# The Australian Heat **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 7, 2009, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795 "2009-02-07T09:36:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/81 "2009-02-13T09:44:27Z")
> [@BigNik](#): > > They’ve caught and charged someone over one of the fires that killed at least 21 people. If he’s guilty, he’s going to be off to Supermax for a few decades. More likely he would end up somewhere like Ararat (or a comparable interstate institution) rather than Barwon Max facility. They like to save the _suites_ there for the really hard-core violent crims, not the pathetic little firebugs who twiddle their dicks to kiddie porn. Nope, he’ll end up with the other freaks and misfits in some boondock prison where nobody will ever hear of him again. Good riddance I reckon. > [@](#): > > He didn’t appear in court today because he was “in a fragile mental state”. I’m not bloody surprised. Again, I think the reason there was no appearance was to avoid the possiblity of a lynch-mob attacking him during transfer from cells to the court rather than his mental state. Probably wise under the circumstances…what this bloke did was really ugly, but a bunch of mad citizens with revenge on their minds might be even uglier. Better to avoid the problem in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/82 "2009-02-13T17:30:46Z")
> [@BigNik](#): > > The rational answer is to treat your house as unfortunately expendable - insure it, update the insurance every couple of years to make sure that it’ll cover a full rebuilding… Wouldn’t insurance on such a house be really expensive? It’s hard to imagine that an insurance company would fall in with a plan to rebuild from scratch every 10 to 20 years unless the amount they receive was quite a bit more than is typical. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/83 "2009-02-13T21:39:42Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > More likely he would end up somewhere like Ararat (or a comparable interstate institution) rather than Barwon Max facility. I’d doubt it - keep in mind that this guy is probably going to have to be in protextive custody from the minute he hits gaol to the minute he leaves. I admit that I don’t know how Victoria handles that sort of thing - NSW uses Supermax for the most-protected as well as the most-protective. > [@xema](#): > > Wouldn’t insurance on such a house be really expensive? It’s hard to imagine that an insurance company would fall in with a plan to rebuild from scratch every 10 to 20 years unless the amount they receive was quite a bit more than is typical. Yep. Bushfire insurance in a prone area costs a motza. And the insurers have already said that premia are going up by 10-20% next year. To speak to Lynne’s reference to the water catchments, 100% of Melbourne’s catchment areas have been hit by these fires. I was reading last night that due to water being retained by trees for regrowth, any rains over the next 50 years will only deliver 80% as much water to the catchments as would have previously been expected, and water will be tainted by the retardants used for the next five years. ABC News had a similar piece, with everyone being very careful not to say that Melbourne’s water will be unpotable in the near future but giving every indication that such a case is somewhere between “on the cards” and “likely”. Lynne, there’s a big issue in Sydney of people chopping down trees to improve views, and wherever a council feels that a tree might have been (not “proven to be”, but that the possibility exists) taken down deliberately they put up a view screen, replant the trees and monitor them until they achieve full height. What are the odds of councils out your way doing something similar for land clearers - replanting their property and shepherding the trees until they’re regrown? ---
**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:** [February 14, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/84 "2009-02-14T00:52:39Z")
At work the other day… Mrs Customer: Hello? Cazzle: Oh hello, this is Cazzle calling from OurStore to let you know that your order has come in and your toner cartridge is ready to be picked up. Mrs Customer: Oh. I don’t need it now. I don’t have the printer anymore. It went up in smoke with the rest of the house. I wonder how many times we’ll have similar conversations over the coming weeks? With 1800+ houses destroyed in the state, including 80% of the nearby town of Callignee, it’s probably going to come up again. On the bright side, because she’d prepaid the order and because I had a copy of her receipt, we were able to issue a full refund at a time when I’m sure an unexpected $130 would come in handy. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/85 "2009-02-14T01:23:47Z")
Sometimes it’s the little details that hit home… ---
**Author:** ![bathsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@bathsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bathsheba)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/86 "2009-02-14T02:18:47Z")
> [@lynne-42](#): > > So we have started a fund to make the kids a promise - we will pay for them to choose their own new pet - puppy, kitten - whatever they want. And the fund will cover all the vaccinations, worming, food and allowing the kids to choose baskets, toys and so on. They can get the pet when they are ready, but the counsellors were saying that making the promise is something they can look forward to and plan for. Do you have details for this fund? ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/87 "2009-02-14T05:14:03Z")
Hi **bathsheba** - thank you for your interest. The details are on my website, through my SD Profile. I did ask the mods of MPSIMS about posting about it, but they haven’t replied yet, so I am not sure what the SD protocols are. We are getting a lot of feedback that this sort of emotional support for the kids when the heat dies down, as the saying goes - is already being asked for. People so incredibly grateful for being able to reassure kids that they will get a new dog or cat. So promises are being made which we will keep, no matter if it is our own pockets. The vet has also been approached about some older people who are also grieving their pets, and live alone. We hope to be able to help them too. My elderly neighbour is the toughest woman I know, and lives alone swearing she would never leave the house, but she is shaken for the first time ever. Pets wouldn’t be covered by other funds which, naturally, are focusing on housing and community resources like halls and schools. What we want to do is give the kids a whole control thing - do all the choosing of the pet and all the stuff that goes with them. Planning and choosing should be a major distraction. Well, that’s the goal. So I’d really appreciate any help you can give - or send the information to anyone you think might understand. Please feel free to PM me, or email via the website. Interesting comment about the trees, **BigNik**. I have no idea about such things. It will be a while before Nillumbik gets past dealing with the huge area lost to the fires. Gossip coming through - as so much is within the community at this time - about the best way to fire proof our homes given we are going to be here for a few more fire seasons at least. There is an opinion of ‘experts’ - and this is hearsay only - that a cellar is a total no-no, due to lack of oxygen or something. Anyone who hears anything on that and can point to a cite would be much appreciated. Some are warning against a bunker away from the house means that you have to leave it and stop fighting the embers. The risk is running to the bunker. Others are advising that the bunker should be away from the house. Our water tank is away from the house, so now we don’t know if that is the right place to build it. The next comment being quoted - again not cited - is that you are much better to bunker the house, if it is brick and has other key features, which ours does. Things like limited valleys in the roof (we have none), metal window frames (OK so far), metal shutters (will need them) and so on. I am so confused. Today I had to concede that my precious north-facing garden, and the gorgeous tree that the birds sit on to come down to their water and feed table, will have to be leveled. We’ll pave, then limited plants allowed back. It will just have to be done. Seems a small thing compared to others who have lost family, and homes and everything. So I will just have to see it as a new entertaining area. ---
**Author:** ![bathsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@bathsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bathsheba)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/88 "2009-02-14T07:05:29Z")
> [@lynne-42](#): > > The details are on my website, through my SD Profile. I donated and I’ve forwarded your text and the details to friends and family. I hope they forward the email and the vets get lots of donations. ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/89 "2009-02-14T07:11:49Z")
Thank you so much! It actually makes me teary to think of strangers doing that. I really appreciate it and I know the people will really benefit in the next few weeks and months - when they are ready. I just went up to the St Andrews relief center. We need to go through road blocks at the moment to keep non-locals out and give those returning some privacy. The police were saying that some people are managing to bypass them via back roads and photographing people in their burnt out yards as they search for anything left, adding even more to their distress. Isn’t that disgusting? I really don’t understand such insensitivity. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/90 "2009-02-14T07:26:50Z")
> [@lynne-42](#): > > I just went up to the St Andrews relief center. We need to go through road blocks at the moment to keep non-locals out and give those returning some privacy. The police were saying that some people are managing to bypass them via back roads and photographing people in their burnt out yards as they search for anything left, adding even more to their distress. Isn’t that disgusting? I really don’t understand such insensitivity. Two words: Chequebook Journalism. I think it’s disgraceful that people are doing that to the residents and survivors- they’ve suffered more than enough, leave them the hell alone and let them rebuild their lives in peace. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/91 "2009-02-14T11:20:36Z")
> [@](#): > > _lynne-42_ > There is an opinion of ‘experts’ - and this is hearsay only - that a cellar is a total no-no, due to lack of oxygen or something. No cite, but as I heard it explained on the radio: dugout good, cellar bad because if your house starts to burn above your cellar it takes your oxygen. ---
**Author:** ![lynne-42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lynne-42/32/3138_2.png) [@lynne-42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynne-42)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795/92 "2009-02-14T12:45:47Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Two words: Chequebook Journalism. I didn’t think of that. Disgusting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-australian-heat/484795.md?page=4)