The Daltaí Boards: Fires in Australia/dóiteáin san Astráil

A Sheosamh, a chara,
Go raibh maith agat. So far so good...(fins crossed). I live about 30-40 kms from the most recent front in the Blue Mountains, and can see the smoke on a pretty daily basis.

About 70 homes (I believe) across the entire state of New South Wales ( an area which roughly equates to Texas) have been destroyed so far. However the loss of bio-resources/diversity (many of the fires are burning in National Parklands) will have shattering long-term implications. Many Australian native trees actually propagate after fires, and so many of these will rapidly regenerate....but, the 1000's of native animals (some of them endangered or threatened species) and their established ecosystems have been swept away.

The acts of our Australian Fire and other Emergency services has been in the same vein as the selfless heroism shown by their American (and other) involved in aftermath of September 11. We have seen hundreds of permanent, part-time and volunteer fire-crews give up their own personal family holidays to travel interstate to assist in this crisis. People travelling for up to 48 hours, working often without adequate sleep and food, and working in terrifying conditions to protect others and their homes. We have seen a fire-fighter return from protecting others homes to find his own in ashes, who then displayed a remarkably philosophical demeanour in accepting this. Really, what the world needs is more of this sort of behaviour OUTSIDE of times of crisis and tragedy.

Miraculously, there has been no loss of human life. Damages at the moment are conservatively estimated at around $70 million AusDollars. Stay tuned to this thread, and I will find details for any kind souls wishing to make donations or contributions to those rendered homeless by this disaster.

Is mise le meas,
Creag 'Fintan' Batty