To ask you to pray for the thousands of people trapped on a beach by fires in Victoria?

[TheClaws]

There are 4000 people from the town of Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia, that is currently being destroyed by fire. They most likely won’t have homes to return to. They all have life jackets on ready to take shelter in the water as embers rain down upon them. Fire personnel have just - as I post - told them to get in the water. Can you imagine how they must feel?

Australia at the moment is burning across 4 states. Where I am it is 45c and the smell of smoke is heavy. It is a terrible summer for us.

Of course, I wasn't thinking about climbing over the sides. I'm a fairly fit adult and wouldn't enjoy that myself. The alternative of being grounded because the airlift can't get through is horrendous though.

Yes I read that children younger than school age can’t be evacuated by boat and are stranded. Very worrying.

So it's families with babies and toddlers mostly left on the beach now? Why can't they be evacuated by sea?

Yes why can't young children be evacuated by boat?

Because they are being air lifted by helicopter, as they are too small to climb the rope ladder on to the ship.

The ship is a working vessel not a cruise liner, and is too large to a dock close to shore, so ingress for small people (ie children), and those with mobility issues is not safe and those people have already been taken in by helicopter.

Don’t worry, aussies aren’t abandoning their children willy nilly.

I didn't think they were just abandoning the children, I just didn't know why and had vague thoughts that it was perhaps to do with children being out for too long in the smoky air- they've had to be kept inside, haven't they?

If things really do get desperate and the planes/helicopters can't fly, I would expect a Dunkirk style rescue.

Nobody is going to get left to burn.

But how would there be a Dunkirk style rescue? The idea is nice, but it would not be practical. The naval ships have taken (I think) 72 hours to get to them- and then when they have who they have it is a further 19 hours to get to port. It is not the English channel. The distances are vast.

Absolutely disgusting that a government has behaved like this in a developed country in this day & age. I hope heads bloody roll for it and they aren’t allowed to forget it. I have donated to charities involved but can assure you it did not make me feel any better in the slightest about the human and animal suffering going on.

But how would there be a Dunkirk style rescue?

It could be done. At a 10 knots it would take about a day and a half to get there from Melbourne. 10 knots is a reasonable speed for many small craft but sea conditions would need to be favourable.

The navy ships are capable of much more and in heavier seas so I presume it was a matter of positioning for the 72 hour voyage.

Out on a limb here as this is really DH's suggestion.

it must be a difficult risk assessment -
Child/baby may fall climbing rope ladder whilst attached to an adult (sling etc)

Child/baby may need urgent hospital care due to smoke inhalation as air rescue not possible.

Child/baby may die if unable to control the fire direction.

There is no doubt they are taking a risk but I hope it isn’t the wrong choice.

From what I gather, these fires can change direction in minutes, and at great speeds. I don't think boats a day and a half away would be any good if the immediate risk increased

I would love to see a Royal commission enquiry on the impact of the diversion of river water to coal mines on the severity of the drought and bushfires.

^^
Me too. But it's not gonna happen. To put it bluntly, they couldn't give a shiny shit.

Worth a try Phone. The dreadful situation can't be sustainable as it is.

Yes. Apparently, HMAS Adelaide has been sent now. She may have better facilities available to board infants and the infirm.

www.news.com.au/national/unprecedented-callup-of-defence-force-troops-planes-and-ships-in-response-to-bushfires-crisis/news-story/87f1b19c3cf051cc6957a62daf03638e

The govt has been so bloody slow to kick into action... I'm still praying for every poor sod who is stuck, the firefighter volunteers, and of course the poor animals.

Woken up outside Canberra to thick smoke and dark orange sky, The wind changed around 10.30 last night after a 44 degree day - it was a cool change but brought the smoke from the East coast fires. Lots of reports of breathing difficulties on FB. We have no fires nearby and are so much better off than others but it’s deeply unsettling.

It’s all right though, @yolofish, Scotty from Marketing has made a video so everything will be just fine.

There is a lot of anger on the ground here in Australia. The liberal party and Scott Morrison only won the election by a very narrow margin and there were lots of scare tactics used which unfortunately many of the less politically savvy in the community fell for, including my parents. Now, many (not all) that voted them in have realised they made a terrible mistake.

I feel like there is a big gap in this country between the more conservative voters who tend to be older, poorer, rural and new immigrants and the younger, urban and more middle class. Within my own family I can see this gap in action.

Hope you’re okay in Canberra crabb. I have family there and I’m worried about them. My mum told me I was being silly and they would be fine because they’re ‘smart people’ but I don’t think she understands how bad things are there.

That ad. I just, I am running out of words...

He must have been really shit at marketing, tbh.

The ad has taken me to a new level of anger. There have been the most wonderful generous donations ($500,000 from Pink!) but our federal government has behaved shamefully.

Scotty from Marketing has made a video...

twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP/status/1213330419044638722

Jesus wept. What a fucking wanker.

He really is. Now he doesn't want to play the blame game. But couldn't resist throwing the Greens bullshit in again.

We know who to blame Scott, we blame YOU.

I think this man sums up the general feeling in Oz right now: www.google.com/amp/s/7news.com.au/news/bushfires/australia-bushfires-firefighters-expletive-laced-rant-at-scott-morrison-c-633134.amp

This response on that Twitter thread with the video:
Kon Karapanagiotidis
‏Verified account @Kon__K
20h20 hours ago
Replying to @ScottMorrisonMP

When do we get the extended directors cut that shows 4 years of inaction, cuts to our fire services, a refusal to engage with former fire chiefs or act on climate change? You’ve got time for propaganda ads but no time for leadership, genuine empathy or an actual plan. Shameful.

LOL to someone denying the smoke on the south island of NZ. What a fricking tosspot.

Idiots. I have seen it and there's no doubt it was smoke.

From IAmNotAWitch's 7News link

"I don't take it personally, I just see it as a sense of frustration and hurt and loss and anger at what is the ferocity of these natural disasters," Morrison told reporters in Bairnsdale, eastern Victoria, on Friday.

"People are angry, if they want to direct that at me, that is up to them. It is not something that will distract me, it is something I will empathise with."

He's sticking to the 'natural disaster' narrative and basically shrugging his shoulders, as if human activity didn't cause the disaster (on the global scale, as in global worming and on his personal part, as in his party's policies) and human effort can do nothing to mitigate it.