h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That's the name of a book by Colin Thiele, aimed at the 10-12 year olds. It's about a bushfire. It stuck in my mind many years ago; we were reading it at school one day when the news came through that the hills were on fire. That was 1981. Then in 1983 came Ash Wednesday, the most deadly and most widespread fires I've witnessed. More than 70 people died that day. There have been many other fires since; some I've seen in person, others I've had the good fortune to miss. Then, of course, there was 18 January 2003 when a firestorm killed four people and destroyed 500 homes in this neighbourhood.

This weekend, at least 66 people have died in fires in Victoria. More than 700 homes are just ashes. Some townships have been completely destroyed.

The brutal fact is that, although fires can start by natural means, many of the fires curently ravaging Victoria were lit by arsonists. My thoughts on such people are unprintable.

Bushfires are part of life in Australia. We all know what to do to prepare for one, what to do if one stays to fight and what to do if one makes the decision to leave while the roads are still open. I know what to take if it comes to it that I have to leave, I know what to do before I leave to give the house more of a chance of staying intact, I know to have a battery-operated radio in the house in case the power fails - but there's no guarantee that any of this would save anyone or anything. It's all down to chance, in the final analysis. All my memories are coming flooding back... I suspect I'm not alone in this.

I was thinking the same thing myself about the arsonists.


Stay safe.

Thanks Fizzy...

News just in - a man (?) has been charged with arson with relation to a fire on the New South Wales central coast. There'd be enough people willing to supply the rope. As for those responsible for the mess in Victoria - once identified they won't be safe anywhere, ever.

my thoughts and prayers are with all your countryfolk, Ivan

Thanks GB.

By the way - I really should add you to my friends list - do you mind?

Of course I don't mind
I'm sure you'll enjoy reading about your proxy's appearances at the meets I attend

By the way when I said << all your countryfolk, >> you know I meant "except the arsonists" don't you?

Yes, that's an exception I can be happy with.

It's official - this is the worst bushfire ever. 76 confirmed dead.

I was thinking about you, Ivan, when I read about the bushfires in the web edition of BBC news earlier this morning (it's 10.40 am here ) Fires can really be devastating. Neither can I understand why people start them deliberately.

I'm glad the worst ones around here are like the I forgot in the microwave the other evening - just some foul smelling smoke.

But big fires in the middle of the winter ain't no fun either, it can be hard to get water to put them out with due to the cold.

I'm very sorry, Ivan.

I know that many fires (including the USA and Greece) are being laid by arsonists. I completely fail to understand their motivation.
My thoughts of what should happen to the arsonists would be yikesed if I put them down.

as the so called civilised world leads to a slap of the hand that's naughty

I personally would love to trip the trapdoor and, rest unprintable

Hi Ivan, I'd thought of you when I read about the scope and destruction of these fires this morning. I hope you and yours are safe, and my heart goes out to those who are not, and their loved ones.

I could never understand what could possibly motivate arsonists to start fires like this. I don't know if I want to understand.

I heard earlier tonight that a friend of a friend, the friends girlfriend, and her brother were killed in one of the fires raging in the Yarra valley. He was only 23 and not long out of uni, my friend wasn't close to him, but they did got to uni together for a couple years. Still,it is a shock to him

I have been listening to the news as it has come in, with continuing disbelief, words just can't describe the awfulness of this situation.

Even over here on the west coast some silly bugger has lit a fire in the park in town, (Perth has a rather large natural bush park adjacent to the city precinct.) It has only been a few weeks since the last fire there.

If the arsonists are caught, they should be charged with murder.

This is a horrible horrible situation, whole towns have been ravaged, and many will never get over this day

indeed stay safe, Hel2

Hel2, I am so sorry to hear that. Like many of us with friends or relatives in Australia, I am watching closely and it is unbearable.

Everyone here is whinging about snow and ice, and the cold - I think they should look elsewhere and count their lucky . Fires and floods and other weather related problems make the ones in the UK seem insignificant.

Thanks for the info. about Perth as I have an aunt there, and a friend.

Take care,

Websailor

The news gets worse: 93 deaths recorded now And Kevin Rudd's anticipating much worse to come. I'm watching from across the ditch in disbelief and sorrow.

Fb

I just heard an excerpt of a briefing being given to firefighters and mop-up crews. The basic message was that they would try not to lose any more ground while at the same time moving back into the districts that had had to be abandoned. 'Some areas we will open up. Others we will keep closed down - there are sensitivities to consider - I'm sure you know what I mean'. In other words - they're expecting to find more bodies. This process is expected to take a couple of weeks.

Helly. This is horrible.

thoughts and prayers are with you from all over the