Fires in OZ - The Man in the Tin Shed

[Bigwalleye]

Prayers be with you and your countrymen.

 

[Journeyman]

Today, an email from National Geographic...

PHOTOGRAPH BY SAEED KHAN/AFP/ GETTY
By George Stone, TRAVEL Executive Editor
The bushfires devastating huge portions of Australia are expected to burn for months, fueled by strong winds and extreme weather, leaving a staggering environmental toll. Our hearts go out to the people affected and the habitats erased.

As travelers—especially those of us who have marveled at the beauty of Australia—it's good to ask what we can do to help. Our partners at ABC News have suggesteddonating to Australian Red Cross' Disaster Relief and Recovery or to WIRES, an organization committed to wildlife in Australia; or you can donate to local fire brigades. To support people affected by the fires, Fast Company suggests donating to the Salvation Army’s disaster appeal or the bushfire appeal fund set up by the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The fires have made Australia's declining koala population even more vulnerable; consider a donation to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, which rescues koalas in regions across New South Wales.

Australia is among our favorite travel destinations; we recently included the state of Tasmania (which is now affected by fires) on our Best Trips 2020 list, and we have long celebrated the wonders of the continent, including the Great Barrier Reef, and supported measures to protect its treasures, including Uluru. It's not enough to love a land only when the sun shines. Now is the time to care for a faraway place as if it were our own backyard.

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[TRIIICK]

My girlfriend has a good friend living in Australia she texted her some pretty devastating pictures. They're both animal lovers and from what I gather thousands of Koala bears have been killed along with countless other critters and endangered species.. Stay safe down there....

 

[Boog]

I see in the news here that over 20 of these fires are arson. One evidently was set by a teenage firefighter. :-(

 

[stollydriver]

Did anyone else see the news of the young firefighters funeral, where his 18 month old daughter was climbing under the coffin at the ceremony. Not a lot gets to me - but that was really upsetting. Condolences to all affected by this terrible fire......

 

[Jay]

Simply crazy to think that anybody would be so foolish and wreckless as to start fires like what we’re seeing. I understand accidents and nature, but blatant disregard for life and property is inexcusable

 

[Navigator]

Criminal for starting a fire, deserving of life in prison, or worse.

Reports speculate that up to 1 billion animals died in the fire. The first report said half a billion, a staggering number, with a report yesterday upping that. The lost of life, property and wildlife is almost too difficult to contemplate.

In 2012 we had an entire team of some jumpers, 19 fine young men, fighting an Arizona fire. There is a movie about it which one cannot watch without a box of tissue handy.

 

[Kevin frazier]

Won’t change anything and sounds meaningless but this hurt watching and hearing of the death and devastation from a far.

 

[phar2slo]

Apparently some Ozzzie are that thick that in a total fire band it is still okay to use a charcoal BBQ.

And use grinders and welders outside with out wetting the area before using.

Gotta wonder about some peoples thinking.

 

[EasTexRIII]

The world we now live in........................

This goes deeper than just Australia too. Unbelievable!!

Muslim charged for starting Australian wildfire laughs after court hearing - WND