Melbourne's Worst Fires Since Ash Wednesday

[Tume]

You have got to be joking!?!

 

I would think they would be hiding from the pitchforks and shotguns.

[coln72]

Talking to a volunteer that returned from Kinglake on Tuesday, and he said that there were three suspected arsonists living in the area. The whereabouts of two are known, but the third has not been seen............. :)

[towe001]

Don't hold your breath waiting for someone to be charged with arson as unless the person is caught with the lit match in their hand it can not be proven.

All they need is the thing or item used (eg - match, bottle, etc) get the dna from it (and yes it can be done) and find the person that possibly used said item/s and match the dna from both.....

When we had an arsonist setting fires near my parents house it was used to prove the person that did it.

 

 

But now for the BUT. When these scumbags are found don't use their names don't talk about who they are or they can be let off on a technicality of their identity. Crap, i know, its what happened with the scumbag that lit the fires near my parents. It was proven without a doubt who did it but because some people couldn't hold back he got let off with only a slap on the wrist and asked where would he like to move to....

 

String 'em from a tree i say.....

[coln72]

The layers will argue that there is no way that anyone charged with arson for these fires will ever get a fair trial as they will not be able to find people for the jury that are unaffected by this.

 

For those in Vic, remember the bullshit about not showing Underbelly. They thought that this would effect the jury - hell what do they think that showing the fires full on on the news will do to the potential pool of jurers?????

 

I agree - string them up in the middle of all of the affectred people and get the police to turn their backs for 30min.

[JiP]

I could only imagine what sort of motoring history has been destroyed. Yesterday on the news I saw a burnt out Monaro while tonight a saw a burnt out KE55 sedan. :dance:

[Kid-Ae]

Our School has been raising funds, and since Tuesday we have raised almost $5000, not to mention all the clothes, apparel and furniture etc that we have received.

 

Next year i am to join the CFA, health permitting.

[towe001]

We're having a fund raiser at work tomorrow for the fires and management is going to match dollar for dollar in what we raise :dance:

[JiP]

So far in the past few days we have raised $159 from sticker sales profits to go towards the appeal. With many payments pending it should be, with hopes, around $500. I know not much but rollaclub is doing its bit, as every bit counts.

[coln72]

The year 12's at school organised an out of uniform day/snag sizzle to raise funds. Up to lunch over $1000 had been raised. The lunch sales were to be added to this.

[Lexxi[ke35]]

That's what sucks about my school, we already have no uniform and its in town, so who wants a sausage sizzle when there's Macca's and Hungry's everywhere. Sad really. Although we have valtentine's day cupcakes and chocolates for sale to raise money :dance: only about $1200 has been raised so far though, but that's still not bad considering my old school raised $200 at the most each casual day.

[Kid-Ae]

I was in Lilydale today for something to do with year 12 at Swinburne University and the place was covered in a thick blanket of choking smoke, and at this minute we have a blood red sun.. Healesville fires are too close...

[coln72]

We have had that shit up here all day too :dance:

[coln72]

From another forum.

 

MRG wrote:

Like everyone, I've know some families deeply affected by the fires. Words can't describe the pain.

 

I spent the day at Whittlesea yesterday as a chaplain offering pastoral care to those returning from the mountain having seen their devastated homes and properties for the first time. Much of my time I spent with families with young children.

 

I spoke to little Jess who was five. She introduced herself, "My name's Jess and my home burnt down". She told me about how hot it was and how sacred they were. Her little brother Jake told me the bricks on his house were glowing orange. They were lucky - both they and their parents got out alive.

 

I met Paul outside the relief centre, dazed and confused. He could barely see, was having trouble breathing, was walking with a limp and had some obvious pain in his back. He had been up at Kinglake since Saturday and this was the first time he had come down to the relief centre. A neighbour had forced him into a car and brought him down to get help. He had lost everything he owned and many friends. He told of bodies over the roads and footpaths as well as dead animals everywhere. "I can't describe it" was all he could say. I got him to the first aid centre, where the nurses called an ambulance for him. He wouldn't go to hospital though. He was going back up the mountain. There was still too much to do.

 

I met another guy who seemed to be in good spirits. He was joking with me and asked if I had my cheque book with me. I told him I was a minister and didn't have any money! He told me he helped erect a cross on one of the churches in my denomination and I joked with him that he had put it on upside down. We shared a few laughs. Then he grabbed my arm tightly and looked into my eyes. He didn't say a word, but I could see the horror of what he had been through in his face.

 

A Mum and Dad with two kids the same age as mine (4 and 6) came in to the relief centre. They were fine and lived out of the fire zone. But they came looking for friends who they hadn't heard from. They found their school teacher and there were many hugs and tears on both sides. Then the Mum asked me, "My sons best friend died in the fire. How do I tell him?"

 

I came across an older man who was standing on the side of the road sobbing. He was almost the stereotypical Aussie bushman. He had been protecting his home from the fire when we saw two little girls running down the street terrified. He grabbed them and put them in his home and continued to to do what he could to protect the house. But the fire was two much and it soon took hold. He desperately tried to find the girls but the heat and spoke drove him back and the girls died as the house burnt around them. Trembling, he repeated over and over again, "I murdered those little girls. I murdered those little girls..."

 

I've seen some awful things in my journey, but nothing compares to this. The stories just kept coming. From the man who saw his neighbour running down the street burning alive, to the bloke who had lost his wife and kids, to the reporters that couldn't cope with the emotion of it all. Every so often I would retreat to a quite space and call my wife to tell her I love her and to tell my boys I would be home soon.

 

I've also seen some amazing examples of the strength of human spirit and the power of community in my time, but again, nothing like this. The number of people volunteering their time and resources, walking together with the victims and sharing in their grief, was simply staggering. The politicians were there. As were the celebrities and sports stars. So were the counsellors and volunteers to help sort through the mountains of donations. But there were no titles on this day. We were all human beings united by a tragedy, equal in the face of suffering and walking the path of recovery together.

 

And I remain in awe of the work of the CFA and SES volunteers who are STILL up there fighting the beast, even though they've lost everything themselves.

 

I'll be back there in the coming days to do what I can, little as it may be. But I do want to bring you a message from a lady who managed to survive the fire with her home intact. She had been up in Kinglake since Saturday as well, and needed to come down to get some food and supplies from the relief centre. when I saw her, she was weeping. She said to me, "I've been up there all these days and hadn't seen or heard from anybody. I didn't think anybody cared. I didn't know the roads had been blocked and you couldn't get up to us. Now I'm here I can see that everybody cares so deeply. I don't know what to say. Please pass on my thanks if you can."

 

That's why I'm posting this.

 

To say thank you for caring and praying and giving and loving.

 

On behalf of those that haven't yet got the voice to say it for themselves.

[Jason KE30]

wow

those stories are unreal.

and they are only few of many horrible stories out there.

[Kid-Ae]

The death toll won't be properly known for over a year..

 

Why?

 

People will take their own lives because of what has happened.

 

It's the toll we won't ever hear about. This nightmare will never end.

 

:P