry, the tragedies just keep coming.

A rather well known vet has lost her husband, animals and house

Also, they need people to give blood if you can please do.

 

[kp22]

Thank you all for your thoughts. I live just outside Bendigo but thankfully mine and my families are safe. We know people who have lost their houses. My brother also works for DPI firefighters and is out doing his best. A couple days ago he was trying to cut a fence to let horses out but they took off before he could get them out and later found them in the fire. We have horses and, like all of you, are animal lovers. I haven't spoken to him yet because he's not back but am sending him my love. These fires originally were deliberately lit. Every year we have fires that are deliberately lit but, like it has been said, with our drought here this year has been our worst. Lets just hope it's all over soon before more people and animals are hurt and that the people who lit fires are caught and prosectuted to the full extent of the law.

 

[dragoriana]

I would personally like to lynch those who have thrown cigarette butts out the car window, and even worse, the ones who have started up fires that have been contained.

The last two days i have had to watch Tristans mum and sis burst into tears every time they received a phone call saying another body had been found. And hoping that embers weren't coming anywhere near my own house while i was away.

Do these people not realise the detrimental effect their actions have? How would they feel if someone did this to their own family?

Arsonists should be charged a life sentence for each person that perishes in the fires.

 

[catsknowme]

I was reading the Bendigo papers and so many horrific stories

There was one about a man who put his children into the car, ran back to the house to get something, and a firestorm swept over the car & the poor babies perished. And someone in a shelter described a father, with 3rd degree burns, straggling in, holding an infant - the wife & other child had also been killed in the car.....yes, this is such a horrible tragedy.
Continuing to send prayers and vibes for safety, and also to the valiant rescue workers whose jobs have tragically turned into recovery efforts - even when the burns heal, the emotional scars remain......
If you can stand reading it:
http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/...h/1427894.aspx
The thought of that one lady losing 2 cats pains me so much. She lost everything, yet her true heartache is for her precious kitties

I am so glad that at least the 1 cat ran to arms, to safety....

 

[Moz]

So are all of our TCSers in the fire area spoken for already?

The toll is at 171 right now... terrible. Prayers and vibes for the people and animals of Australia

 

[kittieshasme]

My heart goes out to the people of Victoria and I want you to know you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Prayers for those lost and for the survivors and families who lost so much.

Praying for the winds to die down, praying for the rains to come and praying for strength for the firefighters.

Praying that the cowards that set fires are caught and brought to justice.

 

[xocats]

Originally Posted by Kiwideus

I just learned that a family friend's brother in law's body has been found and his wife is missing. So sad.

Sad beyond imagination.

 

[rahma]

thoughts and prayer going out to those effected by this disaster

 

[sarahp]

We're still waiting to hear from relatives in Victoria to make sure they're ok. They are all elderly, and are in a rural area, but we're not sure if their area was affected by fires.

 

[sarahp]

I tell you what... stories like this make me angry

"After we evacuated the women and children to Yea, there was about eight of us who decided to stay. We are such a small town, there is no shops or meeting place. We don't have a town centre. We only have the pub and the town hall so it is pretty important to us," he said. "It may be a bit Australian trying to hold on to the pub, but it means a lot."

Mr Byrne said the group worked out what tasks they each had to do to stay alive and they took shifts patrolling the pub with water to put out any ember attacks. So determined were they to survive, they even parked their cars facing the opposite direction so they wouldn't be tempted to flee the fire at the last minute and die trying, as so many others had.

"We allocated tasks and had a buddy system going and that seemed to work," he said. "We had three fires bearing down on us at the one time. From the east, the south and the west. They converged on us all at the same time," he said. "The fire went through here like a bomb."

These guys aren't heroes, they are idiots who risked their lives, and almost left their wives as widows, their children fatherless. The pub may be important, but more important than your life?? They knew it was serious enough to send their families away, so why did they stay?

 

[wellingtoncats]

My friend Cheryle in Melbourne is busy distributing the FCC's [Feline Control Council] cages to those who took their pets with them in pillow slips. We've started up a fund here in NZ and so far one of our members has donated $1,000 - you've got our support, Aussie pals.

 

[cats4sky]

omg...sending losta vibes and

your way