Fires

Guys, I don't know what to say. I know you've probably seen all the news footage, and are as horrified as we here in Melbourne are. My previous post was so premature. There are 181 confirmed dead and over 50 unidentified bodies on top of that. To put this in perspective, until this weekend 470 people had died in fires in Australia since 1900. This deathtoll is like nothing we've seen before.

We know about fire in this country. We have fire plans. We have an unbelievably heroic volunteer fire force in the Country Fire Authority (many of whom will be traumatised for years to come by what they have seen). We have bushfires every year. Some of you will recall the fires a couple of years ago that burned for over a month. Even so, this event is unprecedented. So many homes lost, lives lost, livelihoods destroyed.

Like so many Australians, I have been glued to the news sites, TV and radio, listening, watching, trying to take it in.

Here's a recent summary, and a gallery of photos. For those of you who can stomach more, there are many more stories at the Herald Sun or The Age (newspaper) websites.

At work, we check the updates in our lunch hour and struggle to comprehend it together.

The Yarra Valley was about to host the annual Grape Grazing Festival--it has been called off, so many vineyards reduced to ashes.

The Healesville Sanctuary, a popular tourist attraction where native Australian animals are kept in natural conditions, was evacuated--the animals moved to city zoos. 10,000 native animals were not so lucky.

There are fire still burning, and there is a race against time to get them under control before the temperatures rise again. It's not over yet.

There are appeals on all the major TV networks, radio stations and through banks and supermarkets. The response so far has been incredible--I think everyone desperately wants to be able to do something to help.

This Friday, Coles supermakets will donate their day's profits to the bushfires, so we will be doing our monthly shop there.

I am collecting resources for the RSPCA, who put out an urgent call for blankets, bedding, cat and dog food and containers for animals to drink out of, as they are being overwhelmed with animals--pets, livestock and native animals--in desperate need of care.

For anyone that wants to help, here are some links:
- information on appeals
- The Red Cross Appeal
- more links to appeals
- a special 'Virtual Dog Show' fundraiser.

Vidding for the Victorian bushfire appeal

I have never done this before, but I am offering to vid to raise money for the bushfire appeals. I will ask the highest bidder to make a donation to either the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal or the RSPCA Bushfire Appeal (if you prefer to help animals).

In return, I will make a vid of your choosing in one of the following fandoms:
- Smallville
- Battlestar Galactica
- Sarah Connor Chronicles
- Friday Night Lights.

My previous vids can be viewed here.

I have screened comments and will edit this post regularly so it contains the current highest bid (assuming there are any!). This auction will remain open until midday Saturday 14th February, Melbourne time (that's Fri 2am London time, 9pm NY time).

Please remember: if you live in Europe or the US, your currency will go a long way here in Australia. Even a small donation will go a long way, so please bid if you can.

Obligatory tear-jerky photo:

(I couldn't face putting up a photo of the devastation--you can find them easily yourselves. Also this image may be cute, but this koala must be very distressed to let someone touch it like that.)

If you have any questions, please comment or message me. Any promotion of this post gratefully received.

CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $200 US ($305.30 Australian)--WOW!
AUCTION CLOSED