The Australian weather & fire thread (winds, floods, bushfires, warnings, news)

[*CountessA*]

Three people were injured when a train on the country Melbourne Warrnambool line was derailed on Saturday night.

The train, carrying between 70 and 100 passengers in its five carriages, hit a fallen pine tree which had blown across the track at the Cobden-Stoneyford Rd level crossing, halfway between Colac and Camperdown.

The front two carriages, carrying just the driver, fell on their side but the other three carriages remained upright.

Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said passengers were lucky to escape serious injury.

"Because of the winds a tree had blown onto the track," he said.

"We ended up treating three with minor injuries and they are going to local hospitals.

"They are very lucky."

It was unclear if the driver was one of the injured.

Police say the line will be closed for "some time".

[da_ewok]

Scary scary stuff - we are NOT EVEN in the 'offical fire' season yet - and the CFA/DSE have already had a WILDFIRE on their hands

Was in the high plains - at 9.30am this morning - there in the CFA websire it said WILDFIRE - since removed, not sure if that is because it has been contained with the rain that some areas have had OR they have removed it from the CFA website because it is actually a DSE problem

Not sure which one - but either way - very scary stuff

[**Cupie**]

Hi Wokkie...don't the DSE have their own website to post about fires in Nat Parks?.....In NSW, when a fire is contained, it usually stays on the RFS website and has contained or patrol next to it.....I agree, it's a really hot day here as well with strong westerly's....I think we're going to have a bad fire season this year.  

[da_ewok]

Hi Wokkie...don't the DSE have their own website to post about fires in Nat Parks?.....In NSW, when a fire is contained, it usually stays on the RFS website and has contained or patrol next to it.....I agree, it's a really hot day here as well with strong westerly's....I think we're going to have a bad fire season this year. 

I don;t normally bother with DSE because the fires that affect me are CFA controlled mostly - DSE are meant to look after crown land etc, which is what Dargo is

The warning has since been taken from the CFA website - but was still there at 12.48pm today

10 DSE - 7KM S OF DARGO Dargo - Waterford 13/09/2009 09:16:00 {Wild fire} Going - 7 trucks in attendance (12.48pm)

Well well well - I was right - it's been removed from the CFA website and hidden on the DSE website (thanks cue)

12/09
 HEYFIELD
 3
 Dargo - Waterford
 7km S of Dargo
 11:10 Sep 13
 Going
 25 units in attendance
 PRIVATE PROPERTY  

Why do they do that? - especially with what went on last season - you would have thought they had learnt something - it appears not

Wording from DSE website -

Summary of incidents on Public Land

Wording from DSE website regarding CFA -

CFA website - for fires on private land

Yet there is not mention on the CFA website of this fire which is (according to DSE) on private land - they are morons sometimes

[*CountessA*]

Bushfires are threatening a caravan park and a number of properties across NSW after hazard reduction burns on private properties escaped control.

At least 10 bushfires have kicked up on Sunday and are burning out of control under warm and windy spring conditions.

A bushfire southeast of Mogo, on the NSW south coast, is threatening a caravan park at Tomakin.

Twelve crews from the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) are battling the blaze, RFS spokeswoman Rebel Talbert said.

In the NSW Hunter region another fire has scorched about 10ha and is threatening a number of properties near Marsh Road, at Bobs Farm, in the Port Stephens area.

In the NSW far southeast, a fire in the Eurobodalla area, west of Central Tilba, has been burning since late August and broke containment lines on Sunday and is approaching a property.

"We're seeing very erratic fire conditions," Ms Talbert told AAP.

"Crews are unable to protect that property - it's too dangerous to have them in there."

Changeable weather conditions and difficult terrain have stifled ground efforts, Ms Talbert said, but water-bombing aircraft are battling the blaze to slow down the bushfire's approach to the property.

Two other bushfires in the Eurobodalla area ignited on Sunday and are burning out of control at Belimbla, near the Dampier State Forest, and at Courier Creek.

The RFS is working to determine the nature of the fires and if any properties are under threat.

"A lot of them are escaped private hazard reduction burns and look like they have spread," Ms Talbert said.

The RFS has declared a total fire ban across Sydney, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains and the Central West including the towns of Dubbo and Parkes.

The ban comes after the Bureau of Meteorology advised initial forecasts of hot, dry and windy conditions are expected to worsen and cause an extreme fire danger across many parts of the state.

Another six fires have kicked up in the Lake Macquarie area, near Newcastle, and are burning out of control.

Firefighters are focusing their efforts on a blaze at Killingworth, north of Morisset, with six trucks and 40 firefighters on the ground.

[**Cupie**]

At least two of those major blazes are in our neck of the woods.....I'll check the RFS site..it's been around 31 degrees here today...very hot for spring and everything is SO DRY !!!..

[**Cupie**]

OK, so here's the RFS info on the fires

Major Fire Updates
Eurobodalla (Dromedary Fire) Fire Update 13/09/09 15:05
Posted: 13/09/2009
Firefighters are currently working on the Dromedary Fire that broke containment lines this afternoon and is currently threatening one property.

Crews from the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Forest NSW (FNSW) continue to work on the Dromedary Fire which has broken containment lines this afternoon and is now burning to to the north east of Mount Dromedary.

Waterbombing aircraft are currently conducting property protection on one remote property to the north east of the fire near the Mount Dromedary Walking Trail.

There are no further properties under direct threat however residents in the area should prepare their properties for the onset of fire should it occur.

Residents and motorists in the Mount Dromedary Walking Trail and surrounding areas are advised that smoke and ash may affect properties and roads and they should prepare and drive accordingly.


Weather
The South coast is expected to experience strong and gusty northwest winds ahead of a late south to southwest change in the south. The temperature is expected to reach 30 degrees and the fire danger is predicted to be Very High to Extreme.

Major Fire Updates
Batemans Bay (Guerilla Bay) Fire Fire Update 13/09/09 15:47
Posted: 13/09/2009
Firefighters are working on a fire that is currently impacting properties in Shaw Place in the Guerilla Bay area to the south east of Batemans Bay.

The fire is burning in bush land along the marine cliff edge. Around 30 properties and houses in the vicinity of Shaw Place, Guerilla Bay are expected to come under threat within the next hour. Crews are currently conducting property protection behind homes in Shaw Place.

Police have closed George Bass Drive to through traffic. Residents should take advice from firefighters and Police at the fire.

Residents are advised to ensure their properties are prepared for the threat of fire.

A doorknock is taking place to provide residents with more information about the fire.

Other than the above, there are 27 Current fires in NSW...see link:

http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?CAT_ID=683

[*Yibida*]

Cupie is that Dromedary as in MT Dromedary on the south coast NSW just near Bermagui and Narooma?

[**Cupie**]

Yep...that's the one.

[*Yibida*]

WOW !...I fished out of those two ports for 10 years in the many Gamefishing competitions I attended, great people there, I hope they stay safe...

[**Cupie**]

They are pretty well used to this type of thing down there by now, and at least it isn't full blown into tourist season..that's when it get's really dangerous....too many people in the region and it's almost impossible to evacuate them.  You and Ubb should be able to swap fushin stories...lol

[*CountessA*]

One fifth of NSW's wheat crop has been destroyed by hot weather, state Primary Industries Minister Ian MacDonald says.

Latest figures show NSW is slipping further into drought, with 65.9 per cent of the state now drought-declared, up from 63.9 per cent in August.

Less than 10 per cent of the state is considered satisfactory, Mr Macdonald said.

"Conditions have been very warm for this time of year, with the national mean August temperature being the highest since records began in 1950," he said in a statement.

"It is estimated that the dry weather has already cut the state's wheat crop by 20 per cent and every day without rain means more of the crop is lost."

Areas that have moved into drought in the past month include parts of the central north and the northwest, including Tamworth and Gunnedah.

"Some crops have already failed and those remaining are stressed and in desperate need of good soaking rain," Mr Macdonald said.

His comments come a day after Premier Nathan Rees warned NSW residents to be prepared for possibly the worst bushfire season the state has ever seen.

[*CountessA*]

Hailstones the size of golf balls and strong winds have damaged buildings and crops as severe storms move across South Australia.

Huge hailstones, lightning, strong winds and heavy rain hit the Eyre Peninsula, west of Adelaide, on Monday morning before moving across the state.

State Emergency Services (SES) west coast regional duty officer Tony Stockham said they have been have been inundated with calls, while efforts made by SES crews to reach call-out locations had been hindered.

"In some areas the roads have been all but impassable because of the size of the trees that have fallen," he told AAP.

He said strong winds had torn roofs from farming sheds, and there had been many reports of damage to cars and crops as hailstones the size of golf balls fell in Elliston.

"We are also working very closely with the Country Fire Service (CFS) to secure debris," Mr Stockham said.

SES and CFS crews have been working to repair the roof of the hospital at Elliston, which was damaged at about 9am (CST).

"The amount of hail we had and the velocity of it, it actually formed solid blocks of ice in the gutters and the water was coming back in under the roof because it couldn't get out through the normal gutters," Mr Stockham said.

He said the storm had moved east from Elliston to Cleve and north on to Whyalla, before heading south across the Spencer Gulf towards Adelaide.

"It's still now occurring in isolated pockets," Mr Stockham said.

The weather bureau has issued storm and gale warnings as the severe weather continues to move across the state.

ETSA crews have been working to restore power to nearly 2,000 homes in the west coast region.

[*CountessA*]

The DUST SHROUD in Sydney - story here.

Sydneysiders have woken to a massive dust storm that blanketed the city in thick red dust, causing severe delays at Sydney airport and prompting warnings from health authorities.

PHOTOS: The best images from our readers

PHOTOS: Professional shots of the red dawn

Send your photos of the dust storm to 9 Newswatch

9RAW: Dust blankets Bondi

Severe winds are lashing the city, whipping up a bright orange haze over much of the state and forcing asthma sufferers and people suffering respiratory illnesses indoors.

Paramedics have reported a spike in calls for people suffering breathing difficulties and traffic authorities have warned motorists to take care after police reported "high risk" behaviour on Sydney roads.

A blanket of red dust began to shroud Sydney just before dawn after a cold front moved in from central Australia and western NSW.

It came as the state was experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures and followed reports of visibility reduced to just 10 metres in Broken Hill.

A Sydney airport spokesman said 10 inbound international Sydney flights had been diverted to Melbourne and Brisbane on Wednesday morning.

"They may get back later in the day," he told Macquarie Radio.

"We've got departures, they are occurring, but it's slow."

Departing domestic flights were delayed by between 30 and 60 minutes, he said.

"People should check with their airline, they're going to need to be patient today."

Two international flights and one domestic flight had managed to land on Wednesday morning.

A combination of strong cross winds and low visibility would lead to flight delays throughout the day.

"Departure and arrivals delays will be experienced at both Sydney's domestic and international airports," the spokesman said.

"It's going to depend on how the visibility and the wind goes today."

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds in Sydney with a gale warning issued for Sydney closed waters.

"Strong to gale force west to northwest winds, gradually easing late afternoon and evening," the bureau says.

"Raised dust likely."

Wind gusts of 65km/h have already been recorded at Sydney's Observatory Hill.

The NSW Ambulance Service issued a warning to people suffering from asthma or other respiratory illnesses to stay inside where possible and carry all medication.

"We have already seen an increase in calls to people suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems," the Ambulance Service said in a statement.

"People with asthma in particular need to be aware of early warning signs especially if their condition does not respond to their usual medication.

"If your asthma does not respond quickly to your normal medication call 000 to get help immediately."

Police have urged motorists to slow down and put their lights on due to the extreme dust levels.

"Police are especially concerned that drivers are continuing to travel at dangerous speeds," a NSW police statement said.

South West Region Traffic Coordinator Senior Sergeant John Kane said he was concerned that drivers seemed oblivious to the reduced visibility caused by the dust.

"Drivers are continuing to drive at speeds which are high-risk in these conditions," he said.

Sydney Ferries has cancelled services on the harbour and express buses are running between Manly and the city.

The dust is expected to settle in the afternoon as the winds ease, with a forecast maximum temperature of 22 degrees and a high fire danger.

The State Emergency Service says it has received 175 requests for assistance across the state following reports of strong winds.

Hail stones as big as cricket balls hit the town of Crookwell near Goulburn, damaging windows and tiles, but there have been few reports of damage in Sydney.

Firefighters have also been kept busy, with 500 call-outs in Sydney this morning, mostly from falsely triggered smoke alarms detecting dust particles.

Bureau of Meteorology spokeswoman Jane Golding said dust had settled on much of the state and visibility was poor.

"It's pretty widespread," she told ABC Radio.

"We've had reports of low visibility up out as far up as Moree, Dubbo, Canberra's got some raised dust in the area and Wollongong, so it's very widespread."

Ms Golding said the weather system was moving in from the west and Sydney could expect dusty conditions throughout the morning.

The barometric pressure had dropped significantly, she said.

[*CountessA*]

Two small earthquakes have hit Melbourne's south, but there are no reports of damage.

The earthquakes were about 14 seconds apart and hit the Mornington Peninsula region at about 6.20pm (AEST) on Tuesday, Geoscience Australia seismologist David Jepson said.

They recorded magnitudes of 3.0 and 2.6, with the epicentre about 25km south of Frankston.

"These are too small to cause any damage, we would expect," Mr Jepson told AAP.

"They were felt about 25km away from its epicentre.

"It is not uncommon to get these around the greater Melbourne region; there would be about 10 a year."

Earthquakes in Australia tend to be not as intense as those in other parts of the region, such as in Indonesia and Fiji, which are located on the edge of tectonic plates below the Earth, Mr Jepson says.

[*CountessA*]

Heavy rain in Tasmania is causing flooding and has cut power to more than 1,000 homes.

Up to 120 millimetres has fallen in some areas in the 24 hours to 9am (AEST) on Wednesday.

A range of road weather alerts have been activated across the state due to flooding.

Aurora Energy says about 1,000 customers have lost power on the Tasman Peninsula.

The rain is forecast to ease on Wednesday afternoon.

Tasmania was already saturated after one of the wettest winters on record.

[*CountessA*]

Firefighters are battling a number of fires around Queensland on Wednesday morning, as unseasonal spring weather prompts warnings of extreme fire danger.

The Department of Community Safety said in a statement that eight fire crews responded to a large bushfire on Macleay Island, near Brisbane, at about 12.20am (AEST) on Wednesday.

Two houses had to be evacuated but the fire is now under control.

Meanwhile crews attended three separate fires on the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane.

The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to remain on high alert, with very high to extreme fire conditions continuing.

Total fire bans are in place over about 60 per cent of Queensland and grassland and forest fire dangers are forecast to reach extreme during Wednesday.

Ten bushfires across Queensland kept firefighters busy on Tuesday.

Authorities suspect arson may have been the cause of some of the fires.

A fire weather warning issued by the Bureau of Meteorology on Wednesday morning said dry and gusty northwest winds will shift to the west and southwest on Wednesday afternoon and night.

Under these weather conditions, fires can threaten suddenly and without warning, the Queensland Rural Fire Service said.

Dust storms affecting much of NSW have entered western Queensland, affecting visibility and will move eastwards as the day progresses, the weather bureau says.

The dusty conditions will spread as far north as the Gulf of Carpentaria region as well as into southeast Queensland.

[**Cupie**]

Well it's settled....we are a nation of diversity....adversity even !!!

[*CountessA*]

MORE on the DUST SHROUD

A rare and dirty wind storm that kicked up in South Australia and engulfed NSW has reached Brisbane and may even get to New Zealand before the dust settles.

Winds up to 90km/h brought a thick orange hue to the skies over NSW as the dust storm moved east across the state.

Services to and from Sydney airport have been crippled and authorities have raised a health alarm for people suffering from chronic respiratory problems.

The NSW Ambulance service has taken over 300 calls from people suffering respiratory problems in the state as of 2pm and expect more throughout the day.

Strong westerly winds kicked up on Tuesday afternoon and exacerbated drought conditions in far western NSW, whisking up dust and dirt from the already scorched earth.

"It (the dust) covers a big area of the state and certainly the eastern half of the state at the moment is under that," the Bureau of Meteorology's regional director Barry Hanstrum told AAP.

"And it looks as if it will continue to move up through the Northern Rivers area during today and maybe even make it into Brisbane at some time."

Mr Hanstrum said strong winds from South Australia sent dust across the Tasman earlier in September.

"And likewise with this one, there's a fair chance that it will keep going out into the Tasman Sea and it won't dissipate quickly," he said.

"They may see some effects of reduced visibility as far east as New Zealand."

An intense low-pressure system formed over southern NSW on Tuesday and a band of gale force winds on its northern edge developed during the afternoon.

Mr Hanstrum said drought conditions across the state had intensified the rare weather event that has brought dust and reduced visibility to most of NSW.

"The winds whipped up a great dust cloud and that's been transferred across the whole of the state," he said.

Strong winds and dust hit Sydney at about 3.30am (AEST) on Wednesday, crippling Sydney airport and forcing international arrivals to divert to Brisbane and Melbourne.

Domestic flights continue to experience long delays, while ambulance and fire authorities have received far more than the usual number of calls.

The NSW Ambulance Service issued a warning to people suffering from asthma or other respiratory illnesses to stay inside where possible and carry all medication.

Police have urged motorists to slow down and put their lights on due to the extreme dust levels.

Mr Hanstrum said the winds had started to ease in western NSW and visibility had improved, with a similar easing of conditions expected to spread east on Wednesday afternoon and evening.

"We should see some sunshine again tomorrow (Thursday) although it will remain a bit hazy," he said.

Meanwhile, the NSW opposition pointed out that on Tuesday the Department of Environment and Climate Change's website forecast "good" air quality for Wednesday.

Opposition environment spokeswoman Catherine Cusack said the inadequate warning was a result of budget cuts.

"This ludicrous prediction that Sydney's air quality is good highlights to us how incompetent this government has become," she told reporters in Sydney.

"Our perception is that the entire air quality monitoring system in this state is defunct."

But Environment Minister John Robertson said the state's air monitoring system was the best in the country.

"The forecast weather conditions prior to the dust storms included rain, resulting in there being no prediction of high pollution," Mr Robertson told parliament.

"However, as soon as air quality exceedences began to be recorded ... health alerts were automatically generated."

The director of NSW Health's Environmental Health branch, Wayne Smith, said it would not have been possible to predict the high levels of pollution.

"The warnings were up early this morning," Dr Smith said.

"It would be nice if these forecasts could happen a bit earlier, but there is usually not good warning for these events.

"It's inappropriate to be putting out warnings when we don't know the warnings are going to be needed."

Also on Tuesday, the dust brought construction work across the city to a halt.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) has closed all major building sites because workers are experiencing eye irritations and respiratory problems.

CFMEU assistant secretary Brian Parker said one worker had collapsed on a work site in Newtown due to respiratory problems.

[Bellagina]

Yep - that dust has been absolutely terrible- and the wind with it.
Some trees lost limbs around here, including one of mine...
 We have also lost part of our fence (colourbond) - the panels just "popped" under the force of the wind.... also blew one of my outside blinds so badly it refused to roll up and started coming apart- and it beheaded most of the rose buds in the process.


Lovely spring weather!! 

[*smee*]

global warming !


Oh and El Nino .... he hasn't been blamed for anything for a while

[*CountessA*]

Queensland fire crews are still battling eight blazes across the state, with all but one predominantly under control on Saturday.

A fire, which started at Nine Mile Creek a few days ago, has scorched more than 2500 hectares.

It has since moved through to Struck Oil Road, Limestone Creek, and is causing the main concern.

Five fire crews worked through the night back burning, putting in firebreaks and fighting the blaze at Limestone Creek.

Eight crews are battling a fire in the National Park at Alice Creek in Bunya Mountains although it is not threatening homes or lives.

Residents in areas affected by the fire have been asked to remain on high alert for possible evacuations.

One strike team, 10 crews and a waterbombing helicopter were called to battle a large fire at Booyal, south of Gin Gin, on Friday evening.

Fires crews were attending blazes on Saturday morning at Ilbilbie, Sandstone Point, Old Esk North Road in Nanango, Mount Alma Road in East Greenmount and Mount Fox Road in Mount Fox.

[*CountessA*]

Firefighters are strengthening firebreaks around a bushfire in Sydney's north, but say properties in the area are not under any immediate threat despite strong winds gusting through the city.

The fire broke out in Frenchs Forest at 8.30pm (AEST) on Friday, with fire crews backburning through the night and into Saturday morning to contain it.

The fire is burning in patch of bush bordered by Wellman Road, Fitzpatrick Avenue West, Grace Avenue and Sorlie Road, the NSW Rural Fire Service said.

The RFS has told Frenchs Forest residents the area will be affected by smoke and embers throughout the day because of the backburning and strong winds.

And while there is no direct threat to homes in the area, it has advised residents to prepare properties for bushfire and to watch out for embers.

"We are advising residents in the area to prepare for the smoke, ash and embers to happen, and to close their doors and their windows and monitoring their properties for embers," an RFS spokesman said.

He said that if people had breathing difficulties, they should also take precautions.

Smoke is also likely to affect motorists on Forest Way and Warringah Road, with the RFS urging them to drive to the conditions.

[*CountessA*]

Firefighters were battling 20 blazes the length and breadth of Queensland on Monday afternoon as the state government extended the duration and extent of fire bans.

Four grass fires were burning in the region around Townsville in north Queensland while further blazes were under attack in the southeast, central and southwest regions of the state.

While no properties were under direct threat from the grass fires and bushfires on Monday, a hayshed at Pinelands, north of Toowoomba, two cars and two small sheds at Plant Hill Road, Calcium, south of Townsville, and one house and one shed at Eldridge Road, Booyal, southwest of Bundaberg have been lost since fire conditions worsened last Wednesday.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said that since then firefighters have battled hundreds of vegetation fires across Queensland.

"More than 1,760 appliances have been used including heavy plant equipment, rural and urban fire appliances and aircraft," Mr Roberts said.

As high temperatures and low humidity continue, fire bans will remain in place until midnight Monday, October 5 and have been extended to also include the local government areas of Townsville, Burdekin and Hinchinbrook council areas.

"Very high to extreme fire conditions will continue to affect the southeast coastline and the majority of inland Queensland, as far north as Normanton," Mr Roberts said.

The fire bans will be reviewed and may be extended again if weather conditions do not improve in coming weeks, he said.

[*CountessA*]

Welcome rain has poured 17 billion litres of water into Melbourne's catchments and swollen the state's creeks and rivers.

Melbourne Water spokesman Andrew McGinnes said the city's water storages had risen from 30.8 per cent to 31.7 per cent after an average of 93mm of rain in the four catchment areas since Friday.

"We expect storages will keep rising over the next few days, as the water makes its way through the catchments and into reservoirs," Mr McGinnes said in a statement.

"Because the catchments are finally wetter, the runoff rates from this rain are quite strong."

But he said there was still a 40 billion litre shortfall in Melbourne's storages compared with the same time last year, so water-saving measures were still crucial.

Catchments including the Upper Yarra and Thomson Dam received an average of 93mm of rain since Friday, and almost 40mm in the 24 hours to 8am (AEST) Monday.

Between 8am Friday and 8am Monday, Thomson Dam received 96mm, the Upper Yarra 91mm, Maroondah 64mm and the O'Shannassy catchment 111mm.

The rain also caused rivers across the state to rise, with some breaking their banks on Monday.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued flood warnings for the Macalister, Latrobe, Yarra and Goulburn rivers and the Westernport catchment.

A flood warning issued at 4pm Monday on the bureau's website said minor flooding was occurring in the Latrobe River in Gippsland.

The Yarra River at Millgrove, near Warburton in the Yarra Valley, broke its banks, as did the Bunyip River in South Gippsland.

[*CountessA*]

I think all of us acknowledge that appropriate naming is an essential step in identifying something. Fine, yes; let's agree. But the following article shows something I find ludicrous - no, worse than that. Wasting time NAMING something when what's needed is DOING something is a grotesque insanity. I don't care who names the catastrophe-level fires, or what they name them. Call them Ernest, call them Maude, but let's get on to something far more important!

AAAAgh. No wonder I loathe committees.

The head of the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission has urged Victorians not to be complacent in the lead-up to the next fire season.

Former Supreme Court justice Bernard Teague said Victoria would always be exposed to bushfire threats due to its geography and climate.

"We must not slip back into complacency," Mr Teague told a Law Institute of Victoria lunch in Melbourne on Wednesday.

"We who love to live here can rejoice that we'll always be untroubled by cyclones but I believe we will always run a greater risk of fatalities from bushfire than anywhere in the world."

Mr Teague also expressed frustration at the inability of authorities to pin down a term during the commission for fires which caused mass fatalities.

He said the Victorian government's announcement last month of a new "catastrophic code red" category which exceeds extreme bushfire days was welcome.

But there was still a need to name the type of fire which could potentially result in fatalities, despite a lack of consensus.

"Some, but not many, experts like mega fire," he said.

"Others prefer fire storm but we can't work out an acceptable noun."

Mr Teague said such a term could be used in drafting planning and building regulations, providing bushfire preparedness information and issuing warnings on high fire risk days.

He also said the system used by firefighters to name a fire after its point of origin was confusing and needed to be changed.

Residents of Steeles Creek and Kinglake would have been confused by the name of the Kilmore East fire, which eventually overcame their towns, because Kilmore East was about 40 kilometres away and was "too distant to be a concern", Mr Teague said.

He said firefighters were aware of the problem but had difficulty suggesting a better option.

Mr Teague rejected suggestions the commissioners were too soft in their criticism of key players such as Country Fire Authority chief Russell Rees in the interim report.

He said the role of the commission was not to lay blame.

[Roo]

BLOODY BIG FIRE has a ring to it..lol

[*CountessA*]

You see - you've solved the name problem in one second flat, Roo.

[gr8-expectations]

forecast 2nd october

sydney - flocking hot
melbourne - on fire
adelaide - gr8 whites
perth - too far to know
queensland - 20 years behind, choose anything
darwin - catastophic cyclone

[*smee*]

what about Tassie gr8 ?

[gr8-expectations]

tassie - severe incest warning

[Bellagina]

I just wanted to let everyone know- it finally rained here tonight!!

Not lots mind you, just a couple of passing thundershowers, but the grass is wet.
Celebrations are in order!

[tellomon]

DATELINE: Montello, Nevada. Sunday, October 4, 2009

Winter came early to this region.

No one knew a Snow Storm would come and come it did!

TV & Radio never said anything about it. Nothing on the Internet Weather Services. (What good are they?)

I smelled it coming yesterday afternoon & told my peeps so.
That's a Dezert Rat Talent!

Internet connection went out at 10 Am PST.
At 10:45 AM, the whole town was plunged into darkness.
Total blackout.
At 11:15, I got my "Gennie" runnin', and the snow melted off my satellite dish.

At 11:30 AM, Tello got 'the goin' on', and everybody else can kiss my @$$ !!!!!

[gr8-expectations]

At 11:30 AM, Tello got 'the goin' on', and everybody else can kiss my @$$ !!!!! Grin

tupical....

[tellomon]

12 volt is always available to people who live in their cars.

What are you driving?

[gr8-expectations]

fully pimped maserati dinky toy, i am very small.... loike moth balls

[*CountessA*]

FREAK CONDITIONS - RAIN AND SNOW

Victoria

Victorians have been warned to brace for a springtime cold snap, with freak conditions to bring rain and snow.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts temperatures will drop to the low teens on Tuesday and Wednesday as a front blows in from southwestern Tasmania.

"We will have a couple of days where we will struggle to get above the low to mid teens and there will be snow down to 600 or 800 metres," forecaster Peter Newham said on Monday.

He said heavy snow in early spring had been rare in the past 50 years.

"There will be gusty winds, particularly in Gippsland," Mr Newham said. "There will be quite a lot of showers."

He said top temperatures could fall below 14 degrees for the first time in six years.

The average Melbourne top temperature for October was 19.6 degrees.

"It will gradually improve later in the week. There will still be showers but the winds will gradually ease.

"It will get slightly warmer and clearing by the weekend."

[*CountessA*]

Firefighters get reprieve - QLD

Queensland firefighters are getting a much deserved reprieve, with just the one fire continuing to burn in the state.

Three fire crews will backburn and monitor a grass fire off Archer Rd at Struck Oil in central Queensland on Monday.

The fire broke out at 8.30am (AEST) on Sunday east of Mount Morgan, an area where fires had been burning for more than a week.

A waterbombing aircraft was used on Sunday to bring the fire under control.

An emergency services spokeswoman expressed relief at the let-up; at one point last week more than 310 firefighters were monitoring 35 blazes, she said.

She said authorities would decide later on Monday on whether to extend the state's fire ban, which is in place until 12.01am on Tuesday.

[*CountessA*]

Arsonists could face life imprisonment under proposed new laws in Western Australia.

The Liberal-National government said the legislation, to be introduced on Tuesday, would ensure arson was treated as one of the most serious criminal offences in the state.

The legislation would increase the maximum jail term from 14 years to 20 years for lighting a fire where it is likely damage would be done to people or property.

Where the offender wilfully destroys or damages property by fire the maximum penalty will increase from 14 years to life imprisonment.

WA Attorney-General Christian Porter said Victoria's Black Saturday bushfires showed the widespread devastation that arsonists could cause.

"The state government has worked hard to develop laws that target and appropriately penalise all possible arson-related offences," Mr Porter said.

"Our legislation will significantly increase penalties and ensure the laws of this state recognise the inherent danger arsonists cause."

WA Police Minister Rob Johnson said that under the new legislation, vegetation would be clearly defined as property.

"This means that if a person wilfully lights a fire that damages any sort of property or bushland, they will be sentenced under the new laws," Mr Johnson said.

"The new legislation will also create an entirely new offence which makes it clear that if a person does not take reasonable care when in control of a fire or ignition source and someone is injured or killed as a result, the offender will be held to account."

The Liberal-National government is aiming to have the legislation passed before summer, Mr Johnson said.

[*smee*]

but that means we will run out of volunteer fire fighters here !!!

[*CountessA*]

Wild Storm Hits Southeast Queensland

A pedestrian has died and a highway has been cut by a fallen tree as a fast-moving thunderstorm and hail hit Queensland's southeast.

Heavy winds, hail and rain swept through the region about 3.15pm (AEST) on Tuesday.

An emergency services spokeswoman said a man aged in his 50s died on Pines Road, Cooroibah, on the Sunshine Coast, when he was hit by a four-wheel drive about 4pm (AEST).

Emergency crews are working to clear a large tree that has blocked the D'Aguilar Highway near Nanango.

There are also reports of hail damage at Ferny Grove, Kedron, Enoggera, Logan, Beenleigh and bayside suburbs.

At 4.30pm (AEST) almost 11,000 homes were without power, mainly on the bayside and southern suburbs, Energex reported.

An Energex spokesman said that since noon more than 25,000 home and businesses had been blacked out.

"We've had more than 2500 lightning strikes recorded and winds of around 90 km/h," the spokesman said.

"Energex has got crews trying to get power on as quick as possible but powerlines have been brought down by tree branches and strong winds."

There have also been reports of powerlines falling across a car at Holland Park and trees falling across powerlines on the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

[*CountessA*]

Rain pushes VIC dams to overflowing

Some of Melbourne's water reserves are overflowing thanks to heavy rain over the last three weeks.

Melbourne Water's networks of dams, pumps and aqueducts have so far helped it bank close to four months' supply for Melbourne over a three-week period, Melbourne Water manager of Water Supply, John Woodland said.

The downpour has seen Melbourne's two smallest reserves, Maroondah and O'Shannassy, fill to capacity, forcing the water authority to move water to bigger reservoirs to make room for more.

"Maroondah Reservoir was at 58 per cent on grand final day and it's now almost full," Mr Woodland said.

"It's likely Maroondah will spill for the first time since November 2005 if it receives much more rain, but we'll pick up as much as possible further down the river and store it in Sugarloaf Reservoir."

The storages are expected to continue to rise for the next fortnight on the back of forecast rain, which could push them to a 20-month high.

Mr Woodland said its system was designed to deal with downpours, but it had not seen anything like this for years.

Since September 25 between 88mm and 178mm has fallen over the catchments and reservoir levels have jumped from 30.8 per cent to 35.4 per cent and are expected to rise above 36 per cent by the end of the week.

As of this Wednesday, 37 towns in Victoria's Wimmera-Mallee region that have suffered through the toughest water restriction level - Stage 4 - since October 2006 have moved to Stage 1.

The Victorian government is expected to make a decision about current water restrictions for Melbourne in November, after spring rainfalls are analysed.

Its decision will have to take into account drier and warmer conditions forecast for December.

[*CountessA*]

Aircraft are water-bombing bushfires near hundreds of Rockhampton homes as fire officers on the ground backburn in a race against time.

About 80 fire officers are focusing on protecting homes at Norman Gardens and Frenchville, which are currently blanketed by thick plumes of smoke as bushfires rage on Mount Archer.

Residents are also hosing their homes and back lawns but have been warned to enact their bushfire plans and prepare for fire.

"Residents are advised to be prepared to relocate to a safer area if required," the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service said.

"Well prepared and defended homes can offer safety during the fire and may be defendable.

"Firefighters may not be able to protect every affected property and residents should not expect a firefighter at their door."

Residents have been warned to call triple zero if their property comes under threat.

An emergency situation declaration remains in place for the Mount Archer area.

"Due to the dynamic nature of the fires and the need for emergency services to respond quickly, powers available under (emergency laws)... will be used as necessary," the Department of Community Safety said in a statement.

A media conference on the bushfires is due to be held at Norman Gardens at noon (AEST).

[*CountessA*]

Victoria is bracing for potential bushfires this week with the first heatwave of the season rapidly drying out bushland.

An 800-hectare fire in the state's far east Gippsland area has been burning since last week and is yet to be controlled by firefighters, Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) incident controller Peter Billing said.

It is burning at Dock Inlet near Cape Conran.

"That will grow to 4000 hectares and we are working around the clock doing backburning to set up a perimeter around that," he told AAP.

"It will take a couple of days to do that and we want to contain it before conditions escalate substantially over the weekend across the state.

"It's in a remote area and is not threatening anybody," he added.

A 600-hectare blaze that broke out near Mallacoota in East Gippsland on Saturday has been contained.

The current heatwave - the first of the season - will see temperatures between 30 and 40 degrees celsius hit much of Victoria over the next week.

This would "rapidly change the bushfire situation", Mr Billing said.

"We are bracing ourselves for a prolonged heatwave all week with thunderstorms predicted in the middle of the week," he said.

"We may get fires started by lightning strikes on Wednesday and Thursday.

"It's a real summer pattern kicking in with heat, dry conditions and lightning."

The DSE is concerned that with a heatwave occurring so early in the season it will quickly dry out the benefits of good rains that fell over the last two months.

[*wheels*]

Will the DSE never learn?

DSE is hoping for containment of the Point Nepean fire later today.

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenfoe.nsf/fid/7142E8C5ACE5AA16CA257662001D6597

Point Nepean National Park
10/11/2009 10:30:00
Incident Information: DSE advise the following: This fire is Going.  On Monday the 9th November a planned burn in Point Nepean National Park breached control lines. The planned burn was being carried out adjacent the Point Nepean Quarantine Station (Melway ref 166 B4) using aerial ignition due to the presence of unexploded ammunition in the area to be burnt. The fire is approximately 15 hectares in size.

A planned burn? On one of the hottest, driest days of the year since March?

[*smee*]

 

[lacey]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/6500663/nsw-homes-under-bushfire-threat/


Stay safe everyone.  It's going to be a bad day across NSW and I presume other states, today.

temp here right now is 32deg

[lacey]

Will the DSE never learn?

DSE is hoping for containment of the Point Nepean fire later today.

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenfoe.nsf/fid/7142E8C5ACE5AA16CA257662001D6597

Point Nepean National Park
10/11/2009 10:30:00
Incident Information: DSE advise the following: This fire is Going.  On Monday the 9th November a planned burn in Point Nepean National Park breached control lines. The planned burn was being carried out adjacent the Point Nepean Quarantine Station (Melway ref 166 B4) using aerial ignition due to the presence of unexploded ammunition in the area to be burnt. The fire is approximately 15 hectares in size.

A planned burn? On one of the hottest, driest days of the year since March?

We applied for fire hazard reduction near our house.  First had to apply to Bush Fire Brigade,  then Fire Brigade, then council.  Now the first to agreed it desperately needed doing but the council said No.  Apparently there is a tiny little animal?  Australian native animal in that bush, so we can't burn off.  we have lived here for 19 years and never seen whatever we are supposed to see and one council ranger apparently came here 1 day and saw it, so they know it's in there somewhere.  Officer from fire brigade told them if we don't burn off, it will be 10times worse but he couldn't get them to change their minds.  So that's councils for you.  Pack of idiots. 

So if you don't hear from me anymore, you will know we fried!

[tommy.irene]

WE have people on the council like that Lacey..THEY NEVER LEARN..

[tommy.irene]

WHILE IM HERE....