Victorian Fires

[kiwihalfpint]

To the firemen and women and everyone who is working to help - THANK YOU ALL

Raylen

Admiration for them .... many of who are volunteers.

KHP

[JAP]

The firefighters (mostly volunteers) - men and women - are brave beyond belief.

As for the arsonists.  Yes, obviously they are sick.  Punishment is one thing but what does that achieve?  And it is cold comfort to people who have lost family members.

More importantly, is there is any way to identify them in advance of their actions, and to stop them from any further such actions?

Police are so very well aware of known/suspected arsonists but seem powerless to stop them.

Currently we have in Adelaide a woman who has, I believe, finally been charged with 47 counts of arson in the Adelaide Hills.  I will be very careful with what I say here (though it can all be found using Google) but her name is on the public record as is the fact that she lives in the area and has two small children.  Can anyone work out why this happened, why it continued, why she wasn't identified and stopped sooner, and whether that knowledge can be used to prevent further such occurrences anywhere and by anyone?

Prevention is so much better than dealing with the tragic results.

JAP

[JenB]

I am in tears reading the news reports coming out of Australia.
It makes me ashamed to think of the fuss we are making here England about some snow.

[trish251]

I think we all fuss about the weather much of the  time Jen - It's too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry. The snow causes problems for many and can also have some devasting effects, but fire seems to be so fast and so unforgiving - leaving those it passes by wondering why they were missed yet their neighbours were not.

At times we pay a high price for where we live, and our wonderful bushland and country surrounds - it is very hard to reconcile this with loss of life and quite impossible to understand that anyone might want to deliberately start such a catastrophe.

Trish

[johngirl]

Its so devastating

To think some of the fires were deliberately lit.
My heart goes out to all that have lost their loved ones and their homes.

  Johngirl

[Deb D]

... Sitting here, stunned and saddened ... latest news quoted 84 now confirmed dead ... 

I'm getting some quite horrible ideas for what should be done to the arsonist/s, when they catch them! 

[kerryb]

I've just seen the news over here.  I am left speechless at the unbelievable behaviour of some so called humans. 

My thoughts and prayers are with all those involved.

Kerry

[drodgers34]

I'm horrified to think that as some of these towns had little or no warning, and the state was on high alert, that they could have been deliberately lit close to the towns with the intention to wipe out towns.

That is especially sick.

[Erato]

Very depressing news not just for the people who have lost family and homes but also for the forests and wildlife.  It is just sickening to think that many fires were deliberately set.

As for the arsonists, the best you can hope for is that they are identified, that there is sufficient evidence to convict them, and that they are removed from society for a long time.