# Bushfires in Canberra, Aus. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 18, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540 "2003-01-18T21:55:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/1 "2003-01-18T21:55:42Z")
It’s ‘bushfire’ season down-under at the moment, and nowhere are they creating more havoc than our national capital, Canberra. At last check, 388 homes have been destroyed and two people have lost their lives. Parts of north-eastern Victoria are also ablaze as well as the Kosciusko National Park. (My mum lives in the NE and I just rang her to check…while they are in no danger, the whole region is smoke-filled and glowing from the fires). Any Canberra Dopers out there, and are you OK?? We’re thinking of you, and praying for a change in the weather. [Latest ABC link](http://abc.net.au/news/2003/01/item20030119054139_1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/2 "2003-01-18T22:30:29Z")
I’m not from Canberra but I wish you and your Mum the best. Take care and keep us posted. Jake ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/3 "2003-01-18T23:53:12Z")
My sister lives there - she’s a suburb over, and the wind’s blowing the wrong way, taking the fire towards her. She’s got the car packed with the essentials and what she wants to save, she’s ready to leave at a moment’s notice. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/4 "2003-01-19T00:02:31Z")
Last week I was up in Benalla working at one of the DSE’s(formerly NRE) big centres doing logistics/resources as part of the CFA effort in the joint DSE/CFA operation, and I gotta tell ya, it’s just getting worse. We were organising crews and other personnel around the two management areas, Ovens and Corryong, (and another was being set up at Mt Beauty) and it sadly looks like it will be going for a while. For more info, check out [some CFA news links here](http://cfaonline.cfa.vic.gov.au/mycfa/Show?pageId=publicFiresUpdate) and some DSE news links here. Also, the [CSIRO’s Sentinel hotspots](http://www.sentinel.csiro.au/) is a good resource with which to check out locations of fires. ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/5 "2003-01-19T00:27:51Z")
I was just watching a BBC report on the fires. They showed a shot of a firestorm - dear God. It was terrifying. My thoughts and prayers to all out there, and especially **tavalla** ’s sister. May they get through this safely. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/6 "2003-01-19T00:33:51Z")
Brother in law just called to say he’s safe for the time being, and that the high alert his area was on yesterday has been downgraded to just alert. He’s been without power for 12 hours or more, so he’s having trouble keeping up with the news. Am concerned for great aunt in Waniassa - if any of you hear news about that suburb, please let me know. Thinking of all those who’ve lost everything… words cannot express. ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/7 "2003-01-19T01:27:57Z")
Apologies, I meant to clarify that my links were specific to the fires in NE Victoria. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/8 "2003-01-19T03:02:34Z")
Just now listening to the news, and apparently more fires have sprung up with the nor’westerly winds (which are hot and dry down here). While it was fairly calm this morning, this afternoon is not boding well for the Canberrans…☹ Shite. ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/9 "2003-01-19T03:46:24Z")
Oh man. This is sickening. [Two dead, 388 homes lost in ACT blaze](http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/01/19/1042911262847.html) My thoughts and prayers go out to ANYONE out there affected by these terrible fires. I know the NE Victoria and North Gippsland fires were caused by lightning strikes, but what was the cause of the Canberra fires? ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/10 "2003-01-19T04:09:39Z")
On the latest news, _three_ people have died in the Canberra fires… I don’t know what the cause of the fires was **Ninevah** but some bastard has been caught looting…while tragedies like this generally bring out the best in people, it just takes one arsewipe like this to prove to us all that SOME people just don’t deserve to breathe. If I’m not allowed to swear in MPSIMS, then please move this thread to the Pit…sorry Mods…:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/11 "2003-01-19T04:20:45Z")
I was baby-sitting a 6 year old girl last week who just left Canberra with her mum the day before. Good timing or what! Her father, brother and sisters are still there though… ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/12 "2003-01-19T04:25:27Z")
I’ve been at work, and only just caught up with this. Last year’s Sydney fires were thought devastating at the time, but the events of the last day or so in Canberra have eclipsed that. This is truly a tragedy. If the mods are ok with it, I’ll post a link to the relevant bushfire appeal as one becomes available. ---
**Author:** ![Agback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Agback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agback)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/13 "2003-01-19T04:48:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kambuckta \* > **I don’t know what the cause of the fires was…** Most of them (if not all) were started by lightning strikes during a spate of storms about ten-eleven days ago. They were burning away in the Namaji National Park and Snowy Mountains National Park until strong westerlies and nor-westerlies on Friday blew them across containment lines and (yesterday) into Canberra. The official information page is at \<[http://www.esb.act.gov.au/media/bushfire.htm](http://www.esb.act.gov.au/media/bushfire.htm)\>. By the way, the nearest fire to my house is 12 km away, so you needn’t be concerned on my account. Regards, Agback ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/14 "2003-01-19T06:07:51Z")
Update from channel 10 Evening News on the fires in our national capital [ul] [li]3 dead[/li][li]250 injured, many badly burned - some evacuated by air to specialised burns units in Sydney.[/li][li]400 homes lost[/li][li]A$200M estimated damage bill[/li][li]A$80M private homes[/li][li]Federal Govt has announced A$10 000 relief package for affected households[/li][li]25% of Canberra blacked out[/li][li]Water supply under immediate threat of contamination[/li][li]Traffic lights out, police unable to direct traffic due to higher priorities elsewhere[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/15 "2003-01-19T06:50:15Z")
I’ve just had a message from one of my school mates who lives in Canberra - she’s said they’re very on edge, they haven’t had power for more than 24 hours, the smoke is very think and they can see the fires from their place. Scary. Again, my thoughts go out to Canberrans. ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/16 "2003-01-19T06:51:55Z")
Oops, that’s meant to read “thick” not “think”. ---
**Author:** ![auliya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@auliya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auliya)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/17 "2003-01-19T11:45:38Z")
And Mt Stromlo Observatory has been [burnt to the ground](http://news.ninemsn.com.au/National/story_45108.asp). The official site and the ANU site appear to be down but here is a ‘touristy’ [link](http://travel.ninemsn.com.au/getaway/factsheets/2002/21/factsheet7.asp) What a totally dreadful tragedy all round. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/18 "2003-01-19T22:03:15Z")
I’ve seen images from the fires on CNN. My heart goes out to all the residents who are enduring this nightmare. Best wishes to all of the Australians living through this nightmare, so that you all can get back to your normal routines as soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/19 "2003-01-19T22:31:14Z")
I’m getting a broken image on **auliya** ’s link, but there’s a picture [here](http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/19/1042911270928.html) of the gutted Mt Stromlo Observatory which would break the heart of the average Doper. ☹ Bugger. ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/20 "2003-01-19T23:00:15Z")
I woke up this morning, and although the sun was quite high, it was pink. Visibility is really low - it’s like a foggy winters morning. Except the weather bureau is saying that absolutely none of it is cloud. It’s all smoke. Driving to work, my eyes were stinging from the smoke and I had trouble breathing. It’s taken me about an hour to stop coughing now that I’ve arrived. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this bad before. But here’s the thing: The smoke isn’t from a nearby fire. It’s from the Mt Beauty fires. 4 hours away. One of my friends has a sister who is fighting the Mt Beauty fire with the CFA. And when I think about it, this is what gets me - those firefighters are volunteers who are taking time of work to do this. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540.md?page=2)