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Post by khoas on Jan 31, 2009 19:23:04 GMT -5
If all right with everyone else it a deal . It would make it 25 C here today.
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Post by khoas on Jan 31, 2009 19:32:49 GMT -5
Good ol' climate chaos... or climate change... something that has been around for a very long time... Looks like you need to try my free PlantTrakker software! I would be interested in trying it. It is bit tricky keep up with losses and new stock.
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Post by khoas on Feb 1, 2009 0:44:59 GMT -5
Growlist updated! Add Drosera that have germinated and some sarra I brought. Still got some sarra seedling to add.
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Post by khoas on Feb 7, 2009 20:46:30 GMT -5
The heatwave has finally broken. In Victoria things were far more terrible, yesterday Melbourne reach 48 C and firestorms are burning through the state. Confirmed 61 people have died in the firestroms. Over 600 homes have destoryed. At least 2 towns only exist in name.
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Post by brian on Feb 8, 2009 6:51:40 GMT -5
I was seeing that on CNN, its just horrible. I hope rain or something comes soon.
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Post by dvg on Feb 8, 2009 9:18:09 GMT -5
That is very tragic. Hopefully, you folks down under can get a reprieve in the weather soon.
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Post by lloyd on Feb 8, 2009 19:53:02 GMT -5
Hopefully the weather will break soon.
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Post by khoas on Feb 9, 2009 2:02:12 GMT -5
The Victorian firestorms are now worst natural event in Australian history. At least 131 people have died and over 750 homes gone. It is thought that the death total will double. Police cannot get into many places because it too dangerous. It is believe an arsonist lit the Maryville fire. The area that was Maryville is decleared a major crime scene. A southernly change has moved in (Cool change) but only rain will actually put out the fires quickly. This pale the Ash Wednesday fires of 26 years ago where 57 people died. I actually remember Ash Wednesday fire, you don't forget seeing all the hills around Adelaide in flames.
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Post by brian on Feb 9, 2009 16:51:02 GMT -5
I don't understand why there are so many fatalities. Are emergency services not issuing evacuation orders fast enough, are there no planned evacuation routes or are people just ignoring advice until its too late? Anyway, Australia is a big place so I hope you are safe where you are.
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Post by lloyd on Feb 9, 2009 19:52:49 GMT -5
I think everything is so hot and tinder dry that the fires zoomed around creating fireballs that blasted all over the place. There was no time to get out of the way. Also some of the fires were arson, probably designed to cause the most damage.
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Post by prmills on Feb 9, 2009 21:14:46 GMT -5
This is sad... I hope this stops soon for you guys.
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Post by khoas on Feb 10, 2009 3:40:38 GMT -5
I think everything is so hot and tinder dry that the fires zoomed around creating fireballs that blasted all over the place. There was no time to get out of the way. Also some of the fires were arson, probably designed to cause the most damage. The firestorms are made much worst by our native vegetation and 12 years or more of drought. The weather conditions in Victoria on Saturday were ideal for a prefect storm. Record heat (in the high 40 C), and strong, gusting northern wind, all was needed was a spark. About 1/3 of Victoria is involved in these bushfires. When bushfire get really going it generate it own weather. It can produce hurrcane strenght winds which push the fire forward. A fire sruge can cover 20 km or more in a few minutes. This what happen to Kingslake. The wind change in the early eveing on Saturday and within halfhour Kingslake was gone. People who witness the fire have called it the 'Mother of all bushfire. There is standing policy of either stand and fight the fire or run early. These fires moved so fast many of those try to run died in their cars. Many of those try fight the fire and save their homes died. Firestorms kill by radient heat and smoke as well by the flame themselves. Houses catch alight and new fires occurs well before firefront arrived through ember attacks. These are basically rains of burning embers thrown up by the fire. On top of this fires have tendency run up gullies and come up behind you. Around the firefront you get fireballs of flamming gases and fire cyclones through strong winds. Birds trying fly over fire front will died from the heat. There is royal commesion (Bad Spelling) to see how to improve the responce to such fires.
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Post by mabudon on Feb 10, 2009 11:35:32 GMT -5
Yeah I have seen pictures or multi-car smash-ups that are burned almost to ash, the firestorm effect must be making it WAY worse than just a huge blaze.
It is almost Pompei-like how quickly the destruction is spreading. From what I understand, it might not be so bad if controlled burns had been possible in the past decade, but from what is happening now I can see why fire of any sort has been avoided as much as possible
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Post by brian on Feb 10, 2009 17:21:29 GMT -5
I'm hearing on CNN that a stay-and-defend option is given to people in the path. Maybe a mandatory evacuation, designated routes with brush clear cut for hundreds of meters on each side.. but khoas would have a better picture of the situation than I. Besides, all this is set up in the US for hurricanes but stupid people stay on the sand islands for "hurricane parties". Even in Canada, my sister from Vancouver once told me there was a tidal wave warning and people rushed down to the beach hoping to see it come in. At least lives lost would be their own decision, discouraged by the authorities but still their choice?
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Post by khoas on Feb 11, 2009 2:12:17 GMT -5
Yeah I have seen pictures or multi-car smash-ups that are burned almost to ash, the firestorm effect must be making it WAY worse than just a huge blaze. The smoke caused the crashes, you simply cannot see past the hood of the car. The radient heat and fire did the rest. A firestorm can boil the water in a large raintank (5000 litres +), this was found out the hard way in the Ash Wednesday fires of 26 years ago. (Ash Wednesday fires occur across both South Australia and Victoria. Think of basically a 2.000km fire front). This is when I heard of the term 'Firestorm' Only good thing that native trees don't go off like a gerenda like the Pine trees. It is almost Pompei-like how quickly the destruction is spreading. From what I understand, it might not be so bad if controlled burns had been possible in the past decade, but from what is happening now I can see why fire of any sort has been avoided as much as possible Control burns are needed for several reasons, reduce fuel load, and renew the forest. Many natives need fire for germination or opening the seedpods. This does included carnivorous plants. However there many locations where it is not possible to do this. These fires are still going with 6 major fires still out of control. Some bastard lit two more yesterday. Over 750 homes are gone, several towns only exist in name and there is confirmed deaths of 181. This will rise. Only silver lining of this disaster is South Australia somehow manage to avoid sharing in Victoria fate, so far. It will happen here sooner or later.
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