her beauty and her terror

[liresius]

I haven't done anything at home for the last 4 days. I've just been following the news on the fires. It's times like these I feel I should be back in Australia. I feel so terribly for the people who have lost loved ones and property. My thoughts are with you all.

I collected together some photos images of the bushfires in Victoria and NSW. They are all over the Net but I wanted to put them in one place, because I'll never find them later.

My friend L, who just flew back to Victoria for the spring break is ok. I rang her this morning and she said the fires stopped about 15 km north of her.

It's all been emotionally devastating and I keep tearing up.

ETA: Anyone wanting to make a donation I think The Australian Red Cross's Victorian Bushfires Appeal is probably the best place, if you have a credit card and can afford it. Also, the forms are internationally friendly.

Another alternative is The Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation Bushfire Appeal 2009, which will go to a range of charities helping the victims directly on site.

And for any touched by the plight of the animals there's Wildlife Victoria. Thanks to ancientcitadel for the link.








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CFA worker rescues a sugar glider Photo: AP

CFA worker waters a distressed koala

Chris Roche: Bushfires at Narre Warren North Harkawa

Churchill in Gippsland

Doncaster Photo: Chris Mulherin

fire on the horizon

From a house window

A fire-fighting helicopter in action yesterday over Bunyip State Forest (AFP: William West)

Remains in Kinglake this town was almost completely razed

Scorched earth around Kinglake

Looking south-east from Morwell towards Hazelwood Power Station

NSW RFS Peats Ridge, north of Sydney

Sun_obscure_by_bush_smoke_cloud_Alexandra

The Bunyip State Park blaze has been fanned by gusty winds Simon Mossman

Vehicles burn, Labertouche

Tinderbox conditions (AAP: Simon Mossman) High temperatures, strong winds and low humidity produced tinder-box conditions. (AAP: Simon Mossman)

Comments

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

This is just so awful.
*hugs*

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's just ghastly and the death toll will go beyond 200, sad to say.

And it's not as if the fires have actually stopped yet! There are still about 25 burning all over Vic.

Poor people and animals ...

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

I've been watching the coverage on the news & it's just so horrible. It's inspiring to see that people aren't forgetting the animals too though - such wonderful spirit.
*hugs*

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's just ghastly and I am so glad to know there are lots of people doing their best for the animals as well.

It's amazing how in recent years, wildlife caring has taken off. People do courses now and people registed with the organizations for it then take in sick or injured animals and nurse them back to health and then release them. It's something I want to do when I go back.

OTT, do you know what causes large blank spaces in friend's page posts? If you look at your friend's page, you'll see what I mean, yet the original post on the comm is normal. I'm a bit mystified ...

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

So many problems are often caused by humans (loss of habitat, pollution, etc) & I do think it's marvellous that there are people taking responisibilty to help nurse the sick, etc. You'd be brilliant, L!
*hug*

Hmmm, I seem to have a large blank space caused by an icon post on my flist (it's a post from a comm). I've noticed this has happened previously with this particular poster. Sorry - I don't know why though!

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Yes, probably most of those problems are caused by us.

Aw, thanks! I'd hope to be good at it! *hugs*

Yes, I have the same thing, but I noticed on others' friends pages it's normal. You use Flexible Squares, right, like me? Maybe it's to do with our layout. Anyway, it's not a problem, I was just curious about the discrepancy in appearance in different journals.

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I use Flexible Squares. Hmmm - I have no idea why it's happening! *g* Just a bit more scrolling to do. :-)

[liresius.livejournal.com]

I was just about to post to everything_lj asking for help about it and I checked it again on both our friend pages. Mine was suddenly normal, but yours still had the huge long empty area. I didn't end up posting to ask.

And I forgot to answer a part of your earlier reply - I had noticed it before from that user as well. :(

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, well that is a quandary! Never mind, I'll just scroll away. *g*

[liresius.livejournal.com]

It's very strange! I feel like I shouldn't have it normal though, if you don't. It's not fair! LOL!

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

LOL
I'll survive.
*sniffle*
;-)

[xanthelj.livejournal.com]

Some of those pictures are positively apocalyptic. And some are extraordinary photographically - like those burning trees in the last one. The ones with the animals are just so touching. Thank god they are being looked out for too.

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Yes, they are, on both counts ... thus the LJ cut text

from the poem I Love a Sunburned Country by Dorothea Mackellar

I love a sunburned country
A land of sweeping plains
Of rugged mountain ranges
Of drought and flooding rain
I love her far horizons
I love her jeweled sea
Her beauty and her terror
‘Tis the wide brown land for me

I just saw the last photo and added it in separately. It's quite stunning. Yes, I'm glad too. There are so many wildlife carers in Australia and people are pulling together to help with supplies for those that came through it.

[xanthelj.livejournal.com]

Beautiful poem - and so apt :-)

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Yea, it is! :)

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Oops! Got the title wrong! It's actually My Country (http://www.abpa.org.au/Bush_Poetry/Traditional_Poetry/my_country.html).

[ancientcitadel.livejournal.com]

I love that poem too. And if you don't mind a correction, it's actual name is My Country.

[liresius.livejournal.com]

LOL! I had a sneaking feeling I had that wrong. I didn't check it properly! Thanks :)

[ancientcitadel.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. :)

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

It really is so awful.

Today on the news they were up to 181 and knew there would be many more.

Such devastation.

How lovely to see they are taking the time to care for the animals as well as the humans.

*Hugs*

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is so awful ... words fail.

There's at least another 50 missing or unidentified, presumed dead.

Yes I'm so glad they are helping the animals and it's so touching to see tough gruff men caring for the poor orphaned bush babies.

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

They do indeed.

So terrible.

It is indeed so touching.

[ancientcitadel.livejournal.com]

The pictures coming from the fires are just amazing.

People can also donate to Wildlife Victoria. :)

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Yes, thanks for that. I was looking for the link and got distracted by something.

Yes, the photos are incredible!

[ancientcitadel.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Thank you for that link - I've been over & donated. :-)

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Thank you P, from the bottom of my heart. I did the people yesterday and the animals today.

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

I've made a little post directing folk to your lj (hope you don't mind!) & hopefully a few more will donate too.
*hugs*

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you! That's a lovely idea!

And I am actually amazed at all the condolences from around the world Australia has received, and how generous people have already been. It's very wonderful.

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Well every little bit helps so let's hope it can help to add a few more dollars.
*hugs*

[liresius.livejournal.com]

You are so right about that!

*hugs*

[ancientcitadel.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. Thank you for donating. :)