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© 2019 AFPThousands trapped on Australia beach encircled by fire
By Andrew BEATTY SYDNEY©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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© 2019 AFP
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SimondB
Actually it was caused by a fire tornado which created searing winds of 120 kph. Flipped the fire truck into the air and landed it on it's roof. People huddled on beaches as a last resort refuge. But remember, don't mention 'climate change', as some people take offence.
kibousha
It's like the beginning of any disaster movies, seemingly separate events, before everything converges into one giant collapse of society.
nandakandamanda
Hope they get the boat evacuation going immediately. I'd want to be out of there without waiting any longer. These things move fast, and I remember those horrible Greek fires that Educator60 mentions above.
Wolfpack
There were never any extreme weather events - ever - until man invented the internal combustion engine. But don’t mention that to anyone- some people believe mother nature was docile until mankind messed everything up.
rainyday
Spot on. Its totally normal for fires to decimate Belgium-sized areas and to literally be driving thousands of people into the ocean to escape the flames in Australia. Happens every year like clockwork, its part of the local charm. Situation normal, people! Why is this even news?
Stupid climate hoax believers are obviously driving coverage of this non-event and the sheeple are lapping it up.
Bugle Boy of Company B
I doubt anyone would take "offence" - or even offense. They might disagree with you, but I can't see anyone feeling like they were personally attacked.
kohakuebisu
I hope and pray we will not get the second half of your movie, but you are certainly right about the first part. Thousands of people trapped deserve more concern than "it's just a fire" type comments.
browny1
Just been watching ABC live, looking at apocalyptic photos and listening to the testimonials of locals.
Sounded horrific as 1,000s of folks escaped to the beach in the early hours of morning. One expert said the sheer heat produced by the fire wall forced people into the water even though the flames were 100s of meters away.
And other areas around the country are still ablaze with no end in sight.
Patricia Yarrow
I would get something to float on and paddle far out to sea as sometimes fire tornadoes will suck all the oxygen away and then...everyone simply dies. Has happened in old Edo more than once.
WilliB
If it is a beach, they can hardly be "encircled", unless the ocean is burning. Bad writing.
WilliB
rainyday:
Talk about hamfisted attempts of sarcasm.... no, this is a real event, and yes, climate hoax believers are stupid.
WilliB
Only a couple of hours to go, folks! Climate believers should start the countdown:
A secret report, suppressed by the US defense chiefs and obtained by The Obeserver, warns that major European cities will be sunk beneath rising seas as Britain is plunged into Siberian climate by 2020.
(The Guardian, 2004)
lucabrasi
What’s a “climate believer”?
Are there people who don’t believe in climate?
kurisupisu
How are these fires being started?
The land does not spontaneously combust does it?
The arsonists need to be tracked down...
GuruMick
How do fires start ?
The ABC has a web page on this titled https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-11-20/bushfire-ignition-source-how-we-know/11701132
Not arsonists generally.
These fires are generating their own mini weather systems with lightening strikes and tornado level winds.
Folks....it is a deathly serious crisis with no end in sight and good , constant rainfall the only way to extinguish the fires...not expected for months.
The toll on koalas just in one area of one state is thought to be 8000 dead...a third or more of the total population in the mid North Coast.
Some individual fires the size of Singapore and Belgium.
The Sydney Morning Herald is a Sydney based paper available on the net if you want more info.
stormcrow
Like Dunkirk.
Yrral
Why in the hell, would you vacation, while area around you is burning
Yubaru
Hardly....
rainyday
At worst they have been en-semi-circled, or perhaps entriangled or entrapazoided but no way have they been encircled since half the circle would be on water as you point out.
Stay vigilant about this sort of thing as it makes a world of difference. If they were really encircled they’d be in danger, but really all they have to do is just walk over the ocean to safety and problem solved.
nandakandamanda
Dry lightning, or better still, dry thunderstorms, produce lightning where the potential rain never reaches the ground. The south of Australia has been hit hundreds of times recently. See map and tick/check the 'lightning' boxes bottom left:
https://myfirewatch.landgate.wa.gov.au/
N.B. Grammar Nazi warning. 'Lightning', spelling. ...'Lighten' means to make light(er).
GuruMick
In times of crisis, it is important to remain ever vigilant for minor spelling mistakes.
It is only in pedantry that our real selves can shine.
Gid Blass and Bist Washes to all.
nandakandamanda
Apparently power is out, businesses are closed or taking cash only in some communities.
Keep some spare cash to hand, folks!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-01/nsw-vic-bushfire-emergency-follow-live/11835494
WilliB
The opposite of a "climate denier" I suppose. Anyway you are right, I should have written "Guardian believer".