In the last few days, Australia has had the misfortune of what could be possibly the worst bushfires ever seen in the world. Across the Eastern coast, down the New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian countryside and suburbia many bushfires raged unstopped, uncontrolled and unexpectedly. The searing heat up to 45°C in many areas made things worse, and with up to ten years of drought stricken grasslands, forests and other regions, the buildup of fuel supplies for a natural diaster of this scale was immense.
To make things worse however, arsonists were involved too.
At the moment, NSW is safe. The weather has changed for the better with rains overnight and cooler temperatures allowing our forces to fight off the fires. For Victoria, they are still battling up to thirty separate fire fronts, with over 100 000 firefighters from all over the country working desperately to contain and save lives and property.
It is a tragedy because so far as of writing this, 173 people have lost their lives, with more than 750 homes and properties destroyed by the fires. Families lost, shattered, lives broken, homes that will need to be rebuilt upon the rubble and deaths of loved ones.
The people of Australia have dug deep to help, and there has been donations flowing in to help those affected. This morning alone from the AusStereo network radio stations, people donated $835 488 which is a wonderful effort from three hours of radio. My mother will be going to make a donation later in the day for our family at the Commonwealth Bank.
For those of you out there reading, and have no idea what a bushfire is like, while I have never been directly near one, I have seen the destruction aftermath driving through regions destroyed and it is frightening. I have also walked through areas that were in the process of regeneration, and I have lived through the haze and orange skies when the fires around Sydney were at its worst many years ago. I can't even begin to imagine what it would really be like to be in that situation, but it is reality for many people and my heart goes out to them.
If you can, and with these tough economic times, spare a little, then I am sure that it would be appreciated if you donate some. You can make donations online through credit cards if you are also an international visitor to this blog. Please visit the Commonwealth Bank website (www.combank.com.au) and follow the links on the right side of the page for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal. Every cent and dollar will help. To put this into perspective, especially for those in North America, the scale of this event in terms of lives lost is significantly greater than those in California the other year (8 dead).
I hope for better weather and winds to help carry those fighting the fires to a safer and quicker end of the situation.
To make things worse however, arsonists were involved too.
At the moment, NSW is safe. The weather has changed for the better with rains overnight and cooler temperatures allowing our forces to fight off the fires. For Victoria, they are still battling up to thirty separate fire fronts, with over 100 000 firefighters from all over the country working desperately to contain and save lives and property.
It is a tragedy because so far as of writing this, 173 people have lost their lives, with more than 750 homes and properties destroyed by the fires. Families lost, shattered, lives broken, homes that will need to be rebuilt upon the rubble and deaths of loved ones.
The people of Australia have dug deep to help, and there has been donations flowing in to help those affected. This morning alone from the AusStereo network radio stations, people donated $835 488 which is a wonderful effort from three hours of radio. My mother will be going to make a donation later in the day for our family at the Commonwealth Bank.
For those of you out there reading, and have no idea what a bushfire is like, while I have never been directly near one, I have seen the destruction aftermath driving through regions destroyed and it is frightening. I have also walked through areas that were in the process of regeneration, and I have lived through the haze and orange skies when the fires around Sydney were at its worst many years ago. I can't even begin to imagine what it would really be like to be in that situation, but it is reality for many people and my heart goes out to them.
If you can, and with these tough economic times, spare a little, then I am sure that it would be appreciated if you donate some. You can make donations online through credit cards if you are also an international visitor to this blog. Please visit the Commonwealth Bank website (www.combank.com.au) and follow the links on the right side of the page for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal. Every cent and dollar will help. To put this into perspective, especially for those in North America, the scale of this event in terms of lives lost is significantly greater than those in California the other year (8 dead).
I hope for better weather and winds to help carry those fighting the fires to a safer and quicker end of the situation.
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