Not that big but that's how much land area has been burnt in the bushfires currently raging out of control in Victoria, Aus. That area has been burnt out in a matter of days.
Fanned by hot, gale force winds and ripping through the very fragile and difficult to access alpine area the fires have threatened towns and destroyed many historic high country huts.
18 homes were lost to fires in Tasmania last night and we've already had a few massive fires in NSW and SA.
With this area (SE Australia) in the grips of a one-in-a-thousand year drought showing no sign of abating after 6 years this summer is going to be disgraceful. Dry electrical storms and d*ckhead arsonists are going to stretch our already stretched resources very thin on the ground.
The Australian bush is basically explosive - eucalyptus oil explodes as the flames start to burn - combine this with hot summer winds and you get fire fronts many kilometres (or miles - the difference doesn't matter here) moving at speeds through the crown of the forest up to 100km/h (65mph). They are simply terrifying - a firestorm a few years ago burnt out ~80% of the Australian Capital Territory (our version of D.C.) in one night - that's how fast they move.
I really don't know where I'm going here, just letting a few of you realise just how grave a situation we're in here at the bottom of the world. If this drought doesn't break soon (and it will take months probably years of constant, dare I say "English Rain" to break it) we are in no uncertain terms "Proper F*cked."
So, just keep us in your thoughts (or prayers if you're that way inclined) because the economic and social consequences of this drought are just awful. Currently in the rural areas of NSW the federal Depression initiative (a mental health operation) has shown figures of one farmer committing suicide every 4 days from drought-related stress and depression as crops and livestock continue to whither and die.
That's it folks, please send some kind thoughts to us down here watching our already brown land burn up or blow away.
Cheers
Chundles.
Fanned by hot, gale force winds and ripping through the very fragile and difficult to access alpine area the fires have threatened towns and destroyed many historic high country huts.
18 homes were lost to fires in Tasmania last night and we've already had a few massive fires in NSW and SA.
With this area (SE Australia) in the grips of a one-in-a-thousand year drought showing no sign of abating after 6 years this summer is going to be disgraceful. Dry electrical storms and d*ckhead arsonists are going to stretch our already stretched resources very thin on the ground.
The Australian bush is basically explosive - eucalyptus oil explodes as the flames start to burn - combine this with hot summer winds and you get fire fronts many kilometres (or miles - the difference doesn't matter here) moving at speeds through the crown of the forest up to 100km/h (65mph). They are simply terrifying - a firestorm a few years ago burnt out ~80% of the Australian Capital Territory (our version of D.C.) in one night - that's how fast they move.
I really don't know where I'm going here, just letting a few of you realise just how grave a situation we're in here at the bottom of the world. If this drought doesn't break soon (and it will take months probably years of constant, dare I say "English Rain" to break it) we are in no uncertain terms "Proper F*cked."
So, just keep us in your thoughts (or prayers if you're that way inclined) because the economic and social consequences of this drought are just awful. Currently in the rural areas of NSW the federal Depression initiative (a mental health operation) has shown figures of one farmer committing suicide every 4 days from drought-related stress and depression as crops and livestock continue to whither and die.
That's it folks, please send some kind thoughts to us down here watching our already brown land burn up or blow away.
Cheers
Chundles.
