Jason EganThe Heat is On!
February 20th 2009 07:00
Here we are, well into the new year and wondering where we are headed! The Global Financial Crisis has caught many off guard and destroyed many peoples hopes for a blessed 2009. The climate it going out-the-windy-man with floodsup one end of Australia and fire down the other. And what fires! The devastation caused by the Black Saturday fires has been unbelievable and the amount of people who have been affected by them is far-reaching. The most amazing outcome of thes fires has been the incredible outpouring of support, not just from the people of Victoria but from around the globe.
Just seeing the destruction of whole towns and the innocent faces of victims in the media leaves me feeling that it could have been anyone. Thes men, women and children, were going about their daily lives when all of a sudden a firestorm of unrelenting fury swept through them, giving them little chance of survival. And most who did survive, lost everything. There is current debate going on whether it was the right decision to allow these people to stay and fight for their homes and whether councils and government regulations could have contributed to the loss of over 200 lives and nearly 2000 homes. It is all well and good to try and blame people for what might have been but the fact is the horse has bolted and now there is nothing but grief for the people, including whole families, that have been wiped off the face of the earth.
Could it have been avoided? Probably not. Nature can be cruel and with the current drought and record high temperatures coupled with gale force winds, it is simply a cocktail for disaster. Unfortunately, it is not just nature that can take all the blame. It seems that there are a few nutjobs out there that get their kicks from lighting fires. I cannot fathom what brings an individual to do something so reckless and, considering the conditions on the day, so downright dangerous and destructive. I hope those responsible are now so wracked with guilt that their conscience is slowly killing them, real slowly. Or perhaps they just want to end it all, in which case, being the pacifist i am, i can recommend they pour lighter fluid on themselves and light a match. Too kind i know, but, considering the odds of them doing it again, i'd consider any death of an arsonist a triumph. They have caught one guy( who now is a temporary Australian) and if they don't catch anyone else then he will be held accountable for the whole thing, even if in the eyes of the law he was responsible for 10-20 deaths. In the eyes of the people who have survived and those grieving families, this piece of shit will pay dearly for his crime and hopefully this will deter any future idiots from doing the same thing, but i doubt it. Only a few days ago someone tried to set Mt. Dandenong alight, even after no doubt seeing all the carnage since Black Saturday.
My heart and sincerest condolences go out to those affected, it will be a long hard slog to rebuild and it is something i'm sure you will never forget. I also want to express my pride in the CFA and other services that have gone beyond the call and did their very best to save people and property. The fires aren't over yet, but when they are, i hope those people are given the respect and support they truly deserve. Thankyou.
Just seeing the destruction of whole towns and the innocent faces of victims in the media leaves me feeling that it could have been anyone. Thes men, women and children, were going about their daily lives when all of a sudden a firestorm of unrelenting fury swept through them, giving them little chance of survival. And most who did survive, lost everything. There is current debate going on whether it was the right decision to allow these people to stay and fight for their homes and whether councils and government regulations could have contributed to the loss of over 200 lives and nearly 2000 homes. It is all well and good to try and blame people for what might have been but the fact is the horse has bolted and now there is nothing but grief for the people, including whole families, that have been wiped off the face of the earth.
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