Hi All,

I know I recently sent an e-mail regarding the Coastline still in jeopardy, but please bear with me when I send you this. Hope you are safe and well.

Victoria’s Fire’s

It is frightening to learn that we are completely at the mercy of the elements.

The heat wave on Saturday was horrific and almost felt absurd.

It had reached 47 degrees in some areas of Victoria (Bureau of Meteorology, 2009).  The fires raged and people died as a result.  Native animals perished, kilometres of native land was destroyed and entire townships completely burned to the ground. The effects of that one single day are still unravelling and doomed to get worse as the fires rage on.

 The extreme weather conditions that propelled the enormous and indestructible fires to spread at 120km/per hour, have raised two important matters.

1. Global warming and climate change is not a distant vague concern or concept. It is here. It is real and we need to act fast to prevent such conditions from recurring over and over.
2. Reducing carbon emissions is no longer something that may be good to do or should be addressed sometime in the distant future. It is absolutely vital and necessary to urge our Government’s to act now if we are to survive the 21st Century…or in some cases another extremely hot day. This means Clean Coal, Solar Power, Electric Cars, Energy Efficient Equipment, the lot. In the meantime each low income household should be equipped with free water tanks, energy efficient air cooling and heating . These are no longer luxuries designated to those with money but occupational health and safety requirements that will prevent further deaths.

 My heart goes out to all those suffering as a result of this weather crisis. Here’s what you can do to help the victim’s: http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/services_emergencyservices_victorian-bushfires-appeal-2009.htm

Victorian Bushfire Information Line: 1800 240 667
State Inquiries Centre: 1800 727 077
Centrelink Victorian Fires Hotline: 180 22 11