Bushfires in Australia

[robert blu]

Thanks Lynn for the links you provide us. I agree what Raid says.

 

[markjwyatt]

Such a terrible tragedy overall, and to think that there exist some people who still deny the possibility of a climate change!

How about poor forest management and arsonists? Not sure it is possible to blame climate change for this; though it certainly can contribute.

 

[Ted Striker]

Dramatic photo by The Age photographer, Eddie Jim @ejimphoto from today. Two large fires straddling the NSW / Victorian border have merged creating a 600,000ha "mega-blaze". There are currently over 100 fires in NSW, Victoria and South Australia. 40C+ temps and winds gusting over 90kph overnight are making life difficult and unpredictable for firefighters.

Today 30,000 people protested in central Sydney demanding action about the climate emergency.

They should be protesting in China, where 3.8 BILLION tons of coal are burned every year. Australia could go 100% carbon free but it would not matter one bit with countries like China (and India, which burns almost 1 billion tons each year, and is rising 10% more each year).

 

[johnf04]

They should be protesting in China, where 3.8 BILLION tons of coal are burned every year. Australia could go 100% carbon free but it would not matter one bit with countries like China (and India, which burns almost 1 billion tons each year, and is rising 10% more each year).

Guess where China imports coal from? Australia. Guess who funds climate change denying politics in Australia? Coal mine owners.

 

[Ted Striker]

Guess where China imports coal from? Australia. Guess who funds climate change denying politics in Australia? Coal mine owners.

China gets 8% of its coal from Australia. If somehow they decided not to sell to China, they would get it from somewhere else. China WILL burn coal, that's a fact. Every 2 weeks a new coal fired power plant goes on line in China. Every 2 weeks.

 

[Moto-Uno]

^ It'll only change if we do something about it ourselves , this deflection of responsibility has become a disease of denial 🙁 . Peter

 

[valdas]

And then there is an eucalyptus effect in the whole picture, I guess...

https://wildfiretoday.com/2014/03/03/eucalyptus-and-fire/

 

[stevierose]

My good friends in Oz have had to evacuate their homes and are fighting the fires in volunteer fire groups. I pray for rain, no wind, and a new Prime Minister.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

How about poor forest management and arsonists?.

The role of arson in starting this seasons fires has been seriously overplayed, as state police and fire chiefs have said repeatedly.

Unless you live in Tas, which it happens I do...

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020...-arson-not-a-major-cause/11855022?pfmredir=sm

 

[Barry Kirsten]

Saddened by the extent of destruction by the fires I decided to revisit some of the 8x10 negatives I made when living in Cann River during the 80s. This place to me was the centre of the universe, being close to pristine coast, cool temperate rainforests and only a short drive to the Australian Alps. From what I can ascertain very little has remained untouched by the fires. As well as 8x10s I also have 6x6 negs from the 80s and 4x5s from subsequent revisits to the area. I doubt that I will see it in anything like that condition again. The following are contact prints made on Ilford MGFB Warmtone developed in ID-78. Unfortunately the huge scans have suffered greatly in their reduction for web viewing, but that's life. My homage to a once beautiful country:

1 & 2. Podocarpus aff. lawrenci, Errinundra Plum Pine. Known from only a few locations in the Errinundra Plateau region, these few small groups of trees are the only remnants from the time when Tasmania was joined to the Australian mainland at the time of the last ice age. (Two views: 480mm Rodenstock Apo-Ronar, FP4 at ASA 64, Rodinal 1+50)

3. Cliff, The Sisters (also known as Three Sisters). A rocky escarpment formed by uplifting of Devonian sediments, and dramatic in presence. The front standard had to be raised to such an extent that a shadow occurs at the bottom of the neg, from upper bellows. (480mm Rodenstock Apo-Ronar, FP4 at ASA 25, ABC Pyro.)

 

[Barry Kirsten]

4. Clematis aristata, Mountain Clematis, can be found climbing into the crowns of tall forest trees. A beautiful sight, as I saw last November when I traveled through the area. I resolved to return with some cameras in Spring 2020, but alas what I saw is sadly no longer there. It'll return, but not in my lifetime. This specimen was climbing well into the crown of a Mountain Ash tree. (Tri-X at ASA160, 480mm Apo-Ronar, HC110 1+15.)

5. Vine stems on forest floor.(FP4 at ASA50, Kodak 10" Commercial Ektar, D7 developer.)

6.Mountain Clematis on log. These wonderful plants climb and scramble over everything and are a truly beautiful sight. (FP4 at ASA50, 480mm Apo Ronar.)

 

[Barry Kirsten]

7. Morinda jasminoides, Jasmine Morinda. Another example of botanical diversity in temperate rainforests. This one in Lind National Park. (TXP at ASA160, 10" Commercial Ektar, HC110 1+15.)

8. Large moss-covered boulder with wild flowers in dappled sunlight. Easily passed by unless one has eyes to see. (FP4 at ASA64, 10" Commercial Ektar, D7 Developer.)

9. Forest Regrowth. Three years after the 1983 fires in the area, this patch of bush is regenerating nicely. But it takes time. Fire-killed trees remain standing as stark reminders of what has passed. (FP4 at ASA64, 10" Commercial Ektar, D7 Pyro.)

 

[jmilkins]

Wonderful images of what once was Barry, thanks for posting them.

 

[raid]

Thank you for this tour. Hopefully, plants will grow back as fret a few years.