zzazzb Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 They are saying that the fires actually generated their own thunderstorms, complete with lightning and wind gusts i read about that, its so ... wierd for lack of better word.
SAB Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 ^^ apparently the fires are so intense, that all the smoke and ash coagulates into a giant cloud reaching up to 12km high, and all the particles within it are crashing about in the extreme turbulance, generating static thus creating lightning. This phenomenon is known as a Pyrocumulus cloud. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrocumulus_cloud
zzazzb Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/bushfires/ some of these pictures are incredible.
Lesley Bee Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 I hate seeing things like this, its so terrifying to watch, so i can't imagine how devastating it must be for the people who are actually going through it, my heart goes out to all the families who have lost a loved one.
jenlee Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 Was watching the news tonight, some of the scenes with the hills blazing in the darkness are definately the fitting image of hell. As horrible as it sounds, that is the perfect way to describe it. I was watching it on the news earlier and it's just horrible. My thoughts go out to every one effected.
emmasi Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 I don't think the number of people, houses, properties and animals lost in Victoria has sunk in for me yet. I don't really know anyone personally who lives down there, and the images and stories coming out of the place are so extreme that it feels like I'm watching some B-grade natural disaster movie, where you know that that nothing like that would EVER happen in real life... except that it is happening. It's about the first time that the news has used the word "horrific" and it hasn't felt like a dramatization. This is the very definition of horrific. I'm a bit worried about the NSW fires too. My house backs onto Brisbane Water National Park. Last time I checked, the fire was nowhere near me - and for all I know it might have been put out by now - but that was hours ago and the wind has come up... I'm just being paranoid, but It's still a bit troubling. So many people have already lost so much.
Dean Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 Are you near the ones burning at Peats Ridge, Jem?
Symphony Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 I hate seeing things like this, its so terrifying to watch, so i can't imagine how devastating it must be for the people who are actually going through it, my heart goes out to all the families who have lost a loved one. Exactly, and, I was also thinking of the people who are afraid of fire .... Might sound weird, and I know most people wouldn't think of that, but as I have a phobia of fire myself, that would be one of my first thoughts - if anyone down that way has a phobia of fire, it'd be like their worst nightmare becoming reality...!
SAB Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 I'm stunned by the magnitude of this disaster. Many of the decimated towns haven't even been searched yet, and as such the death toll is expected to exceed 100. The towns of Marysville and Kinglake are literally wiped off the face of this Earth. Down here in Melb, we were chocked by extremely thick smoke yesterday arvo, virtually as thick as fog although if you step outside now, you wouldn't think anything out of the ordinary was happening. Melbourne and most of the state is expected to be blanketed in thick smoke haze from about mid week onwards as winds turn E-NE'ly. There is absolutely no rain forecast in the near future either. And to think there is so much rainfall in north Queensland, equal to Melbourne's yearly total in a single week, flowing out to sea... There are reports of smoke haze on New Zealand's south island.
emmasi Posted February 8, 2009 Report Posted February 8, 2009 Are you near the ones burning at Peats Ridge, Jem? No. Miles away really. Fire moves fast though, and I'm about to go to sleep in my wooden house surrounded by trees so... paranoid I feel like I've been getting signs that something dramatic is about to go down, but I'm not really worried about myself or my human family. I'm 99.9% confident that we'll be absolutely fine, and that if it comes to it, we may even have a chance to pack some stuff into the car and get out. I'm more worried about my cats getting trapped or lost, and me not knowing how to find them again. I also volunteer at the pound (where we do not get many cats...), and I get worried about the dogs. If a fire came through there in the middle of the night... *shudder* It's stupid really, but thanks for your concern. I'm going to go to bed and see if I REALLY have something to worry about in the morning
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