HOT!

[Annpan]

Thanks everyone.

The death toll is now over 100 and expected to climb further as they pick through the rubble.

Nev

......... & according to the news, a lot of these fires are being started by arsonists. What is it with these sort of people??

Seems some were started as a rescue attempt by some volunteers - to burn a controlled zone to create a barrier when other fires reach the area.... it is a common practice but seems to have gone disastrously wrong.

My thoughts are with those poor people tonight.

[pumpy]

We are on the edge of Thetford forest, which is the largest low-land pine forest in the U.K. The Forestry Commision has always maintained & kept clear, natural fire-breaks. This is no condemnation of the Oz way of doing things, but maybe, in the future, it's something that they need to be looking at.

[Wombat]

Hey Gang!

Thanks for your good wishes, we are OK.

The death toll appears to be heading for the 200 mark, our worst peace time disaster.

As far as fire breaks go, the whole area has had little rain this year and temperatures over the 40c mark for weeks, this coupled with high winds means spot fires well ahead of the main fire front. To be effective you would need a fire break kilometres wide, and it is just not possible. The aborignals used to burn the land regularly but us whiteys let the fuel build up until this happens. It is further complicated by people building on bush blocks. The scale of this one (whole townships wiped off the map) means that there was little they could do.

As for the arsonists, they are reviewing the laws here in NSW to toughen them up and bring in a murder charge.

Nev