Princess of the World

Canada, please please please turn the tap off when you brush your teeth and drink the tap water while it lasts.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/bushfires/

Updated: I’ve saved a couple of amazing and horrific photos in a flickr album… They are from theage.com.au where there are hundreds more photos, each as shocking as the last.

Fire Photos

It seems strange to some folks here that so many people can die, why don’t they evacuate earlier?  Why stay to protect your house when you can replace it?  Without people implementing their own fire plans, installing sprinkler systems, clearing trees and scrub from near buildings, and helping to fight, the fires would be much worse.  There simply aren’t enough firefighters to save everyone’s houses and land and most houses are lost to embers, not to the big fire itself. Insurance is expensive, especially for some folks up in the bush so if they lose their house, they’ll have no money to replace it.

People protecting their house are a vital part of fighting fires, only this time it was too much for most.  The fire was just too big this time, too quick. Some of the survivors tell of the fire threat going from remote to on top of them in 15 minutes.  Just too quick.

Most firefighters are volunteer firefighters in Australia, locals who train and rehearse and train and rehearse and when the fire alarm rings in their community, they are the people on the front line.  Risking their life for their community, and rushing to other communities to help when they’re needed.  My thoughts are with these women and men who have given up their lives to help their community, and their neighbours.

This photo (also from theage.com.au) was taken by Wayne Hawkins.