I woke up this evening around eight o'clock -feeling tired and irritated. Due to the extensive heatwave that has swept through most of the country this weekend, I had been unable to sleep for nearly two days. I live in the outer suburbs of Sydney (away from the coastline) and the temperatures reached as high as 46 degrees celcius today. I'm a person that prefers the summertime to winter as I tolerate the heat much better than the cold but these high temperatures were just too much to deal with.
I turned on the radio and the first news item was about the out-of-control bushfires in the state of Victoria.I realized as I listened to the broadcast just how lucky I am though. As much as I have complained and been grumpy all weekend over the heat (as many have I'm sure) I am more fortunate than some.
Many towns in Victoria, just north-west of the city of Melbourne,have been completely ruined by the bushfires. The state's Premier John Brumby as described the effect of today's bushfires as "the worst day in our history."
Australia has been plagued many times over the years by bushfires but this weekend's fires have been described as the worst since 1861. The bushfires have even exceeded the devastation that was caused by the Black Friday bushfires of 1939 and the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983.
So far more than 80 people have perished in the fires, with many more unaccounted for. Over 700 homes have been destroyed, livestock and our wildlife animals killed. Over 30,000 firmen and volunteers have been at hand to help control the fires - the fires are still blazing. Although there seems to be some relieve at hand with a southerly change coming though, this change is also having an adverse effect by helping some of the fires to spread even further.
The worst details to come from these bushfires is the fact that some of them have been deliberately caused by fire bugs.
I ask: what kind of evil individuals would purposely cause such devastation to so many?
It is tragic enough that these fires will naturally occur but to have arsonists contribute to this catastrophe is just inconceivable.
As Aussies, we can only hope and pray that these fires will soon be controlled and that the loss of lives will not escalate any further. Last and certainly not least, all our firefighters are to be so highly commended for risking their own lives in the effort to save others.