I didn’t read any of the linked articles, but how do the authorities know that fires are being intentionally set?
Wow. Picture #3 is a horrible burn wound, but that person will probably live. Picture #11 is… unreal. How do you stop something like that?
How’s the housing market Down Under? If its in a near freefall like the US, I wonder if some of the fires aren’t being started by people who’re in danger of having their homes foreclosed on, and are starting the fires to claim the insurance money.
I’m not sure that you understand the scale of these fires. One fire front is nearly 100km wide, and the total area of that one fire is 210,000 hectares (500,000 acres more or less), and that’s only one of about 9 big fires. The Beechworth fire is 22,000 hectares and counting.
Inevitably thousands and thousands of head of stock will have died. I heard one story of cattle on fire but still alive. I know of a number of people who have lost horses and domestic pets, and that’s only the people I know. And beside the domestic animals, the devastation on the wildlife is dreadful. There are heart-breaking reports of injured wildlife, and that will be only the ones people see, there will be thousands upon thousands upon thousands of other creatures who have died or will die of burns and injuries.
The rescuers are already stretched to the limit and a number of them have been directly affected by the fire, including the loss of three wildlife shelters.
108 people dead, thousands homeless and so many animals dead.
Thank you. No, I had not been able to wrap my mind around just how huge these fires are; also, I’m not familiar with the geography and distribution of agriculture around Victoria. As a horse owner, I can imagine all too well the difficulties of evacuating even one or two horses ahead of the fire line, let alone entire farms’ worth of livestock.
The scope of this monstrous disaster is almost too great to absorb.
The worse is still to come as the fires are brought under control and the firecrews discover yet more cars with people who didn’t have a chance. One of the stories was of a couple who decided to stay to defend their property only to be overwhelmed once the smoke approached and they were confronted with a wall of flames higher than an office block “like a tidal wave of fire”. You can’t defeat something that big, hot and ferocious. The husband and wife ran to their olive grove under wet woollen blankets and watched their house burn down.
I know that there will be those who will say it’s stupid to try and leave after having decided to stay - the truth however is quite black and white - they didn’t stand a chance either way with the fires moving faster than a car could travel, and houses offered no refuge. There’s photos of melted cars and tin roofs. This fire was hot, fast and ate everything in its path. A dark day for Victoria. Heartfelt thanks to our os Dopers for their thoughts and prayers. There’ll be many tears today at work.
What about sending forensics experts down under to help with indentifying the dead? 
I can’t really wrap my brain around the size of these fires. Is there perhaps a map that someone’s created showing an overlay of the fire size on a map of the area?
My thoughts go out to Aussie dopers affected by these. I’ll light a candle on my altar tonight for all of you.
Whenever I hear of fires down under, I think of my Uncle and his family and hope they are okay.
They aren’t near these fires (a year or two ago, they told us they were prepared to flee by sea in their kayaks if they needed to, it thankfully wasn’t necessary), but I still pray for those who are.
I have dialup so am having trouble getting this to work. It may be what you are after though.
http://www.aus-emaps.com/hotspots.php
Crikey I didn’t realise there were so may fires in Qld
A number of pictures here.
Headlines are now 107 dead with a possibility it may rise to 230.
Just read an update on the Guardian - a witness saying she saw a man put his two kids in the car for shelter, then turn to get something from the house - and the car went up in flames while he stood there and could do nothing. Jesus.
I’m assuming if the people who did it are caught that they can be charged with murder and not ‘just’ arson?
Not got much else to say here.
There are some insanely horrible stories coming from this. I don’t even want to look at a newspaper.
Got a mail from my inlaws this morning with various updates on family and friends. The inlaws briefly worked in Marysville a couple of decades ago, and almost all the extended family is in Gippsland somewhere (all alright so far). Some of their former coworkers are dead though.
One guy was outside trying to keep sparks off the property and saved himself by jumping in a firepit as the front came through. He’s in hospital with burns, but alive. His wife and two sons were in the house. They’re not. Another lady was visiting family in the city when it struck. She got a call from her husband saying the house was on fire. Hasn’t heard since.
Anyone who’s praying for the situation - thanks. Keep at it…
As I write the current count is 128 dead and 750 houses destroyed.
They’ve caught one arsonist but that’s in a different state and no-one has died in that fire.
I don’t know whether it still happens, but Elvis the Helicopter and his Skycrane siblings used to come here each southern summer, and go back to the US for your summer, so sharing resources for our respective fire seasons. Other states here are of course pouring resources in, as are the armed forces.
I haven’t heard yet of any specific help coming from overseas, just messages of condolence from NZ, the UK and H.M. the Queen. I imagine it won’t be long though.
The Herald’s reporting NZ has offered 100 firefighters.
And the Victorian Govt has been briefed to expect 230 deaths.
Toward the bottom of your link it says: