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Permalink Reply by Tony P on January 31, 2009 at 6:04pm

This is from the CFA public site, a snippet about the Delburn fire:
"Firefighting crews will continue to work on the Delburn Complex fires over night with approximately 400 CFA and DSE firefighters, 127 DSE and 113 CFA trucks, 21 bulldozers and 14 aircraft working on asset protection, direct attack and construction of control lines. The fire is now 6290 hectares.

Property losses are still being assessed, with the loss of 28 houses and 42 sheds confirmed at this stage. Further assessment will continue tomorrow. "

6290 hectares is about 15,500 acres. Mostly bushland (forest if you like) has been burnt. The ICC are confident, but it could always go pear-shaped.

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on January 31, 2009 at 8:15pm

I don't know which of your fire services actually send people here, but we do get them from the west coast. I've not worked directly with any Yanks, though I've spoken with them at an ICC and a staging area, but I have worked with Canucks and Kiwis.

I think that bringing in people from other countries benefits us all - work together and learn together. The numbers sent show that we're not providing manpower, we're providing each other with different expertise, different experience. It's about education.

There has been resistance to and complaints about this sort of thing though. The union that represents the mainly structural career firefighters in this State have been very vocal in their complaints. They seemed to think that the money being spent on bringing in overseas teams should be spent on overtime for off duty career firefighters here. As I said above, this isn't about manpower, it's about education - with around 50,000 volunteer FF's in the State, we're not short of people.

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Permalink Reply by Aussie_Wildfire on February 5, 2009 at 8:53pm

It was 45.1 ºC = 113.18 ºF last friday our 3rd highest temp ever recorded in Melbourne Victoria Australia and it's going to be 43 ºC = 109.4 ºF on Sat 02/07/09 with 25 to 35 MPH winds humidity 5- 9 %

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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on February 5, 2009 at 10:42pm

Critical briefing from the Chief Officer - extreme conditions tomorrow
Tomorrow is shaping up as one of the worst days in Victoria's history for fire.

The state is on high alert with all emergency services and support agencies on standby. Extensive planning has us well placed to confront the challenges tomorrow may bring.

There are a number of key elements we need to be aware of in CFA's response to this risk.

The video below is a message I delivered at CFA HQ this morning. I encourage you all to heed the messages in preparation for tomorrow's extreme conditions.

Your safety, whether on the fireground or in support, is paramount. We need you all to support and look out for each other.

Russell Rees
Chief Officer


Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on February 5, 2009 at 11:44pm

Thanks Luke, you made my day... I went for the detailed weather forecast for tomorrow. Forecast for Mt Dandenong:

39C - RH 9% - Wind NNW 65 gusting 105 - Forest Fire Dange Index 153

The simple description for tomorrow is "oh shit". An FDI of 156? That's off the scale! We can hope for the best, hope for a non-event on the fire scale. I'm not holding my breath. I'm not on the Strike Team list for tomorrow, but who knows what will happen.

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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on February 6, 2009 at 2:42am

It's also being heavily reported that the State Coroner's morgue is already at capacity.... :-(

last week they took in record numbers of deceased as a result of the last run of high temps.

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on February 6, 2009 at 7:38am

And that is likely to happen again. The old. The infirm. The very young. The first two are sad, the last is tragic. The idiots that insist on going for their daily run in ridiculous temperatures. This I put into the 'involuntary suicide' category.

Oh, an update from my last post. I'm in the crew if a Pumper Strike Team is called out. As it may well be. We've been told that with the expected intensity of fires tomorrow, that if any look like getting away then we are all on asset protection only - we are not risking firefighter lives on protecting trees, or in attempting to fight the unfightable if it comes to that! Air support unlikely, the weather is expected to keep the choppers on the ground.

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Permalink Reply by John on February 6, 2009 at 8:19am

Be Safe Aussie Brothers and Sisters our prayers will be with each and everyone of you.

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Permalink Reply by Aussie_Wildfire on February 6, 2009 at 6:10pm

Ours is 183 worse that anything we have had before. as I write this at 10am 02/07/09 the bunyip fire aready has 16 feet high flames spreading

PS See Links Above for reports

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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on February 6, 2009 at 6:49pm

Bunyip Fire Map

Burn area map:

Potential Burn Area Due to Spotting

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Permalink Reply by Aussie Fire on February 6, 2009 at 8:37pm

Looks like it is going to turn to shite shortly - many strike teams have been responded from across a vast area in the last 20 minutes and are being deployed to staging areas near the fire in Bunyip State Park which is the fire that Luke put the maps up for earlier. Latest report is that there will be no more aerial water bombing due to the wind intensity.

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Permalink Reply by Aussie Fire on February 6, 2009 at 10:38pm

Unfortunately all hell has broken loose with multiple large fires out of control. One fire has spread to 1200 acres less than 40 minutes after starting, over 30 strike teams are forming up or are already enroute to various fires.

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