# Report of the Victorian Black Saturday Bushfires 07-02-09
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This report was so important when the fires hit 10 months ago 1500views later I re-post it to remind us not to forget just how quickly such utter devastation can be wreaked!
Day 4
There is a photo on the front page of the Melbourne Herald Sun
I just thought you’d like to know the story that goes with it!
Lives lost 173 and still rising
the property loss estimated $2 billion and rising
24 fires still going
Beechworth under major threat
Healesville / Chum Creek under threat again
Bunyip is still threatening towns
Marysville & Churchill – Crime Scenes for suspected Arson
Vs
RED CROSS APPEAL + $20 Million and rising
& I am convinced it is also through our getting the word out into the world via RB too!
BUT WE CAN HELP!!!
Double your donation dollar !!
Buy a PHOENIX APPEAL artwork
& RB will match it dollar for dollar = 200% proceeds to RedCross
& I will post you a set of 6 handwritten signed poems of your choice from my works to say thank you *
Just imagine ....
One card = (under $5) x 1 millon people world wide = $10,000,000 to help!
[oh-oh is RB regretting their pledge? lol]
Chookas!
FEATURED IN
WMG
Thank you!!!
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☼ *TRAGIC UPDATE!!! ☼
♥ Sadly Sam the Koala lost her battle to recover her life ♥
♥ We shall always think of you Sam and what you have done in showing the world the true reason we humans are here on the Earth!
- we must care for the animals and plants on this planet by showing true compassion and care! The animals need to know that they can trust us when they need us! ♥
☼
Dec 09
I must thank you all for the 1500 views of this piece – even nearly a year since the dreadful day the views to this still clock up!
It tells me my words must be important!
Thank you! ♥
☼ NEVER FORGET!!! ☼
☼ NEVER TRUST IT!! ☼
Fire is not selective or compassionate
It wont discriminate or listen to your pleas
It won’t leave you your treasured mementos
and it will scar all your memories for life!
☼ PREPARE and LIVE!!! ☼
NB
A SUPERFIRE can best be described as a TORNADO OF FIRE!
Turning just as fast
Sucking all the oxygen in
Spinning out radiant heat that incinerates instantly
and traveling faster than a car can outrun it!
and don’t forget unlike a train … the wind blows the smoke before the flames!
☼ CLEAN UP!!! DON’T LEAVE EXCESS FUEL FOR SUPERFIRES!!!! ☼
VICTORIAN BLACK SATURDAY BUSHFIRE 07-02-09
◘ Fires Detail
◘ Breaking Artworld News
◘ Marysville – tribute
◘ Bruno Update
◘ Sound Relief—
◘ DAY 4 – 10-02-09
There is a photo on the front page of the Melbourne Herald Sun this morning and you could think it was doctored up.
But appart from the fact that these guys wouldn’t have time to do something like this, my radio station Vega 91.5 is interviewing the man in the shot right now [8:50am10-02-09]
He is a CFA Firey David Tree, he said as he and his team were cruising across a burnt out area looking for flareups when this Koala came strolling across the burnt land. They stopped and David strolled slowly towards the poor girl. He had a bottle of water with him and squatted down to offer it to the dehydrated animal. His mates took the photo of the koala drinking from his bottle and then she put her claw out to hold his hand …..
She is now also in care for all she has gone through.
I have been told that the Healseville Sanctuary have a brilliant fire plan
1 they evacuate their animals to the Melbourne & Werribee Zoos
2 they secure the perimiters with water drenching & constant surveytlance
3 they keep open the Vet Hospital [as long as possible] to receive the wild life needing sanctuary
They had no idea that the media would get hold of it and it will be one of the iconic shots to be used in the face of this tradgedy They took the shot just cos it was a good feeling to help this animal after all she was a survivor of the worst Firestorm in Australian recorded History

Yes this photo will beam all over the world
I just thought you’d like to know the story that goes with it!
NB UPDATE: If you would like a copy of this shot, Rosepepper posted This Shot so that the proceeds go to the care of the Wildlife Survivors
STATISTICS:
The deaths have reached 173 and still rising
the property loss still cannot be calculated [how do you replace whole towns?]
24 fires still going
Beechworth & Healesville are under threat again & Bunyip is still threatening towns
SUPER FIRES
Moondarah / Yarra Super Fire = Toolangi / Healesville / Yarra Glen / Chum Creek
Beechworth Super Fire = Dederang / Gundowring / Gundowring Upper / Glen Creek / Kergunyah South / Mudgeegonga / Running Creek
Yea Murrindindi Super Fire = Yarck / Caveat /Taggerty / Cathedral Lane and Rubicon / Connellys Creek / Acheron / Crystal Creek / Narbethong / Scrubby Creek / Alexandra / Molesworth
100,000 hectares – Threatening Thornton / Snobs Creek / Eildon
Bunyip Ridge Super Fire = The Bunyip Ridge fire, burning 5 kilometres north/north east of Tonimbuk, near Pakenham
25,000 hectares – Threatening Powelltown, Gilderoy, Three Bridges, Basan Corner and Saint Benedicts
Churchill / Jeeralang Super Fire [deliberately set]
Grass
Kilmore East, Dixon Creek, Toolungi, Flowerdale, Wilson Promontory, Humevale, Christmas Hills, Horsham, Licola, Whitelsea, Yaram Jindyvick, Redesdale, Yinnar, Arthur’s Creek, Murmungee, Labertouche, Sunday Creek, Gormandale, Willung South, Wandong,
Forrest
Shelley, Koetong and Darbyshire
Rescue
Mt Duneed [No I dont know who of or how/ why]
CFA CORE ADVICE
Residents in this area may experience smoke and burning embers reaching their properties, and are advised to patrol their houses to find and put out any burning embers that may be landing.
Protect yourself from radiant heat by wearing correct protective clothing consisting of long-sleeved shirts, long pants, sturdy boots and a broad brimmed hat. On no account should synthetic material be worn.
As the fire front approaches, it will be unsafe to be either on foot or in a car as the heat radiating from the fire will be intense. Buildings will offer the best protection during the passage of a fire front. Close all doors and windows and stay inside the house while the fire passes. Remain alert, extinguish any small fires and if necessary, move outside to burnt ground once the fire has passed.
If you are caught on the road, don’t get out and run.
Pull to the side, preferably in an area clear of tall trees and long grass.
Put your hazard lights on and close the windows and vents.
Cover any exposed areas of skin with a woollen blanket and get down as low as possible.
Only when the fire has passed do you get out and move to safety.
Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
Residents away from home should not try to return to the area as access is limited and the roads may not be safe.
Continue to listen to ABC or local radio for updates on this fire
[A Royal Commission into the reasons so many died will review these proceedures]
HELP:
the current toll is $20 million raised to help [5 million added in the preceedure of writing this this morning] we may need three times this to get our world back to even kilter
There will be a huge TV appeal this Thursday night on Channel Nine
The Aussie cricket team are donating their next match payments and there is a $100 for each run & $500 for each six hit pledged.
Other big events are donating their proceedes
The Blood Banks are asking for people to wait a week now so that there will be fresh donations next week – we can’t give for a period of time after having given and so if we all give Now, there will be none for the interum before we can give again
PHOENIX APPEAL
200% proceeds to the Red Cross Fire collection
☼ MY OTHER UPDATE REPORTS
◘ DAY 5 11/02/09
◘ DAY 6 12/02/09
◘ DAY 7 13/02/09
◘ DAY 9 15/02/09
◘ Bushfire’s Map
☼ MY BUSHFIRE WRITINGS
◘ Watercolour Hue
◘ Dear CFA Firey Mine
◘ Face the Beast
◘ To Stand Up and Live
◘ Aftermath Hush
◘ WHY?
◘ Until We Hear the Bush Birds Sing
Paul Louis Vil...
Thank you for sharing Adgray, that pic with the Koala is so uplifting! :D
adgray replied
I am so happy it worked! :O)
I have no idea why I am doing this but I’m doing it!
What else can I do?
Thanks for coming to look
Chookas! xXx
kalaryder
Well documented.
adgray replied
Thanks sweetman
I have to do something!
Chookas! xx
handprintz
Oh now l am crying again ! xxox
adgray replied
yeah me too lol
but such a great pic!
Chookas! xx
blondiegirl
well now i have tears in my eyes, how totally caring and compassionate! After all they have gone through and all they will yet endure to save homes and lives, they stop to offer aid to an animal. I hope the worlds sees this compassion and spirit!!
Thank you for sharing
adgray replied
Not just any animal! Our Iconic awesome human fearing tree dwelling Koala!
To see one in the wild is rare to have one come up to you unheard of but this girl had an instinct these funny yellow clad creatures were stopping that horrible hot ouchy stuff and so would be nice to her
she even let them pick her up and take her to the sanctuary for medical assistance. animals are funny creatures like that they know who will help & who hinders
& they know what to do in a bushfire, if you want to know whether to stay or go look to the animals – if they are running – run! & go their way – it may look like it’s towards the fire but they are finding the places burnt out already and then they find the place to stand in the dead ground and be ok
One bloke found his dog sitting in the middle of a blackened paddock fine [with hot feet tho]
Horses & cows survived in black paddocks because they jumped the flames to the dead ground
Thank you for your compassion!
Chookas! xx
binjy
That is an amazing photo- thanks for passing it on! This is just all too bloody sad :(
adgray replied
Isn’t it! my poor eyes are so sore
I have 4 groups still possibly in danger although I have just heard that the Healesville fire is down-graded
But I havent heard from my Beechworth friends
Definately coming your way in June! ... safer lol
Chookas! xx
georgiegirl
Thanks for the info behind the incredible photo. Poor little koala. I’m so glad at least a some animals have been saved. For her to allow them to pick her up like that is amazing. You realise you made me cry all over again!! xxxGG
adgray replied
I make myself cry too! lol
Thank you for coming to read my words!
Chookas!
Vonney
I’ve been trying for 2 days to find the time to get over here to RB to see how many of its
members have been affected by the fires and how badly. This photo is a keeper! I love it!
You can’t imagine how much I have enjoyed looking at all the shots over the years of
Australia, a beautiful place, and one I’ll probably never get to in my lifetime. In the US
we’re hearing (through the BBC radio mostly) that these firest might be thework of an arsonist.
Is that true, and if so, have the authorities locked up any suspects? Is there another fire discussion going on at RB? If so, where is it? Keep your chin up, and we’ll keep praying.
Appreciate your on-the-scene updates.
adgray replied
Hi Vonney
Thank you for coming to read my words
Yes they think at least 3 of the Superfires were deliberately lit
King Lake, Marysville & Churchill are towns that were obliterated and are now quardoned off as crime sites
for more info if you go to
PHOENIX APPEAL GROUP
you will get the links to off bubble info sites
& YOU CAN HELP!!!! by DOUBLING your donation Dollar!!!
RB will match any donation sale proceeds dollar for dollar!!! = 200% procedes to the Red Cross for the fire victims
& I am pledging to handwrite & sign a set of 6 poems of your choice from my works to say thank you for purchasing RB Phoenix Art & donating when I can’t
Thank you for your compassion!
Chookas!
Wayne Holman
Thank you for adding this Adgay, after spending so much time in Australia it’s hard for me to think of anything else at the moment. I’ve been trying to keep up with events on the BBC and ABC. It’s at times like these when there’s so much tragedy that there is also stories of incredible courage and humanity. I’d like to wish everyone in Victoria the very best and we are thinking of you all back here in Cornwall UK..
adgray replied
Thank you so much Wayne for coming to read my words
Your compassion & good wishes are like a warm blanket of Possitive energy to us all
Even though I am not directly involved [I live 2 hours drive south of the fire zone now] I have family & friends who have gone through it
The shock has affected us all as if it was personal and reminded us of our intrinsic Aussie Mateship!
So thank you & I will do my best to keep everyone updated!
Chookas!
dawndavies
horrendous reading, had a massive clear out the weekend and have sent it into the redcross to sell or do what they need with all of it, hope my little bit helps, keep safe hon,dawnx
adgray replied
Y O U SOOOOO ROCK!!!!!!
Thank you so much!
Chookas! xXx
dawndavies
wish i could do more, dawnx
Phoenix-Appeal
Just a clarification addy, on the last line. the 200% means 200% of profits (does not include manufacture cost). xx
adgray replied
Yeah that’s why I put in proceeds not sales
oh & someone put on their description RB was only doubling sales over $200 – have I confused someone?
ok feeling a little self silly here lol
Phineous Cas...
i seen that article on the idiotbox `lol` and wasnt it the most sweetest humane phota ive ever seen for a koala to do that shore shows that it was spooked by true evil but certainly shows that the native animals do indeed need a helping hand and are willing to except it absolutely golden moment that one