Oz Round Table
The Oz Round Table boards => The Round Table => Topic started by: *CountessA* on August 24, 2009, 04:46:40 PM
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Please keep this thread free of all off-topic material. We're heading into a nightmare summer, and I know we all fear that more lives will be lost as dangerous weather and other disasters threaten us Australia-wide.
Australia is experiencing a winter day of extremes as temperatures peak in central areas, winds whip the south and the threat of bushfires increases.
Temperatures in the mid-30s are forecast for northern NSW and southern Queensland on Monday as firefighters brace for an early start to the bushfire season.
Brisbane's August maximum temperature record of just under 33 degrees Celsius is expected to fall.
Warmer weather has also been felt overnight in Sydney, where temperatures were twice the monthly average, and Canberra where 12 degrees Celsius set a new record for the warmest August night.
On NSW's south coast, temperatures are expected to stay in the low 20s as firefighters battle a massive fire that has already burnt out more than 180 hectares at Monkey Mountain near Ulladulla.
Much higher temperatures have led to a total fire ban in southern Queensland with authorities warning of a very high to extreme fire danger in the southwest areas of Charleville, the Darling Downs and Granite Belt, the Wide Bay and Burnett districts south of Gympie and the southeast coast.
Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts warned of the danger bushfires posed in the wake of Victoria's Black Saturday, saying: "We need to be physically and mentally prepared for every eventuality."
Meanwhile, Victorians have been asked to be storm-ready as the state braces for three days of damaging winds and rain.
A severe weather warning has been issued and wind gusts up to 100km/h with gusts up to 120km/h in alpine regions are predicted.
The windy weather has prompted warnings to builders and other businesses to review the safety of their worksites with winds capable of picking up roofing, fences, timber and other building materials.
In parts of South Australia people have been told to stay indoors as that state also braces for gale-force winds.
Winds are predicted to approach 100km/h on Monday in several parts of the state with gales expected to hit Adelaide in the early evening.
Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/853603/australians-hit-by-heat-fire-winds
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Melbourne workers urged to leave before storm hits
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/25/2666300.htm
Melbourne's commuters are being urged to leave work early today, to avoid potential delays caused by the bad weather.
Winds of up to 120 kilometres an hour are forecast for parts of the state, and the front will reach Melbourne around 5pm today.
The winds are expected to cause power cuts, and the state's public transport providers expect the winds to cause some damage.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR02I.loop.shtml#skip
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I can't leave early... This is not going to be pretty. Wheels, perhaps everyone should join hands and have anchors around their cars...?
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I'm ok. I'm at home - still waaaaiting for a delivery that was supposed to be here this morning!
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There are no plans to develop standards for backyard bushfire bunkers and such a process could take years, Australia's peak standards body says.
Barry Eadie, a Standards Australia committee chairman, told the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission that the organisation was not currently looking at any proposals to develop standards for personal bushfire bunkers.
The commission investigating the fatal February 7 Victorian bushfires heard on Monday that standards for bunkers should be fast-tracked because "risky" models were infiltrating the market.
Mr Eadie is personally driving a project to develop standards for bushfire sprinklers, and while a draft proposal was expected to be ready in a week the whole process would not be completed for at least two years, he told the commission on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a review by Standards Australia of its 1999 edition of standards relating to building in bushfire-prone areas took more than nine years, the commission heard.
The 2009 edition was rushed through after February 7, despite disagreement among key stakeholders about some if its contents.
Building standards developed by Standards Australia are referenced by the Building Code of Australia.
Mr Eadie said there were a number of issues surrounding bunkers including whether they should be located above or below ground, oxygen supply, distance from an occupied building, and entering and leaving the bunker.
"There's certainly I believe cases for them but I think they need to be specific and designed for that location," he said.
Mr Eadie said he was aware of two existing bunkers and in both cases it was safer to stay and shelter in the bunkers than leave the area during a bushfire.
Do you know what strikes me as outrageous in this article? One of the most influential people involved in this question of "standards" is talking about an unrealistic and ridiculous length of time - as though his process of protocols is more important than the reality of achieving this safely and efficiently.
How much of that nine-year period is spent in meetings where people who don't have expertise flap their jaws in fruitless discussion?
How much of it is spent in waiting for someone to do some minor little bit of research or checking before the next stage can go forward?
How much in coffee breaks? How much in waffling? How much in waiting for the opinion of someone non-expert and irrelevant? How much - to be blunt - in sheer irresponsible time-wasting?
Four years? Five years? Heaven help us - seven or eight years?
HOW FAST COULD THIS BE DONE if it had to be done for their own sake?
Fast.
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Wild winds to lash eastern states (more on the winds)
Destructive winds are continuing the howl across the east coast, bringing down power lines, tree branches and leaving thousands of homes without power.
Send us your photos of the wild weather
Winds up to 100km/h were recorded in South Australia late yesterday, accompanied by heavy rain, which caused widespread blackouts and felled numerous trees.
There were no reports of injuries or substantial damage but State Emergency Service volunteers were called to about 300 incidents.
The call-outs were mainly for felled trees and power lines, a SES spokesman said.
At the peak of the storm, some 10,000 houses and businesses across the state were without power and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has forecast more harsh weather for later today.
"A vigorous cold front moving across southern parts of the state today is expected to produce the possibility of damaging winds, averaging 60-70km/h ... with peak gusts in excess of 90 km/h, mainly associated with showers and thunderstorms," the bureau's warning stated.
Locations to feel the brunt of the front include Adelaide, Port Lincoln, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Kingscote and Naracoorte.
Scattered branches lined the streets of some Canberra suburbs after the winds ripped through early this morning.
Emergency service crews received 48 calls, with Canberra's northern suburbs the worst-affected area.
Power outages and trees on powerlines were also reported.
The ACT State Emergency Service said there were, so far, no reports of badly damaged homes.
"We haven't had any major structural damage, but it's not beyond possibility," deputy chief officer Tony Graham told AAP on Tuesday.
"It's not unusual for Canberra to get severe storm damage."
Branches are scattered across roads and footpaths, following strong winds which raged between 1am (AEST) and 5am.
Wind speeds peaked at 89km an hour shortly after 2am (AEST).
Calls to emergency services were highest from Scullin, Flynn, Kaleen and Hackett.
Power is still out in several northern suburbs.
Mr Graham said the 48 calls to emergency services was much lower tally than the average of 300 for severe storms.
Volunteer crews are expected to spend the rest of Tuesday morning cleaning up the debris, and are bracing for a return to strong winds tonight, he added.
The SES said it received more than 110 calls for assistance across Sydney after more than 7000 homes were blacked, with some outages caused by trees falling on power lines.
The wild weather, including severe wind gusts, also caused flight delays of up to an hour at Sydney Airport.
SES spokesman Phil Campbell warned residents to make sure children and pets were inside and to secure outside furniture and loose items.
"Most of the calls have come from western Sydney and we've also had calls from the Riverina, the Wollongong and Southern Highlands areas, Shellharbour, Bowral and Moss Vale," Mr Campbell said.
He said residents were dealing with trees down across roads, driveways and minor roof damage.
"We are expecting debris on the roads and urging people to park their car under cover, not under trees," Mr Campbell said.
Integral Energy said about 5000 people lost power in isolated areas of Penrith and the Blue Mountains, while Energy Australia said power had been restored to about 2000 homes in Bexley and Carlton in Sydney's south.
Sydney Airport remains open, but flights are being delayed.
"Flight schedules will be disrupted due to the high winds and delays of up to 60 minutes will be experienced on some flights," a Sydney Airport spokesman said.
"Plenty of flights have come in and out already."
In Queensland, the fire danger remains extreme as the state swelters through record-breaking temperature, but wild winds are expected to die down later today.
A total fire ban remains across the south of the state with a top of 31 degrees Celsius predicted for Brisbane city.
Brisbane is experiencing its hottest August on record, with the temperature soaring to 35.4 degrees about 4.20pm (AEST) on Monday.
Temperatures across the state have been about 10 degrees hotter than average.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service commissioner Lee Johnson said the first real fire cycle for the year was expected during the next two days.
He said the fire ban meant no fires in the open and warned anyone using machinery, such as slashing grass, should exercise extreme caution.
Residents have been asked to immediately report any fires, including small grass fires, as they could quickly escalate.
Anyone caught lighting a fire during a fire ban faces six months in prison or a $5000 fine.
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Does anyone have the phone numbers for Emergency services such as the SES handy?
They sure might come in handy in Melbourne tonight.... :(
Maybe we could have a list of important numbers here so people could print them out and keep them handy?
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AUSTRALIA-WIDE
SES Emergency Contact 132 500
Call 132 500 from anywhere in your state for emergency SES assistance in a flood or storm. SES volunteers are on call 24 hours a day to provide emergency assistance if you or your property is affected by a flood or storm. When you call 132 500 you will be connected to your local SES Unit or an emergency communications centre.
Phone triple zero (000) for police, fire or ambulance.
Again... for life-threatening emergencies, dial 000.
For flood or storm emergencies, dial 132 500.
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Oh Crikey! Now everything has gone quiet....I hate it when it does that....kinda like the calm before the storm...
I thought I got home just in time tonight...the wind was strong but it had only started to rain.
Then just as I settled in my nice dry warm fluffy slippers....the front gate blew open and was just about to fly off the hinges!
I had to get all kitted up to brave the howling winds to shut it!
I guess I should be happy that my back fence hasn't been replaced since before last Christmas when it blew over...lol
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Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
NSW
Priority
NSW SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
Damaging Winds
For people in
the Riverina, South West Slopes, Southern Tablelands, ACT, Illawarra, South Coast Metropolitan, Central Tablelands and Alpine areas.
Issued at 9:45 pm on Tuesday 25 August 2009
Synoptic Situation: 9:00 pm EST Tuesday
Squally west to northwest winds are expected over the southeastern NSW overnight and early Wednesday ahead of a cold front. They are expected to ease behind the front later in the morning.
This is an update of the warning issued at 05:45 pm Tuesday.
Winds are expected to average over 65 km/h at times with peak wind gusts in excess of 90 km/h.
In Alpine areas above 1900 metres winds are expected to average over 90 km/h at times with peak gusts over 125 km/h.
Emergency services advise you to keep clear of fallen power lines, stay indoors away from windows and keep children indoors.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service recommends that people consider postponing back country travel until conditions improve.
For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES [NSW and ACT] on telephone number 132 500.
The next warning is due to be issued by 5:00 am Wednesday
This warning is also available through TV and Radio broadcasts; the Bureau's website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 218. The Bureau and State Emergency Service would appreciate this warning being broadcast regularly.
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Victoria's State Emergency Service (SES) has been flooded with distress calls as a cold front brought severe wind gusts to the state.
The SES received more than 1,400 calls from householders on Tuesday as sustained winds of 60km/h and gusts up to 110km/h damaged buildings and brought down trees.
Gusts up to 128km/h hit Avalon airport, west of Melbourne, at 4.50pm (AEST).
"We've had about 900 calls between 5pm and 7pm, so that shows you how busy we have been," SES spokesman Allan Briggs said.
Hardest hit areas include Eltham, Knox and Lilydale in Melbourne's east, he said.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Terry Ryan said the cold front, now moving through the state's east, was expected to bring at least 5mm of rain with it along with a westerly air flow.
The SES earlier warned Victorians to leave work before peak hour to avoid congestion on public transport.
A large gum tree split in two hit the roofs of two neighbouring homes in Swan Street, Eltham.
Drivers have been advised to avoid parking under trees.
With widespread power outages predicted, householders have been warned to treat all downed powerlines as live, never do their own electrical work and be prepared with candles and lanterns.
A severe weather warning remains in place for alpine areas and the western, north central, northern country, Wimmera, Mallee, central, northeast and Gippsland regions, with the front expected to clear Victoria's east by early Wednesday.
The strongest wind gusts - up to 100km/h - are expected to come with showers and thunderstorms.
Mr Briggs said wild winds were expected to be confined to coastal and elevated regions on Wednesday.
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Firefighters are banking on cooler conditions and easing winds after tackling 92 grass fires across Queensland on Tuesday.
The total fire ban due to the extreme fire conditions in the southeast and southwest regions has been extended to midnight Wednesday, but has been lifted for Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
Two water-bombing helicopters were used for the first time this fire season at Fernvale, west of Brisbane, with a blaze starting just before 7am (AEST).
The B3 Squirrel water-bombing helicopters can carry 1,100 litres of water at a time and can be filled in 45 seconds.
Rural fire brigade officer Rob Scully said the Fernvale blaze appeared to be deliberately lit.
"We are just disappointed that someone set this fire," he said. "We don't need this sort of nonsense this time of the year."
On Tuesday night the Fernvale fire was contained, but crews were continuing to extinguish the blaze.
The helicopters were later deployed to the Gold Coast hinterland, where a blaze was reported in the Tallebudgera Valley.
A fire also swept through a forest at Mount Tamborine but no homes were threatened.
A fixed-wing aircraft was used to survey a fire in and around the Conondale national park, in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, as three fire crews and several parks and wildlife service teams attended the blaze.
Another fire near Gin Gin is expected to continue burning for several days, but no homes are threatened.
About 1,800ha of bushland there has been burned.
Southern Queensland temperatures hit the mid-30s just after noon and high winds, expected to ease on Wednesday, hampered firefighters' efforts to control the blazes.
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The wind has dropped considerably in the North of Melb Metro area. the rain stopped about 7pm, winds still gusting up to 36.3kph - with a wind chill of -4.0!!!!!!!!!! - cold!!!!!!!!!!!
Our poor heater is not keeping up :(
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There are no plans to develop standards for backyard bushfire bunkers and such a process could take years, Australia's peak standards body says.
Those of us in Bushfire regions, and looking at a really dangerous summer.....don't even think about bunkers without some form of oxygen rebreather to go with it....the oxygen is 'sucked' out of anyplace you might hide in a fire storm....it's not enough to get away from the fire, you have to know what you are dealing with.....There is dangerous levels of fire fuel in every state of Australia....every single one......our standards for fuel management are so non existent that they are now dangerous. thank the bloody greenies for that. Humans seem to be non existent on the list of species when it comes to responsible management of a bushfire prone country...even the flora knows that....they re-seed in fire, smoke and heat.....but in wildfires, they are literally wiped out.....sheesh....don't get me started..lol
We have a major fire event a few kms north that has been sent out of control by these winds.....We're expecting more and once it takes hold, it becomes a crown fire.....*Da-Ewok nodding head in the background I'll bet....*. If you are in a bushfire prone region...take nothing for granted, and don't rely on RFS or CFA to save you...they won't have the man power to be everywhere at once. Increase your insurance, make a good record of possessions via video if you have one and get the hell out of wherever you are (well before the bushfire is approaching) if you feel you can't survive....don't rely on officialdom to advise you...they'll tell you it's YOUR decision (unqualified as it may be) to stay or go...brilliant eh?
*Primal Scream moment*
:vent: :vent: :vent:...................... :drama:
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Not only does it get sucked out cupie - BUT............... if the doors open outward - you could end up trapped. If under a roofline - you could also end up trapped
AND>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> as what happened in the DSE maintained bunker on Mt Gordon, near Marysville, everything inside melted to a crisp - thank-god the supposed tennant made a run for it and lived.
Don; even get me #$%^&*()_ started on this, today of all days :(
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LOL - cupie - I only read the first paragraph of your post LOL
The second paragraph makes me laugh LOL - Makes me feel a little better -
We're expecting more and once it takes hold, it becomes a crown fire.....*Da-Ewok nodding head in the background I'll bet....*. If you are in a bushfire prone region...take nothing for granted, and don't rely on RFS or CFA to save you...they won't have the man power to be everywhere at once.
HOW VERY VERY VERY TRUE
NEVER EVER IN AN EMERGENCY OF THAT SZIE ASSUME SOMEONE ELSE WILL GET YOU OUT OF THE POO- THEY PROBABLY CAN'T GET TO YOU
Make sure you know what to do - make sure your children know what to do - have an emergency meeting point somewhere - or like the Twin towers - my children have also been instructions on what to do - if something like that ever happened here
You can never be too careful - Please take it from someone who knows - and I have only told you half the real story
BE CAREFUL
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That's cool Wokkie...I feel like I lived it with you...and I've lived it personally in 2001....the Worst Crown fires ever recorded in NSW..and we were trapped in our village for a week over Christmas....the areas that burned looked like napalm had been dropped on them...you could see through entire forests...nothing was left.......and then there was Black Saturday....my god....words could never describe the conditions that people had to deal with on that day and STILL the finger is being pointed?....pardon the pun, but it's a bit like Nero Fiddling while Rome Burns?.....*shakes head with wokkie*
Notice the total absence of fuel management in that entire fiasco they called a Royal Commission?...or am I mistaken...haven't actually read it entirely yet...but I'm going to....The stay go policy has been changed a 'tad' it's still stay or go...but maybe it's better to go?....lmao........It's only the fire fuel we CAN manage, but they want to avoid that at all costs?....cranial rectal inversion syndrome I'm afraid
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no mention of fuel reduction - that is being discussed (putside RC) as to why - my guess is that Labour don;t won;t to come off second best to the greens - they rely on them for the votes :(
Sad sad world we live in - where a few people who think trees and animals are more important than humans
Now don;t get me wrong - I love my animals - I love animals - I'll do almost anything for animals - but I bet if you asked them to sacrifice 1 child for 10 animals lives - they would save their child
What is the different? - Answer that
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Let's go a step further....these so called Greenies are responsible for the absolute anhialation in your region of Koala colonies, lizards, snakes, kangaroos, other marsupials & domestic animals and Human beings etc....in one of the WORST wildfires on record ???????....so while they're trying to 'save the trees', the ground fuel that causes CROWN FIRES, can't be burned back. So it accumulates, and when it goes up, it literally wipes out entire flora and fauna species in this so called quest to be 'GREEN'????.. :tazdev: :tazdev: :tazdev:
Controlled burn backs, remove the ground fuel, enable Aussie Flora to re-seed without being wiped out and allow Native Fauna to get the hell out of the way....sheesh !!! Oh and that's right I forgot...It enables residents to survive......*sigh*
oh dear....I feel it coming on.... :vent: :vent: :vent: :drama:
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24hours after the fires in Marysville killed 39 people - the greenies had a PVC sign up saying "save our trees" FFS - what about the people?
DId you know that in the Marysville fires a prominent member of on the green activist movements also died?
Where that sign was placed - over looked the residences of where up to 12 people ALONE had perished
A horse directly across the road from the this sign died because the so-called greenies are more intrested in #$%^&*() advertising their cause rather than doing anything about it
BBL Dinner
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It's senseless. Without responsible management and a sensible approach to environment, humans and animals and vegetation AND TREES are at risk. At HIGH risk.
But it seems that some cannot see the "should" for the trees.
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never a truer saying
"SAVE THE TREES, BULLDOZE IN A GREENIE"
And this still stands today even after this mess
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I've always said " if it moves shoot it, if it's standing still chop it down" and that goes for the Greenies.
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How true
I've always said " if it moves shoot it, if it's standing still chop it down" and that goes for the Greenies.
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What many greenies (and aussies in general) fail to realize is that Australia's flora developed the way it did because of the husbandry of the native population. For thousands of years, they would set fires to remove undergrowth, with 2 aims - to bring on fresh new growth to attract game, and to give their weapons (spears and boomerangs) better clearance to then kill said game.
The early Aussie paintings showing park like grasslands were like that, because they had been "farmed" like that!
Anyone who has seen what a crown fire can do, would never agree to the greenies approach of no burn.
A "cool" burn adds nutrients to the soil, removes dead underbrush, clears weeds and gives the flora a kick start. The native animals all knew how to ascape this- with minimal loss of life (survival of the fittest - and smartest- in action , therefore improving the animal population as well) And so our land develpoed it's unique flora and fauna....
A true environmentalist would never support a no burn policy.
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The don't-burn-trees policy is held by Dunsinanes - dunce inanes...
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and the burning off, reduced noxious weeds or allowed them to be culled after the fire.
Until about 10yrs ago - a town that was decimated in the recent fires (we all know which one) used to have fire breaks cut around it. Us kids used to use them as race tracks for the horses.
That in combination with the burn-offs (A yearly event) I beleive would have helped protect the town and perhaps given the emergency services time to slow the fire down or perhaps even stop it
I am not saying it was fully stoppable - but perhaps it may have assisted and perhaps so much wouldn't have been lost :(
Australia is meant to burn - a cool burn - and the plants have adapted accordingly - I knew this and have known this fact for years - one of those useless pieces of information you pick up
Fire releases the stores of seeds held in the persistent woody capsules
and creates a suitable environment for the seedlings to establish. The response of
individual banksias to fires varies, depending on their location and their genetic stock.
http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/Attachments/LJEM-7CV6CA/$FILE/Banksia%20marginata%20Notesheet.pdf
Some fire is part of the Australian way of life, it is part of growth cycle of some plants and it aids the population both past and present
The difference this time round was that the wind and the hat - combined with the massive amounts of undergrowth caused a killer :(
The weather at this point in time appears to be getting worse - when the drought cycle will be broken is anyones guess - we used to go into these droughts every 20-25 years - now it appears to happen every 5years or earlier
Since 1995 - we have only had 'average' rainfall twice :(
Which is why the water reservoirs are so low.
The weather will always fascinate us - we will always be at its' beck and call - we find it a safe topic to discuss - yet at the same time we curse it!
You can't win either way ;D
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Sorry to go back a few days but we've only just had power restored from the winds on Wednesday night and to say I'm p'd off would be an understatement.
My general temperament is mild mannered but I don't suffer fools gladly so my whinges in order are:
1. Put the correct goodamn number for emergencies, difficulties and faults on the bill
2. When ringing the incorrect number provided, train your staff not to simply hang up after informing you they don't look after your area
3. If you don't have power, how the bloody hell are you supposed to go to a damn website to check the outages?
4. When you do eventually get through to the right number and get a "worst case scenario" fix time, UPDATE it when you know it's going to be at lease 24 hours AFTER that.
Ok I've had my whinge but just to clarify, I am in no way having a go at any SES or other emergency services. They are doing an admirable job. To the rest though, (bureaucrats and the like) I cannot type what I would say in person (and have said via snail mail and email).
I won't even get started on the socalled commission.
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Hi GS , I find it an absolute disgrace that in this day and age that it takes 2 days to restore power caused by wind damage , its not like they would have had difficulty accessing the affected areas as they might for power failure caused by flash floods or fires , the problem with companies such as our power suppliers is in this country is that they have a manopoly as so just dont care , their maintenance programs are virtually non existant until a problem occurs and then getting themselves organised to effect the required repairs appears to be beyond their capabilities. Its a bit like last year in the north west of WA a gas supply pipeline blew up and it took them months to get a part shipped in to fix it for that entire period the entire state was on gas restrictions and businesses lost millions of $$$$ in down time and people lost their jobs , now we have a similar problem with an oil rig spewing gallons of oil into the ocean causing polution and killing fish and birds and the like let alone wasting a valuable fuel like oil and they reckon its going to take 7 weeks to ship some clay in to bung up the hole !!! 7 weeks unbelievable it doesnt take that long to get to the moon by a long shot. the problem with these things is too many people stand around scrathing their
bal you know whats instead of someone making a decision and taking action. Similary I find it discraceful that some people whom lost their homes in the Victorian bushfires are still forced to live in makeshift tin humpys etc 6 months after the fires when so much of the donated money is still unallocated.
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Yep, I agree with everything you've said Smee. I think the main problem I have is the absolute, utter BS we 'plebs' have to put up with. Common sense isn't rocket science and I really am getting totally sick of the lies, coverups and spin we're subjected to day after day after day.
Honesty goes a long way in my book and the older I get, the less tolerance I have for red tape and runarounds.
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GoldenSilence - power outages are the norm unfortunately - a tip from the experienced - keep the emergency numbers on the back of your phone using a sticker - done it for years - never have to look anywhere else then ;)
Also - 2 days without power and you should be able to claims something back, (a little lnown fact) same as telephones!
Maintenance for all utilities is nonexistent, since privatisation - doesn;t matter, water, phone, electricity, gas etc - no maintenance has been done - because it costs money
Smee- those humpys you refer to :( - I hate to tell you - but everyone who chooses to stay on their block WAS offered emergency accommodation - so don;t get me started on that please.
They are talking storms again in Melbourne this afternoon - if there is lightening - it should be okay - there has been a little rain - fingers crossed all the same
In all this wind we have had - we haven;t lost power, which I find amazing - It used to be normal for us to lose power for up to 4 days at a time :(
Phones could be out for weeks
Living in the bush, it is something you get used to
Have genny will travel ;) (generator)
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Hi Ewok , my apologies if I have been ill informed regarding some bushfire victims . I am more than happy to be wrong about that and you would be much better informed about the situation than I , and I am fully aware that numerous people such as yourself have worked tirelessely to help others who suffered during this disaster , for that I truely admire you and thank you and the others for doing a wonderful job.
Its just that I heard a story not so long ago about a chap who had lost his wife , 2 children and his property and possessions and understood he was still living in a caravan and hadnt been offered a thing , I hope this story was incorrect or at the very least an isolated case.
Its the dragging out getting the ball rolling to rectify things caused by red tape that annoys me as per this link http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25430887-421,00.html
now I realise that was written in early May and great progress would have occurred since then but in my opinion its still not good enough.
Having said that I do realise that no one has a magic wand that can be waved and the problems solved overnight .
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To be honest all I was really after was a recording with some updates. I didn't want to clog up emergency lines because I didn't feel it was an emergency but to be provided with the wrong number and then hung up on was below sub-standard. At least I was able to check the website from work.
No real harm done other than we froze our backsides off for a while.
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Hi Ewok , my apologies if I have been ill informed regarding some bushfire victims . I am more than happy to be wrong about that and you would be much better informed about the situation than I , and I am fully aware that numerous people such as yourself have worked tirelessely to help others who suffered during this disaster , for that I truely admire you and thank you and the others for doing a wonderful job.
Its just that I heard a story not so long ago about a chap who had lost his wife , 2 children and his property and possessions and understood he was still living in a caravan and hadnt been offered a thing , I hope this story was incorrect or at the very least an isolated case.
Its the dragging out getting the ball rolling to rectify things caused by red tape that annoys me as per this link http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25430887-421,00.html
now I realise that was written in early May and great progress would have occurred since then but in my opinion its still not good enough
Link won't work - but I think I know personally who you are referring to - there are more things involved that you are aware, far far more
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Golden Silence, that's atrocious. It sounds like a catalogue of wisecracking ha-ha-has until it actually happens - and unfortunately when it DOES happen, there's little you can do to achieve a suitable resolution. Bureaucratic red tape is red because it's soaked in the blood of screaming victims who can't believe how nonchalant and uncaring a business, service or corporation can be.
Smee, you said it... Seven weeks for a bit of clay? Seven weeks? Someone in the chain of getting things done just does not care... or rather, almost everyone in the chain simply does not care.
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Strong wind again in Sydney area during the day and night, Saturday.
(http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae234/acaciame/scared.gif)
(http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae234/acaciame/Wind_2-1.jpg)
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Evening Centuries. You are a bit of a night cat aren't you? ;D
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The winds have picked up in Sydney - but you know sacres me the most?
This sort of attitude - Fires trigger South Coast burn-off plan - http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/fires-trigger-south-coast-burnoff-plan/1608992.aspx?src=rss
Why wasn;t the burn-off done BEFORE the weather and fuel load got this bad?
THis is the attitude that Australia has to change to survive :(
Remember the scout rule - "Be Prepared" - We are not prepared and with attitudes like this - will NEVER be prepared :(
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Morning all...(sniped by Wokkie)..well, it's more than official.....the BushFire Season has begun....we now have another 'out of control' fire burning in S/NSW and officially threatening houses. It's not the fire that was near us the other day, it's an entirely new one to our South, with Southerly winds fueling it..... Thank God it's not summer is all I can say.
It made it to the news this morning, so it's clearly a problem....the winds swung from N/West to Southerly yesterday, and all hell has broken loose.......it's also got SO MUCH GROUND FUEL all the way up the coast, this fire season is starting to shape up as another 2001 Crown Fire disaster.....everything is so DRY... and there's SO MUCH of it !!!......why can't they get it through their thick bloody heads? In my point of view this no burn and stay/go policy is negligent, negligent, negligent.
The whole Stay Go policy is a smoke screen (pardon the pun)...it's designed to enable RFS/CFA to avoid liability....if they tell you to stay and you get killed, they can be sued...if they tell you to leave and you get killed, they can be sued....see how that DOESN'T work when it comes to saving lives? So....Fuel reduction is the only way that bureaucracy can escape responsibility or liability ....while at least giving us a fighting chance to survive a wildfire?
The saving grace with this fire, is that it isn't 40 degrees in the shade.....but it signals a dangerous bushfire season....yes really.
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Wokkie....after the 2001 fires, they were going to do this, that the other....*yawn* still waiting....not one of the village bushfire plans have been completed in the entire region, and ours hasn't even been started, and that's 8 years after it began?.....the problem is that RFS can't get around the red tape....our local guys would love to put a torch to bushland that snakes in and around our village....locals lovingly call it 'The Wick' because it goes straight to the national park and even more isolated villages?......unbelievable. They can't get around the red tape to burn back areas they absolutely know are going to be dangerous...I speak to our local Fire chief regularly....they'd love to torch the fuel around the village...they are being prevented higher up....
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There are 2 or 3 seperate issues in regards to bushfires
1. THe CFA/RFS are reluctant to recommend go or stay because they will be liable (not because they are right/wrong) but because people refuse to take personal responsibility for their actions
2. The ground cover/fuel load needs to be removed, be it by burning or other methods - this will not happen because the government doesn't want to get on the wrong side of the greenies
3. The general public don't beleive they are at risk - "because it can't happen to them"
So we have legal issues. politics, and personal responsibility.
The biggest problem here is personal responsilibty
20 years ago - if there was a fire - the menfolk and able-bodied women would have stayed and fought and suffered the consequences, now everyone expects the government/CFA/RSA to ride in on the white stallion and save them
Doesn't work that way
I want those that are interested and have the time - It is quite lengthy to read the following article and tell me what you think - look at the range of attitudes and tell me which are right and which are wrong and which are just plain stupid.
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/08/18/bushfire-royal-commission-interim-report/
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but because people refuse to take personal responsibility for their actions
Wokkie, I know what you are saying, and I do have to update myself on the current debates etc..... but....I think there are other factors involved. Everyday people are not given the training or knowledge to make an informed decision about whether to stay or go..I know this for a fact, having lobbied RFS HQ to train residents to fight the fire if RFS can't get back into our village......they WON'T train us.... they won't guarantee they'll be here in a bushfire, and they won't inform us on what we can expect in terms of risk. So where does that leave us in terms of making 'responsible' decisions ?
The local firies are community members and local hero's, and they would love to torch the surrounding bushland and train residents but they are not allowed to........I'm critical of the Policy makers and RFS bureaucrats in Sydney not the ground crews.
I agree that decades ago, the community itself (in my village for instance) used to fight the fires without the aid of any bureaucracy getting in the way of common sense....One old bloke in our village tells tales of fighting the fires with backpack water sprays and heavy equipment in the 40's & 50's, whatever they had available, and if it wasn't threatening houses, they let it burn and called it fuel reduction.
These days, it is not in the hands of the community or the fire fighters to make those decisions.
For instance, many of the founding members of our community were also the founders of the RFS, and Village Progress committee....these days, the same personal involvement over several generations, is non existent...we don't seem to have a say anymore.
Residents need to be trained and informed so they can make logical decisions and take responsibility for same...JMO.
I know it's a very emotive subject, for many of us.....I'll take a read about the issues today so I'm up to date with what's being said.
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You've missed the point completely
It is okay to stay and fight, it is okay to leave, it os okay to protect the community as a whole
What is NOT okay - is that everyone expects the RFA/CFA to be gods and tell you what to do - they are human - that means that make mistakes - but because of those mistakes they are now being punished
It comes down to PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Stay, go, hide, I don;t care - Just don;t blame the CFA/RSA - they did everything they could - they might make judgement calls and be punished for that - is that right?
Meeting are held nation-wide supported by the relevant fire authority - did you know that most meetings are only 10-20% attended?
Then people still scream blue murder when things go wrong
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Don't wait for others to come screaming in on the white horse - figure it out yourself and do what needs to be done - you don;t need to be told what to do - and if you do - then you shouldn't be there
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Need I say more?
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I think you may have missed my point wokkie.....I don't blame the RFS or CFA on the coal face....they are sent into highly dangerous situations, many times without adequate communication, resources, equipment or information dissemination.....At the very least it's an OH&S nightmare for those being sent into wildfires without adequate resources.
I don't support the witch hunt of CFA...as I said, my comments are aimed at the Policy Makers and HQ bureacrats & Greenies, even local councils.
As you know.....There are numerous other factors involved in this debate, outside of the individuals' control.....things like planning laws restricting the removal of vegetation etc., as One Example....
Mr Incoll (Victorian fire chief from 1990 to 1996) said that in 2003, green groups were pushing for changes to planning laws that included restrictions on the removal of vegetation, "and worse still, the requirement for planting vegetation around and almost over houses, as part of any planning permit to build a house in the shire of Nillumbik, so it gave the appearance from the outside of being a forest".
David Packham, a former CSIRO bushfire scientist and academic who also produced a report on the issue, argued against the regulations, which actively encouraged the builders of new homes to plant trees around the houses for aesthetic reasons. Mr Packham, now an honorary senior research fellow at Monash University's school of geography and environmental science, wrote in his report, after inspecting the Kinglake to Heidelberg Road: "The mix of fuel, unsafe roadsides and embedded houses, some with zero protection and no hope of survival, will all ensure that when a large fire impinges upon the area a major disaster will result."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25038717-5018722,00.html
Then there's fuel reduction....
ONE of the nation's top bushfire experts says the Royal Commission investigating the Victorian blazes needs to examine the declining practice of fuel reduction in heavily forested areas.
While temperatures rising several degrees might increase the fire danger by one or 2 per cent, doubling the fuel load doubled the threat, the head of CSIRO's bushfires research unit Phil Cheney said.
"If fuel reduction was carried out around homes and in adjacent forests there was an excellent chance of people staying and protecting themselves and their homes."
Organisations such as Parks Victoria did not carry out fuel reduction burning on a broad-area scale, he said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25033770-12377,00.html
The glaringly obvious point is that our Scholars and Experts are being ignored when it comes to Planning laws, fuel management, community education etc....and that has to stop....people like Phil Cheney & David Packham (amongst others) have been arguing this from a scientific perspective for over a decade now...and they're being ignored....
The above is just a small example of factors outside of the individuals' control...including RFS or CFA officials....
Our Pollies need to start listening to the experts, lowering the fuel, educating those in bushfire prone regions and resourcing our fire brigades...don't you think?
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Residents need to be trained and informed so they can make logical decisions and take responsibility for same...JMO.
and if they don't turn up to the meeting?
So....Fuel reduction is the only way that bureaucracy can escape responsibility or liability ....while at least giving us a fighting chance to survive a wildfire?
I don;t dispute this in the slightest - but the fire agencies have no control over when to burn etc - it;s the government - and the government want the vote of the greenies - so they won;t give permission until it is too late
Mr Incoll (Victorian fire chief from 1990 to 1996) said that in 2003, green groups were pushing for changes to planning laws that included restrictions on the removal of vegetation, "and worse still, the requirement for planting vegetation around and almost over houses, as part of any planning permit to build a house in the shire of Nillumbik, so it gave the appearance from the outside of being a forest".
- Greenies and politics are more important than lives
BUT...... there is also personal choice - I once refused to purchase a property when I realised that the block was highlky treed, the house a log cabin, end of a dead-end street, and I made the personal choice and took personal resonsibility not to buy that property
Organisations such as Parks Victoria did not carry out fuel reduction burning on a broad-area scale, he said.
They are governed by politics - as I heard someone say the other DSE (Dept of Sustainibility and Energy) = Dept of Scorched Earth
It is personal responsibility - which ever way you look at it
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Mild weather conditions overnight have helped firefighters battling blazes on the NSW south coast set up containment lines, but predicted strong winds could force blazes to flare up on Monday.
A Rural Fire Service (RFS) spokesman said no properties were under threat from the fires near Burrill Lake, in the Shoalhaven, and further south at Eurobodalla.
He said backburning had been undertaken at both sites to set up containment lines and about 150 firefighters and six aircraft would remain at the Shoalhaven fire on Monday.
"The conditions overnight have been a lot milder, the winds have dropped and the humidity has risen," the spokesman told AAP.
"So that means that we have been able to do some backburning overnight and consolidate our containment lines around these fires."
But the RFS was advising people in the Lake Tabourie area to remain alert.
Gusts up to 60km/h from the north west are forecasted to lash the Illawarra and south coasts into Monday morning, a forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology says.
RFS Assistant Commissioner Rob Rogers said some rural properties around Lake Tabourie and west of Lake Burrill could be under threat if winds picked up.
"There is the potential for rural properties to be affected but there's no threats right now and we have numerous firefighters in the area," Mr Rogers told Fairfax Radio Network.
Mr Rogers said the cause of the fires would be investigated but it appeared some of the blazes had been started by private land owners carrying out burnoffs, which got out of control.
The Princes Hwy, which was closed south of Burrill Lake, had reopened but the spokesman warned it could be closed at short notice because of smoke in the area.
Containment lines had also been established around a fire that threatened properties on the NSW north coast, near Fingal Bay.
Two aircraft will work to battle the blaze, while firefighter numbers have been scaled back from 75 to 20, the spokesman said.
Source - NineMSN (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/856095/winds-may-fan-fires-threatening-homes)
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I wouldn't be too worried Countess.....the weather today isn't as Windy as forecast, in fact it's more n/westerly today from where I'm sitting...so the fire should burn back on itself.....if however, this was happening in mid summer, I'd be very worried....it moves quickly and there's so much fuel between there and here, it's a shoe in that it would get out of control. People don't realise that there are huge amounts of parkland and Forest between settlements in many areas, and the fires tend to pick up strength and speed in the inaccessible areas, and then all hell breaks loose.
There's a triangle of fire factors which include Fuel, Air and Heat....CSIRO do most of the research in this area.....they state that when you can take away any one of these factors, a fire will not burn.....Guess which one is the only one we can in fact manage?.....guess which one is being ignored ?. Nevertheless, in this fire, there is an absence of 'heat' or high temperature, so the fuel won't be quite so deadly as it would have been in Summer.
In fact, it's probably a good thing that Burrill Lake is going up this early in the season...they won't have to worry about it when it hits peak summer period, but we still will.
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*nod* In the here and now, it's not the horrific weather we can expect later, once summer bites into the air and dust. Cupie, the whole thing makes one want to scream with frustration. There is a horror coming, and most of us can foresee it... but still a craziness is in place with POLICIES that hamstring all the people who could do something practically - right now - to try and prevent what will be coming. (Or at least to minimise it.)
Ewok - mon dieu, 10-20% of people is the average to turn up? That's appalling. Truly appalling. I hear what you're saying about personal responsibility, and it's true: we can't expect white knights to charge up, to save us from our own bad decisions.
When disaster happens on the scale that it did with last year's awful bushfires, it hurts all of us - and I saw the Australian community giving generously. Sometimes I saw rather peculiar behaviour on the part of some of the people who lost their homes. I don't want to sound unfair - I feel the deepest sympathy for what those people went through - but when I heard that some had not insured their homes at all, and that some had ignored the warnings, thinking "I'll be all right"... it gave me an enormous sense of bewilderment.
Doesn't it make sense for us - all of us, we who are thinking human beings with families, loved ones, responsibilities - to do what we can to help minimise potential damage? And by that, I mean potential damage to ourselves, to others, to our property, to others' property, to the environment in general - probably in that order?
I agree - the CFA do a superb job. They risk their lives; they work in unbelievably difficult conditions; they expend themselves in the heat and grim and smoke and long, long hours. It is inexplicable that their amazing work is not appreciated sometimes by the very people who should most value it. Of course, MOST AUSTRALIANS know exactly what sort of everyday heroes these people are - and we take our hats off to them. It's just the occasional strange individual who seems to want MORE than is humanly possible, and to blame the CFA for not being able to stop bushfires with one command and an outstretched hand.
Thank goodness that's an unusual attitude - that most of us know how very much we owe to the CFA and to the emergency services.
Perhaps we should have a thread focusing on what things we CAN do to minimise the dangers and the devastation and the cost of loss.
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*nod* In the here and now, it's not the horrific weather we can expect later, once summer bites into the air and dust. Cupie, the whole thing makes one want to scream with frustration. There is a horror coming, and most of us can foresee it... but still a craziness is in place with POLICIES that hamstring all the people who could do something practically - right now - to try and prevent what will be coming. (Or at least to minimise it.)
The thing is though, that Bushfire isn't new for us or Da-Ewok's neck of the woods either..it is however, getting more severe each year because fuel management is almost non existent.......officialdom KNOW what is going to happen, because it's happened before.
After the 2001/02/03 fires down here, officialdom promised to implement fuel management strategies, and from that point on, the communities and firies had to push brown stuff up hill just to get approval...It took me five years to have one piece of bushland next to houses mitigated....5 years !!! It's now over 8 years and two dangerous areas of bushland in our village are STILL being debated?. They know it's heavily fuel laden...they know it's a risk to residents....but the environmental policies appear to outweigh proactive risk management. And the firies can't argue it.....but they're expected to fight it?...
Our Regional Fire Chief, assured me that if a fire were approaching, he'd personally light up the bushland in the village to reduce the risk to residents and the National Parks surrounding the village. If they go up, all hell WILL break loose....
Thankfully, when the fires are raging, RFS can override any environmental law and burnback whatever they consider strategically necessary....... so that's when they take advantage and put in all necessary fire breaks...they don't need permission when fires are active..thank God for that eh?
Where the fires are presently burning, you can bet you boots that RFS will be putting in all the Summer fire breaks around Burrill Lake and surrounding settlements, that no doubt, they couldn't get approved via the official process with any ease.
The problem is that RFS (and no doubt CFA) are otherwise given a very narrow window during say a few weeks only in Autumn and Winter to burn back dangerous bushland, and if they miss that window, too bad....they can't burn it back till the following year, placing everyone at risk for the summer.
Unfortunately, Winter/Autumn is when it rains the most here, so you put it together...lol...seems to me RFS are actively thwarted till the shite hits the fan and then and only then, Officialdom allows them to decide what they need to burn back...ridiculous isn't it?
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Wild weather has left about 25,000 Victorians without power.
Strong winds brought trees down on powerlines in the Dandenong Ranges on Friday night.
SP Ausnet spokesperson Natasha Whalley said some homes in areas including Belgrave, Lilydale, Ferntree Gully, Woori Yallock, Boronia, Belgrave and Healesville could be without power until Saturday morning.
"There were 25,000 in our network but crews have been able to work through them," she said.
"Hopefully the majority will be back on by the morning."
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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".
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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 :(
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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.
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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 :(
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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.
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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 !!!..
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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
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Cupie is that Dromedary as in MT Dromedary on the south coast NSW just near Bermagui and Narooma?
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Yep...that's the one.
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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...
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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
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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.
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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.
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The DUST SHROUD in Sydney - story here (http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/866509/sydney-and-parts-of-nsw-shrouded-in-dust).
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Well it's settled....we are a nation of diversity....adversity even !!!
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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.
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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!! :devil:
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global warming !
Oh and El Nino .... he hasn't been blamed for anything for a while
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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BLOODY BIG FIRE has a ring to it..lol
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You see - you've solved the name problem in one second flat, Roo.
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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
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what about Tassie gr8 ?
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tassie - severe incest warning
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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!
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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 @$$ !!!!! ;D
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At 11:30 AM, Tello got 'the goin' on', and everybody else can kiss my @$$ !!!!! Grin
tupical....
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12 volt is always available to people who live in their cars.
What are you driving?
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fully pimped maserati dinky toy, i am very small.... loike moth balls
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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."
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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.
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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.
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but that means we will run out of volunteer fire fighters here !!!
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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?
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(http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt336/smeeagain61/rain_umbrella.gif)
:chair: (http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt336/smeeagain61/g8393.gif)
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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
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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! ;D
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WE have people on the council like that Lacey..THEY NEVER LEARN..
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WHILE IM HERE....
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snipe 100 :yess: :yess: :yess: :snipewin: :snipewin: :snipewin:
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Oh well, at least it's cool with a light sprinkling of rain today. That will keep the fire at bay for a few days, till it dries out again. ;D
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I wonder what it is about council staff?
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Coinfuscious is near where cyclone Lawrence is - so I hope he is safe.
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have you got a cyclone coming? Hope it's not a bad one.
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Lacey, here's the cyclone
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/national_radar_sat.loop.shtml
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Residents alert as fire approaches homes
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/16/2773866.htm
A number of residents in Sydney's north-west are on alert for embers from a bushfire burning in a nature reserve.
One hundred firefighters are working to contain the blaze at Windsor Downs.
Anthony Clark from the Rural Fire Service (RFS) says crews have the help of an air crane.
"We've been trying to prevent that fire crossing to the south towards Richmond Road," he said.
"So far our crews are proving successful in that regard."
There have been no property losses but the RFS says residents next to the nature reserve in Sanctuary Drive, Nutwood Lane and Willeroo Drive should be alert to embers.
Meanwhile, a fire that swept through rural properties at Bringelly in Sydney's south-west is close to being contained.
One shed was destroyed and a firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation.
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Homes in flames as bushfires rage
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/17/2774855.htm
Properties, homes and cars have been burnt in a large fire at Gerogery, north of Albury, in southern New South Wales.
The blaze began at a tip in the nearby village of Walla about 1:00pm (AEDT) and has burnt through grazing land between Glenellen and Gerogery.
Marg Wehner from the Rural Fire Service (RFS) says residents in the area should seek safety.
"If they do not wish to be in the area, it's probably too late to be leaving now," she said.
"The fire is within the vicinity and the smoke is very high. They need to just batten down the hatches and hang in there."
RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has told ABC local radio that an emergency alert has been issued for Gerogery, West Gerogery and surrounding areas.
"That emergency alert will be going out to communities in that area because that fire is moving and burning very aggressively," he said.
He says there are about 50 trucks in and around the area.
"We've [got] 50 firefighting appliances in an around that fire, half a dozen aircraft supporting the firefighting effort and probably in the order of 200 plus firefighters by now working across fire ground in that area," Mr Fitzsimmons said.
The RFS says properties near Table Top North, Bowna, Wymah, Mullengandra and Mountain Creek are also affected.
Sydney blazes
Meanwhile, the RFS says bushfires are posing an immediate threat to properties at Londonderry in Sydney's north-west.
Mr Fitzsimmons says he has heard reports that one home may have already been lost.
"It's early days at this stage - that could be a shed - but the indications were it might actually be a home," he said.
The RFS says semi-rural properties are under immediate threat in Nutt Road, Taylor Road, Devlin Road and Smeeton Road.
A spokesman says the fires will threaten homes on nearby Londonderry Road soon.
He says the service has issued an emergency warning and has 200 firefighters on the scene.
Temperatures in Sydney's west have passed 40 degrees this afternoon.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the temperature at Richmond in the north-west was 40.7 degrees at 2.00pm AEDT.
Grassfire
Four aircraft and more than 45 fire trucks are tackling another large grassfire moving quickly towards properties near Tooma in southern NSW.
Mr Fitzsimmons says he is concerned about the wind change in the Tooma area and says there are reports of some injuries on the ground.
"We've had reports from our field officers down around the border regions and they've already seen winds up to and exceeding 120 kilometres per hour ahead of that frontal activity," he said.
"That's really causing us a problem right now. There are reports coming in that there may be homes and property alight as a result of that fast-moving fire."
RFS crews are also battling a 150-hectare grass and bushfire near Michelago, south of Canberra.
Authorities say a change in the weather this afternoon should help them bring it under control and no property is under immediate threat.
The bushfire danger for the Monaro area has been set at the highest catastrophic level.
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EMERGENCY WARNING
Large, Fast moving #bushfire in Cann River expected to impact between the hours of 4:30 - 6:30PM travelling NE towards Cann River.
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/incidents/warnings_advice.htm?inUrl=websites_detail_189457916.html
Cann River (Myrgatroyd Track)
Effective: 17/12/09 04:30:00 PM
Expires: 17/12/09 06:30:00 PM
Incident Information:
There is a Large, Fast Moving moving bushfire in Cann River (Myrgatroyd Track) area. This fire is expected to impact between the hours of 04:30 PM - 06:30 PM . It is travelling north east direction towards Cann River.
* This bushfire is approximately 2000 hectares in size and is Out of Control.
* This bushfire is currently creating spot-fires approximately up to 5 kms ahead.
* This fire is expected to affect the towns of Cann River and Tonghi Creek and surrounds.
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Blaze quadruples in size, heads for properties
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/17/2774981.htm
A large bushfire in Victoria's far east is out of control and moving towards the Cann River township.
The fire, burning south-west of Cann River, has quadrupled in size since this morning.
It now covers 1,600 hectares and is starting to creep onto private property near the town.
Authorities are reporting spot fires up to two kilometres ahead of the fire's front and residents still in the area are being warned to finalise their place of refuge.
Incident controller Ben Rankin says a wind change this afternoon has made battling the fast-moving blaze extremely difficult.
"The waterbombers are struggling to do effective work because of the heavy smoke that's been pushed in ahead of this fire," he said.
The Princes Highway and all other roads into the area are now closed.
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Not being sure who lives where, i thought I would put this link here to an important announcement released today by the weather bureau, concerning the weather to come.
http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDN38503.txt
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S.A. still trying to control major fires.......Kingston, Port Lincoln 12 -20 homes gutted, 11 sheds destroyed 5 Firies injured..some residents admitted to hospital for smoke inhalation......Better conditions today, so firies can put in back burns.....Good luck Guys !!!
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Melburnians have sweated through the city's equal hottest night on record.
The temperature dipped to a minimum of 30.6 degrees Celsius about 8.49am (AEDT) today after a sweltering maximum of 43.6 degrees.
The pre-9am temperature equaled the hottest-ever night, previously set over 100 years ago on February 1, 1902.
South Australians, meanwhile, have finally received some relief after five days of 35 degrees-plus heat.
Rain and cooler weather today helped the state's firefighters gain control of bushfires burning in areas of the Adelaide Hills as the city faced a mild maximum of just 26.
Much of NSW, meanwhile, remains on red alert, with catastrophic warnings in place across the state and temperatures set to soar into the 40s in many parts.
Gusty winds could help spread bushfires, with southwestern NSW under biggest threat, the Rural Fire Service (RFS) says.
Catastrophic warnings are in place for the eastern, northern and southern Riverina regions.
Severe warnings are in place in the southern ranges, lower central west plains and southern slopes NSW fire areas.
Total fire bans are in place across the state, with the same restrictions in place throughout Victoria expect for the south western region.
Victoria's western Wimmera region — the only area in the state to be declared a "code red" yesterday — has been downgraded to a yellow "very high" fire danger without major incident.
The North Country and North East regions have entered code red warnings, under which residents are urged to leave their homes.
RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said those under threat should make plans to leave early.
"Under these conditions, fires that start and take hold will typically be uncontrollable and potentially dangerous," he said.
"It's critical that people, especially across southwestern and southern NSW, are alert to the potential for fire activity and ensure they have a plan for what to do if a fire affects the area they're in."
Melburnians can expect it to get hotter before it cools down. Tuesday is expected to hit 40 degrees in the city before a cool change sweeps across Melbourne between 1pm and 2pm.
A weak change was moving across the western suburbs early on Tuesday but it was unlikely to have much impact, Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Terry Ryan said.
Meanwhile, more than 30,000 customers have suffered power cuts after the extreme weather caused distribution transformers to overheat in the state.
Jemena and United Energy customers in the southeastern suburbs and the Mornington Peninsula endured rolling outages from late afternoon on Monday.
At 7am on Tuesday, power had been restored to more than 25,000 customers and about 2200 were waiting to be reconnected.
A spokesman for the two power companies said the problem worsened overnight but only about 200 customers were affected at a time.
Temperatures are likely to decrease slightly on Wednesday, with Melbourne's maximum predicted to be just 23 with showers.
Sydney is set to reach 29 and 35 in the western suburbs, while Adelaide remaining at 26, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
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Firefighters are battling a large grass fire burning toward homes southwest of Brisbane.
The fire is burning around Pikedale Road, The Glen, near Warwick, after jumping the nearby New England Highway, authorities say.
Police have closed the highway between Warwick and Stanthorpe as the fire moves towards a handful of rural properties.
Fire crews are working to contain the fire and protect property.
Residents have been asked to listen to the advice of authorities at the scene and keep their doors and windows closed.
Motorists are also asked to avoid the area.
The fire began about 7pm (AEST) on Wednesday but flared up on Thursday afternoon.
It's not known how many hectares are burning.
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A lightning bolt hit the deck just in front of my joint this evening. Big bang. All the power went down for a few seconds & when it came on again I had lost my internet connections.
I rang Optus but the person I spoke to wasn't much help.
I fixed it myself by pulling out the power plug from the router & whacking it back in. Good guess work as I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to computers.
My next step would have been pouring some Pepsi Max on the hard drive, Pepsi Max fixes everything.
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I have just checked out a website regarding rainfall in Melbourne
here is what they reckon ....
long term February average 47.6mm ... 12th today already 49.6mm
Rainfall to date this year 72.2mm ...... same period last year 2.2mm ( big difference )
now here is the bit that shocks me .... I must have been on another planet ..... yesterday rainfall 0.00 mm, zilch , nothing , zero , F.A.Y.H. !!!!!
I would say that yesterday it was the hardest longest heaviest rain we have had this year ..... maybe they kept the rain gauges indoors so they didnt get wet ... and before anyone says they havent had a chance to input the data yet , they already have todays in for what we have had so far so thats bollocks !!!!!!
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Smee, they are using the Myki Rainfall Collection System.
It explains everything.
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it is just hot here
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Where's 'here' G?
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sounds like WA .??? would that be correct G-nome ?
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TSUNAMI Alert current - East Coast Australia - from 0800am, Sunday Morning. Resulting from Chilean earthquake. (8.8) Tsunami confirmed as generated.
B.O.M (www.bom.gov.au (http://www.bom.gov.au))
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it is hot hot and hot here, when will we get relief, i have forgoten what rain is or feels like it has been so long
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sorry yep WA, hoping for some relief soon
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It's cold here in Melbourne G. Fancy having to wear a cardigan in early March...
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it is still hot here in WA, waiting for a cool breeze, rain who knows that seems to be a long way off, trees and plants are suffering from the hot winds, nothing we can do about it
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Nasty Weather heading for Melbourne ???
About 4pm I reckon ...... a huge storm .....
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sorry I was out by about an hour .... just got hit with huge hail storm
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Looking at the weather radar .... Lysterfield now ... Packenham next...
But it's moving pretty quickly.
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Crikey!
Hailstones the size of tennis balls!
I would have gone out to take some pics......but if one of those suckers hit you on the head....I'd say you would have a slight headache for awhile....if you still had a head! :lol:
Flemington races have been called off for the day too. Too much ice on the track...and the horses are all spooked.
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yes Roo big blighters werent they !!! I got sconed by one as I went to put a protective cover on the car
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Some would say that it may have knocked some sense into your head......I wouldn't say that of course.... :angel:
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yes you may be right Roo .... someone I know who has a car yard not far down the road , has just returned after inspecting the damage ..... 45 cars exposed .... all damaged , some worse than others but early estimations suggest average damage per vehicle say $1500 ... so approx $67500 damage .....not good
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Some pics of the storm....gotta love the aussie flavour in the second last one...lol.....
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/photo-gallery/gallery-e6frf94x-1225837692013
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More pics....
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=11727129&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=366815328124&id=536940084&fbid=10150105147175085
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whats the bet that we will get an annoucement from the water authority over the next couple of days advising that none or very little of the run off made it into the dams
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That is a very real possibitity Smee.
Our Government should really look into building new catchment areas to fall in line with current rain fall areas.
It would create Employment......and we could have wonderful water areas closer to inner city areas..perfect for water theme parks!
Melbourne could have it's own WaterWorld!
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I agree Roo .... all states should look at having a Dam closer to the ocean as all water finds its own level ...ie : sea level , at the moment most dams are at the foot of mountains so yes they get the run off from the mountains but the mountains are our highest points above sea level , build a couple of dams lower and we will catch a lot more..... lets look at what they do at the moment , allow millions and millions of litres of fresh rain water work its way through the drainage system into the ocean , then pump it from the ocean through a desalination station to get it back to the fresh water it was prior to reaching the ocean , hell in parts of Qld they wanted to try and purify septic waste back to drinking water , this in a state that spends half its life flooded ???????? Catch the fresh water is the answer IN MY OPINION !!!!
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My best friend's outdoor patio roof has been destroyed by those frightening hailstones.
As the hail came down, it sounded like bullets.
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well u guys might be sick of the rain and I am sorry for the storm damage u have suffered, I cant remember rain at the moment, it hasnt rain here for so long, I cant remember when, tomorrow we have 37/38 C next day 39C
If we dont get rain soon we will have a very cold winter too
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sorry just fed up with the heat, we should be coolimg down by now, wishful thinking
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Batten down the hatches Mackay
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR222.loop.shtml
follow CycloneUpdate on Twitter
http://twitter.com/cycloneupdate
On this day 4 years ago Severe Tropical Cyclone Larry devistated Innisfail. Feels like Deja Vu all over again.
#TCUlui 33 minutes ago via web
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A major storm has swept across Perth causing widespread flooding, property damage and power cuts as it dumped big hailstones and substantial rain on the parched city.
The city's residents have been warned to brace for further storms coming through from the north.
A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said it was one of the biggest storms in Perth for many years with wind gusts of more than 120km/h and 35mm of rain falling within about eight hours since 9am.
Western Power reported the storm had cut power to around 150,000 customers by about 6pm (WST) on Monday as the city darkened and lightning flashed constantly.
Emergency services responded to many hundreds of calls for assistance with power lines and trees down, roofs broken and windows smashed.
About 20 people were evacuated from the emergency room at Joondalup Hospital after part of the ceiling collapsed.
Police said a landslip at the edge of King's Park near the city centre had crushed two parked cars and filled one apartment with mud but there were no reports of people hurt.
At least three high schools reported they would be closed on Tuesday because of storm damage to classrooms.
A large number of cars in the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital carpark were reported damaged as reports came in of hailstones as big as golf balls.
All outpatient and elective surgery appointments at the hospital had been cancelled for Tuesday due to water damage, the hospital said in a statement.
Some office buildings in the CBD were evacuated for safety reasons at the height of the storm.
Driving rain by 5pm flooded streets and 150 sets of blacked-out traffic lights made driving hazardous for commuters heading home, with widespread congestion reported.
Motorists were warned to slow down and turn their headlights on, while boaties, swimmers and surfers were urged to get out of the water.
Train and bus services were severely disrupted by the storm, the Public Transport Authority of WA said.
Motorists on the main business strip of St George's Terrace created bow waves as they drove through the inundated road while pedestrians had to take off their shoes to wade across some streets.
Police reported serious flooding on Hay Street in central Perth with part of the road subsiding, forcing closure of a bus lane.
A Western Power spokeswoman said it was expected a significant number of customers would be without power overnight and that could extend to Tuesday night as ongoing bad weather hampered repair efforts.
At the height of the storm, office workers crowded to windows to watch sheets of rain sweep past as lightning flashed over the obscured Swan River.
Perth has had a dry summer with minimal or no rain for months.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of further storm fronts hitting Perth from the north through the evening and overnight.
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Thankfully it came from up north - we escaped with hardly any rain or wind.
What a way to break the 111 day drought
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Western Victoria has been put on bushfire alert this weekend, with hot, dry weather expected.
Temperatures in parts of the state are tipped to hit the low to mid 30s on Sunday.
The fire danger rating is expected to reach the third highest level - severe - on Sunday in the Wimmera region, in the state's west.
The north-west, central north, central and Melbourne areas of Victoria are forecast to be on the very high danger rating level.
State Control Centre spokeswoman Caroline Douglass said the west needs to be prepared.
"People need to understand that even towards the end of the bushfire season the risk of a significant fire is still very real," she said.
"Over this weekend, it is important that those people in these areas monitor the weather and fire conditions closely."
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting strong, hot and dry northerly winds in the west, ahead of a change early Monday morning.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment will focus on strengthening control lines around recent planned burns in western Victoria.
"Crews will be blacking out hotspots and patrolling burns over the weekend," Ms Douglass said.
"Communities and people visiting rural and regional Victoria should be aware that some smoke may be visible from these burns."
Information about planned burning is available at www.dse.vic.gov.au or by calling the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667.
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I think we are about to get hit by a big storm again
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Chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, clearing this evening. Winds northwesterly averaging 30 to 45 km/h tending west to northwesterly up to 30km/h by early evening. Strong wind warning for Port Phillip.
Wind gust: WSW 80 km/h at 3:13 p.m.
I feel miserable with this stupid 'flu... The weather doesn't need to make it any worse.
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Chance of thunderstorms this afternoon
that much has arrived already !!!!! if that is the prediction of the Bureau of Meteorology then you can treble that ....... a school child could predict better than they can
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Be fair, Smee. They might have closed the windows to avoid having rain coming in.
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have they got windows now ? if so you would think they would get closer to being accurate than saying chance of an afternoon shower when is already pssssssssssssssssing down !
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A storm which ravaged southern NSW on Sunday with gale-force winds and torrential rain is moving towards Sydney and the Illawarra coast, forecasters say.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued a severe weather warning for the areas, with 100km/h winds and wild surf conditions expected to hit on Monday morning.
Rain is also expected for the Illawarra and south coast, but flash flooding is no longer considered likely, the BoM says.
The storm, caused by a low pressure system off the NSW south coast, is weakening as it moves north but the bureau is still warning of possible damage.
On Sunday, the extreme weather wreaked havoc on a series of coastal towns including Narooma, Bega, Bodalla and Eden, where about 9000 homes were left without power.
A number of roads were closed and dozens of properties were damaged by fallen trees, while the wind also tore up roofs and smashed windows.
Country Energy says about 3000 homes in Bermagui, Tilba and Eden remain cut off after the extreme weather played havoc with the network.
About 6000 customers were reconnected overnight and crews are working to remove trees and restore lines across the region.
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http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/7956610/rain-eases-but-flood-threat-remains
Dozens of communities across Victoria remain under threat from floodwaters as weary State Emergency Service crews battle to get on top of hundreds of calls to repair storm-damaged houses after a wild weekend of weather.
The worst effects of the heaviest floods in Victoria in more than 15 years are yet to be felt, with hundreds more homes expected to be inundated.
The rain eased on Sunday after falls of up to 200mm but the state of emergency remains, with floodwaters yet to peak.
The cost of the floods will be in the millions of dollars and massive areas have been, and will be, affected, with floodwaters peaking near Benalla and Wangaratta in the northeast but yet to peak in the Goulburn River in the north, the Wimmera River in the west and the Mitchell and Macalister rivers in Gippsland.
More than 250 homes had been evacuated in the northeast by Sunday night, including in Euroa, Benalla, Myrtleford, Bright and Jamieson.
SES volunteers were doorknocking parts of Bairnsdale, about 280km east of Melbourne, late on Sunday, where flooding threatened to inundate about 50 homes.
Severe winds lashed Victoria's west coast and Melbourne's bayside suburbs on Saturday night causing trees to fall and damaging buildings.
By 10.30pm (AEST) on Sunday, the SES had more than 600 emergency calls outstanding across metropolitan Melbourne, state controller Stephen Warren said.
"The volunteers got hammered (on Sunday) because of the thousands of jobs they had," he said.
"Obviously we're asking people to be patient because we're dealing with thousands of calls through the floods, and the wind storm hitting Melbourne put a bit of pressure on us overnight.
"We've got some still outstanding. We've assessed the priority jobs but some of them until Monday because the volunteers have been flat out for a couple of days and there is only so much they can do."
Towns near the Mitchell and Macalister rivers in the east, especially those below the dam at Lake Glenmaggie, remain threatened by floods and could be left isolated by road closures.
Authorities are warning residents north of Wangaratta to boil for at least three minutes any water they use as their supply could come from the Ovens River, where floods have caused the sewerage system to leak into the river north of Wangaratta.
More rain is forecast later in the week, although not as heavy, with up to 30mm expected. But it could cause extra flooding because of the weekend's events making the ground wet.
"Some of the rivers have peaked. Some are still coming up," Mr Warren said.
"The rain has eased off a little bit. Hopefully the levels will steady a little bit more now and we can get an idea of what the effects will be downstream in the next couple of days.
"But this operation will be going for a while before we see all this water out of the state."
Minor to moderate flood warnings remain in place for a host of streams including the Mitchell, Macalister, Yarra, Maribyrnong, Werribee, Barwon, Glenelg, Mitta Mitta, Ovens, King, Broke,. Goulburn, Loddon, Campaspe, Avoca, Wimmera and Murray Rivers.
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The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Sydney and coastal NSW.
Heavy rainfall, large hailstones, flash flooding and damaging winds are likely to reach the Sydney central business district by 4.30pm (AEDT) on Monday before travelling out to sea, it said.
A second set of storm cells are developing in the southwest of Sydney and are expected to strike the city and surrounding areas later on Monday.
The State Emergency Service (SES) said it had already responded to two calls for assistance by 3.30pm.
"We are asking people to park their cars undercover and bring children and pets indoors ahead of the storms," SES spokesman Phil Campbell said.
Thunderstorms are also predicted to hit NSW on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the bureau warns Monday's are likely to be the most dangerous.
"Today we have ideal conditions for severe thunder storms," bureau forecaster Dmitriy Danchuk said.
The SES is advising householders to tie down any loose items outdoors ahead of the predicted damaging winds.
It's also advising people to turn off phones, computers and other appliances during the storm.
Other areas expected to be affected include Sydney Airport, Sutherland, Campbelltown and Kiama.
"If people find there are downed powerlines or damage to their property, stay well away from that and call emergency services," Mr Campbell said.
For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES (NSW and ACT) on 132 500.
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Looking towards Sydney.... 3.00pm 081110
(http://i983.photobucket.com/albums/ae320/r3830/SDC10567.jpg)......(http://i983.photobucket.com/albums/ae320/r3830/SDC10566.jpg)
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Yeah. We just copped it here in South West Sydney. So heavy it flooded down the back of the yard a bit.
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I had a few interesting moments ... but the weather radar showed most of it was south of here - with only a few pockets passing overhead and one brief dump of hail.
Liverpool, Camden, Bankstown and out to the coast copped some heavy rain, some of it being significant patches of black - which is the heaviest rainfall that the weather radar is calibrated to show - as well as large areas of red and orange .. which represent some pretty heavy rain.
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Cyclone Anthony appears to be degrading slightly as it makes landfall
Updated animated IR satellite loop:
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/sohemi/sohemiloops/shirgmscol.html
http://twitter.com/cycloneupdate
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(http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201102/r711339_5563582.gif)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/02/3127394.htm
Queenslanders have been told to prepare themselves for a terrifying 24 hours as the "most catastrophic storm ever" takes aim at heavily populated areas of the state's north.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi was upgraded to category five this morning as the weather bureau warned it was likely to be "more life-threatening" than any storm seen in Australia in living memory.
Tens of thousands of people are fleeing their homes ahead of the monster storm, which is expected to hit the coast between Cairns and Innisfail with winds of up to 295 kilometres per hour near the core.
Premier Anna Bligh says the storm's expected landfall at about 10:00pm AEST is the worst possible news for a state which is already reeling from recent flooding.
She says Cyclone Yasi is the "most catastrophic storm to ever hit our coast".
"Frankly, I don't think Australia has ever seen a storm of this intensity in an area as populated as this stretch of our coast," she said.
"Whether it's cyclonic devastating winds, storm surge, or torrential rain further west as a result of this, we are facing an extreme event that will not be over in 24 hours, but will possibly take several days before the full flooding effect is felt across the region as well, potentially right through to Mount Isa.
"We are facing a storm of catastrophic proportions in a highly populated area. You've heard all of the statistics and what it all adds up to is a very, very frightening time for people and their families.
"This is not something that passes over the coast and is over in an hour. This is 24 hours of quite terrifying winds, anywhere up to 300 kilometres per hour, torrential rain, likely loss of electricity and mobile communications. People really need to be preparing themselves mentally as much as anything else."
The weather bureau says Cyclone Yasi poses an "extremely serious threat" to life and property within the warning area, especially between Port Douglas and Townsville.
"This impact is likely to be more life-threatening than any experienced during recent generations," the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said.
This morning, Cyclone Yasi was estimated to be 650 kilometres east north-east of Cairns and 650 kilometres north-east of Townsville, moving west south-west at 30 kilometres per hour.
The bureau says the low category five cyclone will continue to move in a west-south-westerly direction today, but could become a high category five before making landfall.
'Horrific' wind
Senior bureau forecaster Gordon Banks says it could take at least 24 hours for Cyclone Yasi to weaken after it crosses the coast.
"There's still potential for it to become stronger ... as a strong category five we could see wind gusts in excess of 320 kilometres an hour, which is just horrific."
He added: "If you're bunkering down in the regions it's going to be quite frightening and it's going to go on and on for quite some time."
The storm's size and power dwarfs Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin in 1974, killing 71 people.
* Listen to ABC Local Radio for the latest coverage
* In an emergency, call the State Emergency Service (SES) on 132 500
* Current weather warnings
A cyclone warning is current for island and coastal areas from Cape Melville and Sarina, extending inland to Croydon and Hughenden.
The bureau says damaging winds with gusts up to 90kph are expected to develop on coastal islands later this morning, then extend onto the coast during the day, and further inland across the northern tropical interior overnight.
Between Cooktown and Ingham these winds will become destructive with gusts in excess of 125kph during the afternoon and very destructive with gusts above 280kph between Port Douglas and Cardwell during the evening as the cyclone approaches.
The very destructive winds can also occur on the seaward side of hills to the north of the cyclone and are also forecast to reach the Atherton Tablelands.
Flooding rains will develop from Cooktown to Sarina during the afternoon and then extend inland overnight.
A cyclone watch is current for coastal areas from the remaining tropical interior east of Camooweal and north of Winton.
Storm surge
The weather bureau says the threat of a storm surge is also a serious concern with Cyclone Yasi coinciding with the high tide.
Destructive winds will cause damaging waves, flooding and dangerously strong currents.
Mr Banks says Yasi is moving quicker than expected.
"We have brought forward the time of a potential coastal crossing and now it unfortunately coincides with the high tide in that coastal area," he said.
"So certainly we would expect to see reasonably widespread inundation in the run-up to that coastal crossing."
'Stay calm'
Authorities have urged north Queensland residents to stay calm and listen to safety advice as the storm moves in.
Residents in the cyclone danger zone have been told to turn off their electricity and gas, unplug appliances and fill bathtubs with water.
Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts says mattresses and pillows should be kept close by.
"Often the safest place for people is in the smallest room in the home - that might be the laundry or the bathroom," he said.
He says history shows storm surges from severe cyclones can be deadly.
"Most lives were lost through storm surges - not through the wind of a cyclone," he said.
Emergency Management Queensland says a storm surge that inundated parts of Mackay in 1918 killed 13 people.
Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace has warned people in the cyclone danger zone to stay off the roads.
"We need to make sure our roads are clear for evacuees, police, road crews and emergency vehicles - I can't make it any clearer," he said.
"If you don't need to be out on our roads, stay home and stay safe."
Evacuations
Almost one-third of Townsville's population has been told to evacuate and residents are being warned to expect destructive winds by this afternoon.
Around 60,000 thousand residents in Townsville have been told to leave by lunchtime.
Thousands of travellers have left Cairns and Hamilton Island on extra flights provided overnight.
The Cairns airport is due to close later this morning.
The Townsville aiport will close its passenger terminal at 10am (AEST).
However, the runway in Townsville will remain open for defence and emergency services.
Authorities, assisted by the military, carried out forced evacuations overnight across low-lying areas of Townsville, Cairns and the Cassowary Coast.
Tens of thousands of people in north Queensland began fleeing their homes yesterday.
Residents in low-lying parts of Cairns and Townsville were told to move to higher ground and patients from two Cairns hospitals were flown to Brisbane overnight.
Authorities say people should leave for higher ground or seek shelter at evacuation centres, which opened at 6am in Cairns today.
People who have to leave their homes and have nowhere to go should call 1300 99 31 91 for help finding emergency accommodation.
Ms Bligh ordered mandatory evacuations yesterday after lengthy discussions with the Townsville City Council about the threat from a cyclonic storm surge.
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well lets just hope its another time that The bureau of meatheadorology gets it horribley wrong and for Queenslands sake that it either changes direction and heads back out to sea or it loses all its fight before it crosses the coast
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http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQP0005.txt
Media: Transmitters serving the area from Cape Flattery to Sarina and inland to
areas east of Croydon to Richmond are requested to USE the Standard Emergency
Warning Signal before broadcasting the following warning.
TOP PRIORITY
TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 19
Issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, Brisbane
Issued at 6:59pm EST on Wednesday the 2nd of February 2011
A Cyclone WARNING is current for coastal and island communities from Cape
Flattery to Sarina, extending west across the tropical interior to the Northern
Territory border.
At 7:00 pm EST Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, Category 5 was estimated to be 150
kilometres east northeast of Innisfail and 175 kilometres east of Cairns and
moving west southwest at 29 kilometres per hour.
SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE YASI IS A LARGE AND VERY POWERFUL TROPICAL CYCLONE AND
POSES AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY WITHIN THE WARNING AREA.
THE VERY DESTRUCTIVE CORE OF CYCLONE YASI WILL CROSS THE COAST NEAR INNISFAIL
CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT, ACCOMPANIED BY A DANGEROUS STORM TIDE SOUTH OF THE CYCLONE
CENTRE.
Tropical Cyclone Yasi, CATEGORY 5, will continue to move in a west-southwesterly
direction and is expected to cross the coast near Innisfail close to midnight.
Coastal residents between Cairns and Ayr are specifically warned of an EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS SEA LEVEL RISE [i.e. storm tide] as the cyclone approaches, crosses
the coast and moves inland. The sea is likely to steadily rise up to a level
which will be VERY DANGEROUSLY above the normal tide, with EXTREMELY DAMAGING
WAVES, STRONG CURRENTS and FLOODING of low-lying areas extending some way
inland. The storm tide will persist for many hours after landfall of the cyclone
and secondary peaks may occur around high tide on Thursday morning. Higher than
normal tides will exceed the high water mark with damaging waves and flooding in
low lying areas in remaining warning areas to the south of Ayr.
People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take
measures to protect their property as much as possible, and be prepared to
follow instructions regarding evacuation of the area if advised to do so by
authorities.
DESTRUCTIVE winds with gusts in excess of 125 km/hr between Port Douglas and Ayr
are expected to spread into the eastern tropical interior overnight. VERY
DESTRUCTIVE winds with gusts up to 290 km/hr are expected to develop between
Cairns and Ingham during the next few hours as the cyclone approaches and
crosses the coast near midnight. These VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds will also occur to
the north of the cyclone and affect the Atherton Tablelands.
Due to the large size of the cyclone, people in the path of the VERY DESTRUCTIVE
WINDS are likely to experience these conditions for about 3 to 4 hours.
DAMAGING WINDS with gusts to 90 km/hr are occurring in remaining coastal areas
between Cape Flattery and Sarina, and are forecast to spread into the tropical
interior overnight and west to Mt Isa during Thursday.
Winds are forecast to gradually ease about the east coast during Thursday
morning as the cyclone moves inland.
FLOODING RAINS will develop from Cooktown to Sarina during this evening and then
extend inland overnight.
People in the path of the very dangerous cyclone should stay calm and remain in
a secure shelter, above the expected water level, while the very destructive
winds continue.
- Do not venture outside if you find yourself in the eye of the cyclone; very
destructive winds from a different direction could resume at any time.
- Follow the evacuation advice or directions of Police, Emergency Services
personnel and local authorities.
People in remaining areas between Cape Flattery and Sarina and extending west
across the tropical interior to the Northern Territory border, should complete
preparations quickly and be prepared to shelter in a safe place.
- Boats and outside property should be secured.
- For cyclone preparedness and safety advice, visit Queensland's Disaster
Management Services website [www.disaster.qld.gov.au]
- For emergency assistance call the Queensland State Emergency Service [SES] on
132 500 [for assistance with storm damage, rising flood water, fallen trees on
buildings or roof damage].
Details of Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi at 7:00 pm EST:
.Centre located near...... 17.2 degrees South 147.4 degrees East
.Location accuracy........ within 20 kilometres
.Recent movement.......... towards the west southwest at 29 kilometres per hour
.Wind gusts near centre... 285 kilometres per hour
.Severity category........ 5
.Central pressure......... 930 hectoPascals
Please ensure that neighbours have heard and understood this message,
particularly new arrivals or those who may not fully understand English.
The next advice will be issued by 8:00 pm EST Wednesday 02 February.
This warning is also available through TV and Radio Broadcasts; the Bureau's
website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 212. The Bureau and the State
Emergency Service would appreciate this warning being broadcast regularly.
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I have been listening to that Anna Bligh again tonight on the news , gee I have been impressed by the way she has spoken throughout the floods and again on this pending cyclone , a lot of other pollies could learn a lot from watching and listening to her
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I have been listening to that Anna Bligh again tonight....
smee - I couldn't agree more!
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REAL TIME:...
512km composite weather radar for the Townsville: http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR211.loop.shtml#skip
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Because the above IS real time, it will continue to change, so here is a snapshot of one frame (timestamp at the bottom)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v702/brumbymg/ozroundtable-com/Yasi-Qld-02.jpg)
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Dunk Island, Mission Beach and Bingil Bay are about to have a few moments of peace... the eye of Yasi has arrived there!!
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Townsville is copping it - while Dunk Island is basking in the peace of the eye ... for the moment!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v702/brumbymg/ozroundtable-com/Yasi-Qld-03.jpg)
NOTE: This image is from the 'Townsville only' radar - distant details (like around Dunk Island) aren't picked up very well - so don't think it's all quiet past there!!
The Bureau of Meteorology has a 'composite' radar image which adds radar images from different radars to give a more accurate overall picture. Images at the 512km range are these 'composite' pictures.
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http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDV65752.shtml
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - MELBOURNE AREA
for DAMAGING WIND, FLASH FLOODING and LARGE HAILSTONES
For people in the Inner, Eastern, Mornington Peninsula, Western Port and parts of the South East, Northern, Western and Outer East Local Warning Areas.
Issued at 10:40 pm Friday, 4 February 2011.
The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 10:35 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Craigieburn, Sydenham, Sorrento, the area northeast of Ballarat, Croydon and Mornington. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to southeast. They are forecast to affect Footscray, Greensborough, Melbourne City, Preston and St Albans by 11:05 pm and Caulfield, Dandenong, Glen Waverley, Melton, Ringwood and Sunbury by 11:35 pm.
Very heavy rain and flash flooding are likely with the storms. Damaging winds are also possible and there is also a chance of large hail.
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Severe drought in my backyard.
Please send some rain :pray:
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http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDV65752.shtml
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - MELBOURNE AREA
for DAMAGING WIND, FLASH FLOODING and LARGE HAILSTONES
For people in the Inner, Eastern, Mornington Peninsula, Western Port and parts of the South East, Northern, Western and Outer East Local Warning Areas.
Issued at 10:40 pm Friday, 4 February 2011.
The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 10:35 pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Craigieburn, Sydenham, Sorrento, the area northeast of Ballarat, Croydon and Mornington. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to southeast. They are forecast to affect Footscray, Greensborough, Melbourne City, Preston and St Albans by 11:05 pm and Caulfield, Dandenong, Glen Waverley, Melton, Ringwood and Sunbury by 11:35 pm.
Very heavy rain and flash flooding are likely with the storms. Damaging winds are also possible and there is also a chance of large hail.
strewth, Ballarat copped it a beauty.
Nearly 60 MM rain in 2 hours and flash flooding everywhere.
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Morning all.
Current VICTORIAN FLOOD ALERTS:
http://www.ses.vic.gov.au/CA256AEA002F0EC7/page/Current+Emergency+Information?OpenDocument&1=05-Current+Emergency+Information~&2=~&3=~
For a full list of road closures in Melb and regional Vic:
http://mobiletraffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au/floodalerts/?intcmp=HPE00019
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hello me moonie, is it only 17 deg at your place right now?
Gawd it's 40 here. Again
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Same here, Lacey - a balmy 40.6°C
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Bit chilly here today, may need to put a jumper on soon. :crazy:
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40.9°C
Wheels - go pedal your paddle boat....
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Currently
Mostly Cloudy
18.9 °C
Humidity: 88%
Brrr, got my jumper and slippers on now.
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The making of Yasi
http://media01.couriermail.com.au/multimedia/cycloneyasi/index.html
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yep and by the look of it, coming to a town in Vic, near you wheels.
I think instead of slippers, you might need flippers instead, lol.
and please send some of that cool air up this way.
18.9? sheesh. it ain't fair!
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This is not something you see every day....
Whats left of Yasi is wrapped around Alice Springs. I believe it is expected to see the Todd River flow ....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v702/brumbymg/ozroundtable-com/TheAlice.jpg)
Here is the real-time image of radar + satellite (the above is a snap shot of the radar component only).
(Note - the real-time nature means that it will be continuously changing)
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/national_radar_sat.loop.shtml
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will all that storm activity change the appearance of Uluru ?
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I captured some frames and made a GIF - for posterity. This won't change.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v702/brumbymg/ozroundtable-com/AliceYasi.gif)
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It is insane... flooding in one part of Australia, bushfires in another, wild winds here and there. I've never heard of so much varied devastation before...
A bushfire still burning out of control in the Perth hills has destroyed 41 properties and damaged a further 19, fire authorities say.
Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) Chief Operations Officer Craig Hynes said all of the losses were reported in the Roleystone area, while surveys had not yet revealed any significant damage associated with a second bushfire raging in the Red Hill area.
The bushfire emergency warning remains in place for people in the south-western part of Roleystone and south-eastern part of Kelmscott in the City of Armadale, as well as Baskerville, Millendon, Herne Hill and Red Hill in the City of Swan.
"We're still calling both fires uncontrolled and we won't be able to let people back into the areas due to safety reasons," Mr Hynes told reporters on Monday.
"We are very concerned about the safety of the firegrounds and we are doing our best to make sure that there are no injuries. Life is our priority.
"Unfortunately it appears we have lost 41 houses at his stage totally, and 19 partially damaged.
"That number could increase."
Mr Hynes said surveys were still being conducted by specialist damage assessment teams at the Roleystone incident.
"At the Red Hill incident there are some partial releases at the fireground to let some people back in," he said.
"We've still not reported any losses at that fire and the pleasing thing is that there has been no serious injuries or fatalities."
One volunteer firefighter remains in a stable condition after being admitted to Armadale Hospital on Sunday after being injured while trying to save properties.
Some people have also taken themselves to hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Around 200 firefighters are battling the Roleystone blaze with resources from around the state and Victoria being called in, or already deployed.
While crews are "stretched", Mr Hynes said conditions are expected to begin to ease from around midday (WST) on Monday.
Police officers and firefighters are expected to be among those whose homes had been destroyed or damaged, he added.
FESA was warned by the Bureau of Meteorology to expect "remarkable winds" over the weekend, and had prepared for the extreme conditions.
"We weren't surprised that the wind strengths were gusting at up to 75km/h. Last night we got a little bit of a reprieve, they probably peaked at around 50 to 60 (km/h)," Mr Hynes said.
"We are expecting those winds to ease at around 12 o'clock today."
Mr Hynes said the containment efforts overnight were good, but the easterly winds will remain of concern.
"The fire conditions are not remarkable this week ... but we're not going to be complacent," he said.
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http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/severe-thunderstorms-on-the-way-for-central-victoria/2078374.aspx
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It WAS there earlier Smee, I read it. From memory, the warning was for central Victoria, south of Bendigo and referred you to the BOM website.
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I had never really expected that we'd not ever have a severe fire danger to face again... *sigh* so this is not unexpected, simply disturbing.
Please, everyone - be careful. Stay cool, avoid unnecessary travel, maintain high awareness and let's hope there's no maniac running around with matches.
AUSTRALIA is in the grip of an extreme heatwave with temperatures soaring past 40 degrees today - and the hot air will affect more of the country over the next week.
A "superheated" air mass flowing from the deserts of central Australia will push temperatures well above 40C across huge areas of Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the Northern Territory into next week.
The Bureau of Meteorology's Assistant Weather Service Director Alasdair Hainsworth said we can expect to see a change late on Friday with temporary relief on Saturday, before the heatwave continues next week.
"Extreme heat events, such as this one, have wide ranging impacts across agricultural and horticultural sectors, infrastructure and transport, and not least human health and safety. Locations including Alice Springs, Adelaide, Renmark, Melbourne, Mildura, Echuca, Albury, Broken Hill and Wagga Wagga all have temperatures of 40 degrees or higher forecast for today.
"Another concern is the amount of vegetation following two wet years, which has led to high fuel loads, that continue to dry out and raise concerns about increased bushfire risk. Fast moving grassfires are of particular concern.
"Increasing fire danger is anticipated in southeast Australia with hot and gusty northerly winds, followed by a southwesterly change late on Friday.
"There will be some temporary relief from the heat on Saturday with this weak change, moving eastwards over the weekend.
"The next change is then expected to move through southern inland and coastal regions around Tuesday or Wednesday next week, but in other areas temperatures are expected to remain high, with a continuation of heatwave conditions well into next week.”
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(http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2013/01/04/1226547/437975-hot-australia-january-4.jpg)
This forecast map shows temperatures set to get close to 5 0degrees in some parts of the interior on Friday, January 4. Image: Australian Bureau of Meteorolgy
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(http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2013/01/04/1226547/437975-hot-australia-january-4.jpg)
This forecast map shows temperatures set to get close to 50degrees in some parts of the interior on Friday, january 4. Image: Australian Bureau of Meteorolgy
its only hot in the interior .... if you go outside its cooler
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The best way to avoid deliberatley started fires is to lock up all volunteer fireman
( well erhaps thats a bit harsh , but somehow they need to vet them better or keep an eye n them or something)
Whilst not all volunteer firemen are arsonists and they do a fantastic job putting fires out
a lot iof arson is caused by volunteer fireman
I see another was arrested only yesterday or the day before in Sydney
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The best way to avoid deliberatley started fires is to lock up all volunteer fireman
( well erhaps thats a bit arsh , but somehow they need to vet them better or keep an eye n them or something)
Whilst not all volunteer firean are arsonists and they do a fantastic job puttingfires out
a lot iof arson is caused by volunteer fireman
I see another was arrested only yesterday or the day before in Sydney
***LOCKUP all Firemen!***
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-17/homes-destroyed-as-blazes-rip-through-nsw/5030158
Bushfires tearing through NSW areas (including the Blue Mountains).
Hundreds of homes may have been lost after New South Wales suffered one of its worst bushfire days in recent memory on Thursday.
Intense fires tore across south-eastern Australia in ferocious wind conditions and high temperatures, darkening Sydney's skies with smoke and ash.
Thousands of people have been evacuated as emergency warnings are in place for bushfires burning out of control near Lithgow and Springwood in the Blue Mountains, and Heatherbrae near Newcastle.
Temperatures hit the mid-30s and wind gusts reached 90kph throughout the day.
"We are unclear yet as to how many properties have been lost, but it's expected by the time we finish counting, it will be at least in the hundreds," New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell said.
"It will take some days to see the end of these fires and I suspect if we get through that without the loss of life, we should thank God for miracles."
At one point 95 fires were being tackled across the state, with dozens out of control.
Total fire bans were in place for areas including Greater Sydney, as well as the Central Ranges, North Coast and North Western districts.
Our hearts go out to all those affected. Please - evacuate BEFORE it gets to crisis point. Get to safety if you have even the slightest suspicion of being in danger. If you receive the emergency warning on your phone, on the news, on the radio, by SMS, or any other means - act. Please do act.
May you be safe and may the fires die down as quickly as possible.
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Our hopes, hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by the fires in NSW; in particular, the huge stretches of furious flames blazing across the Blue Mountains.
May tomorrow not bring disaster with it.
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May all people who deliberatley light bushfires
be sentenced to having their genitallia doused
With petrol and set alight
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TSUNAMI Alert current - East Coast Australia - from 0800am, Sunday Morning. Resulting from Chilean earthquake. (8.8) Tsunami confirmed as generated.
B.O.M (www.bom.gov.au (http://www.bom.gov.au))
Yeah well theyve had another quake
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global warming !
Oh and El Nino .... he hasn't been blamed for anything for a while
I heard on the news today that El Nino is going to be visiting Australia again soon
and he is going to be angrier than he has been for 65 years
So we are in for extreme weather
For heavens sake now they are calling it Godzilla El Nino :roflmao:
These meatheadorology people will come up with all sorts of crap
to justify their 6 figure salaries
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/great-godzilla-of-an-el-nino-likely-to-linger-well-into-2016-agencies-say-20150813-giywva.html
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:link: (http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/)
El Niño strengthens but a warm Indian Ocean
Issued on 1 September 2015 | Product Code IDCKGEWW00
The 2015 El Niño is now the strongest El Niño since 1997–98. The tropical Pacific Ocean and atmosphere are fully coupled, with sea surface temperatures well above El Niño thresholds, consistently weak trade winds, and a strongly negative Southern Oscillation Index. Weekly tropical Pacific Ocean temperature anomalies (i.e. difference from normal) in the central Pacific are now at their highest values since 1997–98, though still remain more than half a degree below the peak observed during 1997–98.
Most international climate models surveyed by the Bureau of Meteorology indicate the tropical Pacific will continue to warm, with the largest anomalies occurring later in the year. Typically, El Niño peaks during the late austral spring or early summer, and weakens during late summer to autumn. The 2015 event has, so far, been following a normal El Niño life cycle.
While the Indian Ocean as a whole has been at near-record temperatures, the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) index has been at or above +0.4 °C for the past four weeks. To be considered a positive event, the IOD would need to remain at or above +0.4 °C through September. Three of the five international models surveyed by the Bureau of Meteorology indicate a positive IOD event is likely during spring.
El Niño is usually associated with below-average winter–spring rainfall over eastern Australia, and a positive IOD typically reinforces this pattern over central and southeast Australia. However, sea surface temperatures to the north of Australia and more broadly across the Indian Ocean basin, also affect Australia's climate and are likely to be moderating the influence of these two climate drivers in some locations.
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Yes ...its all a load of poppycock , buncome , piffle , bulltwange
rubbish , spit , bollocks , fibs , rhubarb , a figment of the BOMs imagination and phoenominumnumnumnumnumnumn theyve created to try and pull the wool over the eyes of the guilible general public .... Bit like the millenium bug and global warming
Hyped up balderdash