# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![airdisc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19adc/32.png) [@airdisc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/airdisc)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/21 "2003-01-19T23:06:27Z")
4 dead now. [http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/auspac/01/19/austrailia.bush.fire/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/auspac/01/19/austrailia.bush.fire/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/22 "2003-01-20T03:07:14Z")
I’ve only seen the very short clips on the news about this horrendous fire. From thousands upon thousands of miles away, it chills me to the bone. Has it affected the historic landmarks? I hope the weather cooperates and the firemen get on top of things. (Moronic question: Why is Canberra the capital if \*everything \* is in Sydney?) ---
**Author:** ![Redboss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@Redboss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redboss)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/23 "2003-01-20T03:34:49Z")
Canberra = Washington Sydney = New York / San Francisco. And, Brisbane = Memphis Melbourne = Boston / Chicago Adelaide = Charleston These fires are scary - ordinary suburbs caught up in firestorms. Amazing shots on TV, as a car drives along a suburban street, and everything, trees, letterboxes, sheds, garages houses is blazing. house after house after house. Embers blowing everywhere, and that awful noise like a steam train. Very distressing. ---
**Author:** ![Agback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Agback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agback)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/24 "2003-01-20T03:35:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*(Moronic question: Why is Canberra the capital if _everything_ is in Sydney?) \*\* Because at the time when the Australian colonies federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia, the inhabitants of Victoria opposed the idea of the capital being in Sydney, and the inhabitants of New South Wales opposed its being in Melbourne. So that this issue would not drive anyone to vote against federation, the drafters of the Australian Constitution provided as follows: (63 & 64 Victoria, Chapter 12. ‘An Act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia’. Section 125) “125:The seat of Government of the Commonwealth shall be determined by Parliament, and shall be within a territory which shall have been granted to or acquired by the Commonwealth, and shall be vested in and belong to the Commonwealth, and shall be in the State of New South Wales, and shall be distant not less than one hundred miles from Sydney.” … “The Parliament shall sit at Melbourne until it meet at the seat of Government.” And by the way: keep your head down when the Melbournians see your post. Regards, Agback ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/25 "2003-01-20T03:41:43Z")
Thanks Agback. ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/26 "2003-01-20T05:28:27Z")
There’s been the stench of smoke here all morning, and that’s not from the Canberra fires, but the Victorian ones. I can only second Redboss and agree that it’s as distressing a situation as I can remember happening in Australia. My thoughts are with all Dopers in Canberra, as well as in any of the threatened places in Victoria, NSW and elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![leechbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/27 "2003-01-20T05:39:47Z")
My boss has developed a fresh air fetish over the Christmas break and insists that windows and doors be open rather than have the air con. on. All very fine and well but NOT on a smoky day like today please, took me about 2 hours to persuade him to shut the windows/doors and put on the air con. Still its nothing to what the people in Canberra must be suffering, my thoughts and prayers are with all dopers in threatened areas. Just remember we are here if you need us. ---
**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 20, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/28 "2003-01-20T06:05:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*(Moronic question: Why is Canberra the capital if \*everything \* is in Sydney?) \*\* Being Victorian, and thus more refined than my NSW colleagues, I shall refrain from blowing a razzberry in your general direction for that ‘everything is in Sydney’ crack. 😉 S’okay, I’m joking. Either **Agback** is right, or we just wanted to waste a good sheep paddock. ---
**Author:** ![DarkJudicator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@DarkJudicator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkJudicator)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/29 "2003-01-20T06:13:26Z")
Latest reports from the alpine regions in both NSW and Victoria aren’t looking at all good. It should appeal to the Aussie sense of humour that right now it’s SNOW country which is burning out of control in two states and one territory. I think we’ve mostly lost our senses of humour over the last couple of days. I can’t recall the last time we lost this many lives and this many homes during fire season. If anyone out there knows how to do a raindance, we could use it now - there are even worse winds forecast. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/30 "2003-01-20T10:37:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*(Moronic question: Why is Canberra the capital if \*everything \* is in Sydney?) \*\* I see you’ve missed out the same word that everyone misses out. You need to insert the word BAD between _everything_ and _is_ and you’d be right. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/31 "2003-01-20T10:50:57Z")
Basically, we put Canberra halfway between Sydney and Melbourne because nobody really wanted the politicians in their state! We would’ve sent them to Tasmania (a long way away), but the Taswegians didn’t want them either. 😃 Oh, and there is no real contest between Sydney and Melbourne (except in the minds of the ‘inferiority-complexed’ Sydneysiders). They keep trying to pick fights, but it is always in vain. Melbourne is just too cool to bother fighting back. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/32 "2003-01-20T12:09:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by robinc308 \* > \*\*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. \*\* Bear in mind the CFA is not fighting these NE Victoria fires solely, it’s a joint NRE (dept of Natural Resources/Sustanability, etc) and CFA operation. Also, the NRE firefighters are _paid_ firefighters. Most volunteer firefighters would gladly jump at the opportunity to fight at these fires - despite missing work - because they gather valuable experience and can put their training to use. I work in the CFA. Everytime I hear that another strike team is going, or that personnel are being deployed to work in IMTs (Incident Management Teams), I’m both thankful and proud because I know that the people we’re sending up are dedicated and are well trained firefighters/personnel who will do a marvellous job. ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/33 "2003-01-20T12:45:29Z")
Canberra is one of those stereotypical processed cheddar type “administrative centres”. It’s all Government departments, take-away food, pornography and lawnmower repair men. It doesn’t even have a brewery but does have some pretentious pinot noirs. Has essentially no secondary industry and no respectable listed company is headquartered there. The economy pivots on the public service payday. It’s pleasant enough is short bursts. Melbourne is old money, preferably earned by great great granddaddy in the 1840s gold rush. A classic rustbelt paradise. Tis a mite unfortunate that a series of spivs took the state Treasury to the cleaners in the 80s. Now Melbourne is a essentially a dedicated support network for the grind trade in a (NSW) owned casino. Melbourne footie (AFL) is good, and their beer is acceptable. Sydney is about new money and real estate with harbour views. If you earned your stash yesterday in a drug deal, you’re knocking on the society A list door. Money flows so readily it’s often stored in paper bags rather than banks. The city’s best and brightest feature regularly under cross examination and NSW police are as good as you can buy. Sydney footie (ARL) is crap, and their beer is worse. Sydney consider the old interstate rivalry with Melbourne as passe. We simply shake our heads as it’s residents vote with their feet and leave in droves (migrating to Queensland to be warm and poor or flooding into regional Victoria for cheap real estate). A couple of upstart villages called Brisbane and Auckland are going to provide the challeges in the coming decades. ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/34 "2003-01-20T12:57:05Z")
'course most Aussie dopers would recognise that I’ve been a tad uncharitable there. Specifically, any Sydney beer produced by (America greatest export) Dr Chuck Hahn’s @ the Malt Shovel brewery can be reliably described as ambrosia. ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/35 "2003-01-20T22:17:25Z")
Well, it looks like things settled down a little overnight. But today is going to be a big day. They’re worried that some of the fires will join up and are expecting strong winds. Canberra could again be under threat before the day is out. ---
**Author:** ![Swagman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Swagman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swagman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/36 "2003-01-20T22:33:55Z")
Yes Wooly, a tad uncharitable to describe Canberra as a city with no brewery. We do have one - small but perfectly formed and capable of producing a nice drop to boot. Drop by The Wig and Pen the next time you’re in town. I’d also suggest you take a trip down Hume, Mitchell and Fyshwick where, hidden behing the adult shops are real people doing real jobs in service, retail and even (gasp!) maufacturing industries. Unfortunately the media always portray Canberra as a public service town and those that are too lazy to think for themselves (not you Wooly) take up this media portrayal as their own view. It’ll be interesting to see if Saturday’s events affect the media portrayal of Canberra - after it’s been seen to be full of real people having a real tough time of things. Fingers crossed for today and I hope no other suburbs get hit - I wouldn’t wish that on anyone after Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/37 "2003-01-20T22:36:13Z")
I was wondering with all the talk about the smoke–how much smoke would there need to be in the atmosphere around Australia to change the weather patterns, however briefly? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/38 "2003-01-21T03:27:20Z")
I’m getting email friends friends all over Australia telling me the details which don’t make the news. In fact, other than a very occasional 15-second news item, the Canberra fires are not on the US news at all. The [New Scientist web site](http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993281) has quite a bit about the Mount Stromlo Observatory. Any word about the Tidbinbilla radio telescope? ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/39 "2003-01-21T12:23:51Z")
Good to hear from you **Swagman** Why not drop into G’Dope and check out the meeting place of the rest of the Aussies/Kiwis. The link is in the sig. ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540/40 "2003-01-21T12:24:57Z")
Of course, adding the damm sig to the post would be helpful:smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushfires-in-canberra-aus/149540.md?page=3)