A blaze worse than the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983 ripped through many parts of country Victoria last weekend. While bushfires are an annual event, as reported recently by CNN, it was the combination of several factors that led to the fires raging out of control this year. A long drought, dry bush and one of the most unrelenting heat waves in Victorian history.
The Loss of Beautiful Maryville, a Scenic Victorian Tourist Destination
The small town of Maryville, aproximately two hours drive from Melbourne, was completely wiped out by the inferno. The town was a popular tourist and honeymoon destination because of its beautiful surroundings and proximity to Melbourne. State premier John Brumby has disclosed that as many as 1 in 5 of the town's residents may have lost their lives in the fire.
Kinglake Region
The largest loss of lives was in the Kinglake region. It is now estimated that over a 100 peolpe lost their lives and 550 homes were also destroyed. The firestorm that ravaged this region last Saturday, consumed 220,000 hectares in total.
Calls for Donations
So far the nationwide bushfire appeal has raised approximately $30million in public donation. Main organisations collecting donations include the Australian Red Cross and the Salvation Army amongst others. However much is still needed and the appeals for donations will continue into the following weeks. Contributions from overseas have come both in the form of practical aid such as firefighting skills and monetary aid. Financial contributions have even come from Australia's less affluent neighbours such as Papua New Guinea.
The Emergence of Bogus Charities
However people are being warned to beware of bogus charities and individuals who are posing as legitimate organisations collecting aid for the bushfires. A Queensland man has already been arrested for fraudulently collecting money in this manner.
Recovering and Rebuilding the Townships
It is expected that the money collected for the bushfire victims will start reaching them soon. However the task of rebuilding the destroyed homes and towns is a mamoth one and expected to take months. In addition there is a delay due to the fires that are still threatening areas to the north-east of Melbourne.
Current Bushfire News Round-Up
- 181 dead but the final death toll is expected to rise much higher.
- Victorian premier John Brumby anounced a few days ago that as many as 1 in 5 residents of the town of Maryville may have lost their lives
- 6 main fires are still burning out of control including those at Kinglake, Yea-Murrindindi, Maroondah-Yarra, Bunyip, Churchill and Beechworth-Murmungee.
- This was Australia's worst natural disaster in a century
Varunika Ruwanpura - Varunika Ruwanpura is a writer and editor with over nine years of experience working for South East Asian and Australian media ...
