Australian fires?

[Tony Alfrey]

Keith Antoine wrote:
> Tony Alfrey wrote:
>> Bob Hemus wrote:
>>> Anybody heard from Keith in the last few days?  Sounds terrible down
>>> there.
>>> Bob
>>
>> I haven't heard but maps show that most of the fires are down in 
>> Melbourne and Skippy is up in Queensland.  But it's still nasty.
>>
>>
>>
> I have just seen the messages ent to me on the 9th from, Shawn, Bruce 
> and Tony. I am sorry that I was unable to reply at the time due to
> the wife and I having to move out of home so as the house repairs could 
> take plce. The insurance moved us int Brisbane CBD for two weeks
> so as the damage to the house could be repaired from the Storm damage 
> last November. I did put up pictures for your perusal on
> http://myqueensalnd.net/stormdamage. 

Yeah, we saw those photos when you posted them last year.  What a hassle!

<snip>
> 
> The flooding of north queensland was the first of the major disasters, 
> but this is fairly normal on a yearly basis but this time it was huge 
> some places
> had up to 1000mm in 24hrs

A meter a day??  Are you sure you don't have an extra decimal point in that?

<snip>
> I cannot understand 
> the local fire rules
> that allow people to stay and fight or get out, its sheer stupidity whe 
> the fires are this bad, and little or no warnings. I mist say the we who 
> live in the SE corner of
> Queensland are very lucky, except when you get hit with a once in 38 
> year storm as we did, 

Well, of course we've had some very bad fires in Calif (in San Diego 
County in late 2007, in Northern Calif in mid 2008 and again in Los 
Angeles in late 2008).  It's hard to tell people "you have to leave your 
home" and then have to get into an argument with each homeowner.
We see a lot of eucalyptus trees in your photos and those (in CA) are 
notorious for lighting up like torches.  There are areas in CA where 
homeowners are required to clear out the eucalyptus around houses or one 
cannot get fire insurance.

> BUT, with the way we are experincing hotter and 
> warmer weather with
> this climate change we have been warned to be very aware whats in store 
> for us. BTW have you not had bad winter weather too ? as we see it on TV 
> as well as England.
> 
> I must say its very nice to see that old friends still care what is up 
> with this geriatric :))

Good that you're OK so now we can ignore you again.



-- 
Tony Alfrey
tonyalfrey at earthlink.net
"I'd Rather Be Sailing"