Thanks NZ & Canada Fireies

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
BruceK

BruceK

Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Oct 31, 2011
Messages
13,347
Vessel Name
Sojourn
Vessel Make
Integrity 386
There are huge bush/wild fires on the east coast. Some have joined up making even bigger fires. Our firefighters(fireies), many of them volunteers,are getting exhausted, it`s a great help that New Zealand and Canada are sending reinforcements.
Sydney is only affected by smoke so far but the outlying fringes are seeing fires and sprawling Sydney is at risk. We have 40 acres of remnant bushland adjoining home to the west, and hot westerly winds are what drives fires.
Thanks NZ and Canada. Australia has returned the compliment in the past and will doubtless do so again one day.
Most of all, we need rain.
 
News report on the fire north of Sydney with a 60 km firefront, the result of 3 fires joining up. It`s 250,000 hectares of fire.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12...ing-nsw-mega-fire-bigger-than-sydney/11776874
It`s made worse by what is also a cause of the severity, one of our worst ever droughts. Even sourcing water to fight the fires is an issue. Among all the awfulness of it are stories of hero firefighters in action,an animal shelter saved, and the gratitude of communities supporting their firefighters. No rain predicted for now but, maybe soon?
 
Bruce,
I have a great respect for wildfires, and was visiting Aus in 2009 when you had a large loss of life (well over 200) because of fires near Melbourne. I hope for the best for all of Australia. Hopefully the loss of any kind of life can be minimized. Until I visited, I had no real idea of how combustible (almost explosive) your eucalyptus trees (gum trees) are!!!
Glad Canada could help out a bit. Maybe we can send more help.
Good luck to you and all your family and friends. Be safe.
Tom (Ret. Fire Chief)
 
firehoser75 said:
Bruce,
I have a great respect for wildfires, and was visiting Aus in 2009 when you had a large loss of life (well over 200) because of fires near Melbourne. I hope for the best for all of Australia. Hopefully the loss of any kind of life can be minimized. Until I visited, I had no real idea of how combustible (almost explosive) your eucalyptus trees (gum trees) are!!!
Glad Canada could help out a bit. Maybe we can send more help.
Good luck to you and all your family and friends. Be safe.
Tom (Ret. Fire Chief)
Click to expand...
Thanks Tom, it`s appreciated. Weather has eased helping the fire efforts for now but more hot weather coming. We have a wonderful volunteer Rural Fire Service, as well as the professional Fire and Rescue Service.Today a contingent of US firefighters arrived, thanks to them too.
 
A New Year

Celebrations tinged with sadness.Some watch with joy fireworks exploding in the sky,others watch fire crowning from tree to tree burning their homes, businesses, vehicles, farm livestock, wild animals... People took refuge on beaches and small boat launching ramps ready to enter the sea. Something is just not right about that.
NYE fires along the SE coast were horrific. Many homes and structures lost. Firefighters died, people defending homes died, people are missing. I wish I was exaggerating, but I`m not. Army and Navy are involved,approach to coastal towns is safest by sea. The roads are dangerous due to falling burnt trees and other debris. People with burns needing evacuation to specialist burns units can`t be easily evacuated.

The next few days offer respite, tired RFS volunteers will try to create containment lines. Sydney is ok, but yesterday before a strong southerly wind change, it was 42C at home.
These are troubled times, may the New Year bring some rain to extinguish what man cannot.
 
Bruce,

"Happy New Year" (as best as can be expected under the horrible circumstances).
So sorry to hear that conditions are actually worse than in early December. Apparently several additional Canadian firefighters are either there now or on the way, but it sounds like they will be little help. I truly hope that conditions will improve real soon, in a BIG way!!
Keep safe, and may life be protected.
 
I hope you're staying cool down there Sir Bruce.
 
Wayfarer said:
I hope you're staying cool down there Sir Bruce.
Click to expand...
Thanks. We`re fine,but the news is awful. The firefighters, volunteer and professional, are extraordinary. There is film of fire trucks driving through fire,with a "flashover" when fire briefly envelops the truck, before they retreat. Village stores staying open all night to supply free drinking water and food, humanity on display there, and everywhere. People and pets clustered on a beach ready to enter the water. It`s not into Sydney, maybe 80km to the closest fireground, that can change. I have never seen fires as large, as sustained,as early,as out of control, as this. And the people affected,their emotions so raw, their loss so great.
We are expecting more firefighter reinforcements from North America. Our people will appreciate that. Bring some rain if you can!
 
https://wildfiretoday.com/2019/12/05/u-s-and-canada-send-firefighters-to-australia/

Canada and the United States are each sending 21 firefighters down under to assist their Australian brothers and sisters.

The U.S. personnel will be representing the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service. The employees are coming from Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, California, Oregon, Hawaii, and Virginia.

The U.S. firefighters departed from the San Francisco International
Airport on Thursday, December 5. The Canadians arrived in Sydney December 5.

This is the first time Canadian firefighters have been deployed to Australia under the Exchange of Wildland Fire Management Resources Agreement.

The last fire assistance between the U.S and Australia was in August of 2018 when 138 Australian and New Zealand wildfire management personnel worked in the U.S. for almost 30 days to assist with wildfire suppression efforts in Northern California and the Northwest. The personnel from the Southern Hemisphere filled critical needs during the peak of the western fire season for mid-level fireline management, helicopter operations, and structure protection.

The last time the U.S sent firefighters to Australia was in 2010.
 
Great news! As well as regular paid and volunteer firefighters working to protect homes, there are commando like crews who go behind the firefront to somehow attack the fires, I`m not sure what they do or how they do it. Sounds courageous, but then they all are.
The next south east "catastrophic" fire level day is Saturday our time. Preparations continue, as do efforts to get the many vacationers staying in coastal areas out, complicated by fuel for vehicles unable to be pumped as electricity supplies are interrupted and resupply tankers can`t come in easily. Roads are affected by falling burnt and burning trees.Phone services are bad too, both landline and cell/mobile.
 
Glad our folks are helping. Having opposing seasons makes sharing resources easier.

It sounds really horrific. I've been following closely as I lived in the affected area a few years ago and one of my sons is off next week to live in Canberra for a few months.

I hope things don't get much worse this weekend, and that rain comes soon.
 
Jeff, Canberra has been smokey but no fires. Residential streets were burnt some years back. It`s good expensive water bombing aircraft can be used here, and there, though our fire season began early this year.
Hope your son enjoys Canberra. Many Canberrans holiday in the coastal areas currently affected.
 
Last weekend was bad. Lots of forced evacuations after Disaster declarations. Around 500 homes lost. Death toll now around 24. Estimated hectares burnt 6,000,000. Massive stock losses around 100,000 estimated. Kangaroo Island about 1/3 burnt out. Some rain has fallen,not enough to extinguish fires, enough to impede preventative backburning, but it does provide some respite from fires extending, and from the smoke, and heat which was 42.9C at home last Saturday. Army, Air Force and Navy now involved, especially for sea evacuations, emergency helo evacuations and resupplying communities cut off from road supply and by airports closed due to smoke. This won`t resolve until good rain falls, maybe in February.
 
RT Firefly said:
Greetings,
Last I heard 1 million+ animals (wildlife) lost.
Click to expand...
Unsure how that was quantified I did not quote it, but it`s possible. Heat exacerbates fires and directly causes animal and bird deaths. Checking the birds around my bird bath(popular on hot days),there was a magpie on the ground, face down,wings spread,inexplicably in full sun at 43C. I tried to spray water on it, but it rose and flew into some shade. Not sure if it survived.There are pics of koalas drinking from rescuers water bottles, they usually get moisture from the diet of eucalyptus leaves.
 
A good source of news on the fires is www.abc.net.au. Beware of politics,it`s a publicly funded TV/Radio network with strong political leanings which can change reporting to editorial.
What I see, whoever is reporting, is the propensity of owners of burnt property,fire fighters, locals who escaped damage, charity workers, and just about anyone involved, to break down into tears. It`s a very emotive time here, there is going to be a big PTSD hangover after this is over.
At Eden on the NSW south coast a massive stockpile of woodchips for export is on fire, currently huge amounts of sea water are being sprayed on it.
The northern monsoon is finally arriving which should influence southern weather, increasing humidity and chances of rain. These fires are big enough to create their own weather, even dry thunderstorms with lightning,which just causes more fires. Even New Zealand, across the Tasman Sea(aka "the ditch"), is getting smoked.
 
I was a firebomber for 20 years but I’m sadly too far past it now. All my licenses have expired (fortunately I haven’t yet) but I really wish I could help out. I have never seen anything like the ones that are hurting you so badly. Godspeed.
 
Xsbank, thanks. The firebombing aircraft I`ve seen shown in action include a DC10, a 737,the 4 jet engine high wing ? BAC, Air Crane helicopters plus numerous smaller aircraft both fixed wing and helos. I think my state has access to about a hundred, but they get sent where they are needed.
Here near Sydney, in a nearby National Park,fire danger is rated 'low". On Kangaroo Island, and in parts of Victoria, both to the south, there are full on emergencies right now, with hot westerly winds due to be replaced with a vigorous southerly change, cooler but gusting stronger, which push the fire in a new direction. Pity the firefighters, and the locals who are directed to leave( you can be arrested/removed if you don`t), though some who think they are prepared,stay to defend. I cannot imagine the drama being played out in so many lives.
 
Since I last posted,we`ve had positive developments. Mainly rain, on the south east coast,and well inland. It`s raining heavily in Sydney right now.
More firefighters arrived from overseas, USA, New Guinea, a number of Pacific island nations, and 2 C130s with crews from Japan to assist with moving supplies and people around. Countries we`ve helped in their time of need.
It`s unclear if the rain will extinguish all the fires, it`s partly localized storms, but it`s certainly helping. The land is dry and hydrophobic, ash residue makes it less permeable,but with time moisture should penetrate the soil.
There is some flooding, even in Sydney. On TV,we saw an 18 months old child in a rural area first experience rain. It`s like the Dorothea Mackellar poem which describes Australia as a land of "droughts and flooding rains". Too early to call "drought over" but it`s promising, and damp land and bush don`t support fires.

Over 4000 homes were burnt,so much rebuilding is needed. Plus rural fencing, farm equipment,stored hay, pretty much everything in the fire affected areas needs replacing, even livestock lost will have to be bred up over years. There is a blow to the economy and GDP generally, but the recovery phase will bring its own economic activity.
 
Although there is rain on the east coast, southern Queensland had 100mls last night in some places, in the Snowy Mts there were fire emergencies. Still patchy, but way better. Yesterday in heavy rain, I could smell bushfire smoke, must be coming with the southerly air flow.
On a personal note, with a motivating replacement quote of $4K,I had another try at sealing one of 2 2500L water storage tanks. No,of course we have reticulated water supply, but with water saving restrictions,a desal plant running full tilt,dams 40% at best, harvesting rainwater makes sense, and you can ignore current restrictions on hosing etc.There was a spurting leak,I guessed from around one of the 21/2" long 1/2" set screws attaching a tubular steel outside support to the poly tank. I slathered Sikaflex around the threaded hole I can`t actually see, and along the set screw itself, before tightening. Nailed it! The 2 interconnected tanks, empty before the rain began are holding about 3000L at a level well above the old leak, and continuing to fill when showers persist.
 
40C in Sydney today and some fires have sparked back up again. In Melbourne it`s 21C. There are reports a C130 water bomber has crashed over a fireground in southern NSW, and that it was on fire before crashing. Hope this turns out better than it might. If true,it`s not the first firefighting aircraft to get into trouble this year, we had a helicopter in a dam recently, but it`s certainly the largest. It is amazing to see film of the larger aircraft like 737,DC10,etc, operating at such low levels over hilly terrain, often with swirling unpredictable wind gusts,smoke,and fire underneath.


Update:The aircraft was provided by Coulson Aviation USA.Sadly all 3 crew died in the fiery crash. So sorry this has happened. The crew were doing wonderful work much appreciated.Bad things should not happen to good people, but they do.RIP.
 
Last edited:
Soo-Valley said:
RIP, BC just lost three from Port Alberni when their plane crashed fighting the fire
Click to expand...
Just as sorry to hear that sad news.
The C130 here seems to have made a substantial course changes on route towards the fires,and then got into trouble, still well clear of the firegrounds. ?Mechanical.There was a brief emergency radio call. Things will get clearer.
 
Although a Canadian plane, reports here are that the 3 lives lost are all from the USA. Very sad, RIP.
 
LaBomba said:
Although a Canadian plane, reports here are that the 3 lives lost are all from the USA. Very sad, RIP.
Click to expand...
Agreed, I did jump to conclude the Canadian plane was crewed by Canadians. It is no less of a loss that they are American, RIP
 
Coulson Aviation have other planes working on the fires here. Not 100% sure but I think another C130 and a 737. Maybe others. We recruit from overseas for our fire season when it`s not fire season over there.
 
Some suburbs of the federal capital, Canberra,are under real threat today from a fire, I think it`s the one accidentally started by the landing lights of a helo delivering commando firefighters into an strategic area. I get the idea of lighting a fire under our politicians but not like this. Plus it`s hot today and hotter tomorrow, which spells trouble. Fire has got into Canberra suburbs before, it`s a serious risk.
There was a ceremony at a RAAF base for the C130 crew, families and Coulson Aviation reps present. The least we could do. It carried a voice recorder but no "black box". Investigations continue, contrary to early reports it was in action at low altitude, dropped a load of retardant when (as shown by video) it disappeared into heavy smoke, before crashing.
Large sums of money have been raised by donations, maybe half a Billion. The administering charities, maybe taken by surprise,seem slow getting the money where it needs to go. Tennis players here for the Australian Open and other December/January tournaments, have contributed generously, every ace gets a $100 donation.
 
Glad to hear that the fund raising has been successful. The money being slow to make it to where it needs to be is not unusual in these situations.
Our Canadian tennis player Milos Raonic tried his best to help out with the aces. In one of his matches he served 35 aces. Too bad he lost in the quarter finals to Novak.
Here's hoping things improve down there!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

BruceK
Until It Rains
Replies
8
Views
4K
BruceK
BruceK
FF
SFO Crash,
Replies
1
Views
2K
Wxx3
Wxx3

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom