Devastating Bushfires - Image of Hope

[MikeAUS]

Found this image while looking thru a set online. It really caught my eye. Bushfires - the worst in history - have taken their toll here. What do you think of this image?
Click to view.
thirsty koala.jpg

[Lilserenity]

It's the delightful side of humanity and the animal kingdom. Bless that Koala's non-existent cotton socks! ^^;

[jmilkins]

While there will be many heartwarming images and stories of amazing courage and survival I am afraid that it is not over yet.

I am sitting helpless and yet safe (I think) only a few kilometres from the fires and yet here I am on RFF becasue I'm coming close to overload. 4 friends have survived somehow, but work colleagues are gone. The grief is as thick as the smoke.

I am becoming cynical about the inanity, insensitivity and intrusiveness of certain commercial TV media. A microphone and camera thrust into the face of man trapped for 3 days with his dead family in the ruins of his home "so tell us how you feel.."

The circling media helicopters like vultures for a scrap of a story, their rotor beats like the water bombing helicopters traumatising the survivors like Vietnam Vets must experience.

But we can help in a small way - if you wish to reach out to another human being, across the valley or across the world please consider: Australian Bushfire Donation through Red Cross

If you can face local newsprint coverage The Age

[Keith]

Originally Posted by jmilkins

While there will be many heartwarming images and stories of amazing courage and survival I am afraid that it is not over yet.

I am sitting helpless and yet safe (I think) only a few kilometres from the fires and yet here I am on RFF becasue I'm coming close to overload. 4 friends have survived somehow, but work colleagues are gone. The grief is as thick as the smoke.

I am becoming cynical about the inanity, insensitivity and intrusiveness of certain commercial TV media. A microphone and camera thrust into the face of man trapped for 3 days with his dead family in the ruins of his home "so tell us how you feel.."

The circling media helicopters like vultures for a scrap of a story, their rotor beats like the water bombing helicopters traumatising the survivors like Vietnam Vets must experience.

But we can help in a small way - if you wish to reach out to another human being, across the valley or across the world please consider: Australian Bushfire Donation through Red Cross

If you can face local newsprint coverage The Age

Hi John,

I can only imagine how you must be feeling at this moment ... thousands of kilometers away here in Brisbane I feel grief like I've never felt before for any disaster that has occured in this country. The survivors of this period of absolute horror in Australia's history have to carry with them for the rest of their lives, what they have seen and experienced.

The media will always be the media unfortunately and for the next few weeks we will see time and time again the type of event repetition that the people in the US had to suffer after 911 and Katrina via their televisions.

May you have the strength and resolve to deal with this unprecidented disaster and please know that a lot people in this country are feeling your pain ... we wish the state of Victoria and it's battered population a speedy recovery and movement back towards normality!

Regards ... Keith in Brisbane

[jmilkins]

Thank you for your kind words and thoughts Keith. I'm alright - I'm on the sidelines. Front row seat to a tradgey. But really we're all in the same boat eh - floods the size of South Australia in your home state,bushfires here, freezing cold snaps in London etc etc. And yes this reporting of suffering must trigger memories of other natural and unnatural disasters. Not good.

The reports of deliberate firebugs starting some of these local fires will be outweighed by the reports of the generousity of the human spirit as shown in your best wishes and the rising donations.

all the very best

[john341]

I have seen some heart-wrenching pictures from the fires in Vixtoria. This photo puts a different direction on the meaning of help and support - brilliant!

[st3ph3nm]

Hi John,

Sorry to hear about the loss of friends. A mate of mine in Marysville also didn't make it out. Where abouts are you? It's surreal, I remember the Ash Wednesday fires, and the smoke creating a pall across the whole city - but this time around sitting in the SE suburbs of Melbourne you wouldn't know what's going on just 30km away from here. I hope you stay safe.

Cheers,
Steve

[MikeAUS]

Originally Posted by Lilserenity

It's the delightful side of humanity and the animal kingdom. Bless that Koala's non-existent cotton socks! ^^;

The Koala is being treated at a wildlife shelter.
on the mend koala.jpg

[jmilkins]

Hi Steve. Heartfelt sympathies to you. I did not have the devestaing loss of close friends and am so thankful for that. What else can we say just now -it is still early and everyone is affected to a greater or lesser degree.

A small 130 ha fire got to within about 6 km as the crow flies at Mernda. But outside at our place there was little hint of it, as the wind blew the wrong way mostly. so we are lucky. a lot lucky.

[Solinar]

I'm across the globe in Austin, Texas but my condolences go out to everyone affected by last week's bush fires. My understanding was that the at times the fire storm was traveling at upwards to 2 miles every few minutes. As much as we love nature, it can be terrifying when things go wrong. Such a tragic event.

[jamsbrown]

This is really a heart touching photo.