Skippies and Kiwis

[drwayne]

The offer I made by SMS is honest and welcoming, mate.

[Xzessperated]

The offer I made by SMS is honest and welcoming, mate.

To tell you the truth Doc, apart from smoke over the city yesterday it has not affected this part of the state.

[Xzessperated]

Tas Fires Update
Thanks Doc and Steve for the sms messages. Work is my only problem. My boss would be hearing the word no a lot more if this was not my last year of work. I want to retire with money and toys :)

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/15769218/tas-residents-counting-cost-as-fire-fighting-continues/

[RandyatBBY]

We had row fires in Oakland Ca that were on the same scale burned in the summer of 1991. The Oakland firestorm of 1991 was a large urban conflagration that occurred on the hillsides of northern Oakland, California, and southeastern Berkeley on Sunday October 20, 1991. The fire has also been called the Oakland hills firestorm, the East Bay Hills Fire, and the Tunnel Fire (because of its origin above the west portal of the Caldecott Tunnel) in Oakland. The fire ultimately killed 25 people and injured 150 others. The 1,520 acres (6.2 km²) destroyed included 3,354 single-family dwellings and 437 apartment and condominium units. The economic loss has been estimated at $1.5 billion

[Xzessperated]

We had row fires in Oakland Ca that were on the same scale burned in the summer of 1991. The Oakland firestorm of 1991 was a large urban conflagration that occurred on the hillsides of northern Oakland, California, and southeastern Berkeley on Sunday October 20, 1991. The fire has also been called the Oakland hills firestorm, the East Bay Hills Fire, and the Tunnel Fire (because of its origin above the west portal of the Caldecott Tunnel) in Oakland. The fire ultimately killed 25 people and injured 150 others. The 1,520 acres (6.2 km²) destroyed included 3,354 single-family dwellings and 437 apartment and condominium units. The economic loss has been estimated at $1.5 billion

We often see the fires in CA on our news Randy and I can remember the fire you talk of. Aus firemen have often traveled to the USA to help with forest fires and we have firemen from the USA come here to help in our hours of need. I know we all remember the bravery of the firemen in NY when the planes hit the twin towers (where are you now Osama you prick) but firemen around the world perform brave acts on a daily basis. Fire touched my sister and her sons life a few years ago. We all left her house thinking it would burn. The firemen and 4 helicopter pilots gave it all they had and saved the two houses on the property. I sat out on the road watching the chopper pilots waiting nose to tail waiting for the fire to hit and when it did they went in one after the other. One of the firemen gave us some pics of the fireball as it hit and I am amazed at how they all survived. He said he thought it was his last day on earth too. Our Armed Forces, Police, Firemen, Security and other services often do not know if they will be home that night when they go to work. Do you know we have suburbs here where young people throw rocks at Fire Trucks, Ambulances and Police Cars? The latest thing for young people to do is to set houses on fire in these areas. A few public floggings would be good to sort these little a**holes out. I would volunteer to use the whip.

[drwayne]

I was 17yrs old.
As a volunteer, recruited as extra help, on water tankers and then as 'retrieval' ..
Helping others was done without thought for self.
30 years on, remembering silences me as I recall ......

Ash Wednesday Bushfires
Location South Eastern Australia: Victoria & South Australia
Date 16 February 1983
Burned area 2,080 km2 (513,979 acres) in South Australia and 2,100 km2 (518,921 acres) in Victoria on one day. 5,200 km2 (1,284,948 acres) burnt throughout the 1982/83 season.[1][2]
Ignition source Faulty powerlines, arson, and negligence after years of extreme drought
Land use Urban/rural fringe areas, farmland, and forest reserves
Fatalities 75 (47 – Victoria) (28 – South Australia)
Injuries 2,676

The Ash Wednesday bushfires, known in South Australia as Ash Wednesday 2 were a series of bushfires that occurred in south-eastern Australia on 16 February 1983. Within twelve hours, more than 180 fires fanned by winds of up to 110 km per hour (68 mph) caused widespread destruction across the states of Victoria and South Australia.[4] Years of severe drought and extreme weather combined to create one of Australia's worst fire days in a century.[5] The fires became the deadliest bushfire in Australian history, until the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.

In Victoria, 47 people died, while in South Australia there were 28 deaths. This included 14 CFA and 3 CFS volunteer fire-fighters who died across both states that day.[6][7] Many fatalities were as a result of firestorm conditions caused by a sudden and violent wind change in the evening which rapidly changed the direction and size of the fire front.[8][9] The speed and ferocity of the flames, aided by abundant fuels and a landscape immersed in smoke, made fire suppression and containment impossible.[10] In many cases, residents fended for themselves as fires broke communications, cut off escape routes and severed electricity and water supplies.[11] Up to 8,000 people were evacuated in Victoria at the height of the crisis and a state of disaster was declared for the first time in South Australia's history.[6][8]

Ash Wednesday was one of Australia's costliest natural disasters.[12] Over 3,700 buildings were destroyed or damaged and 2,545 individuals and families lost their homes. Livestock losses were very high, with over 340,000 sheep, 18,000 cattle and numerous native animals either dead or later destroyed.[13] A total of 4,540 insurance claims were paid totalling A$176 million with a total estimated cost of well over $400 million (1983 values) for both states or $1.3 billion in adjusted terms (2007).[1][14]

The emergency saw the largest number of volunteers called to duty from across Australia at the same time—an estimated 130,000 firefighters, defence force personnel, relief workers and support crews


Best of luck and future to anyone faced by a flash fire.
They're scarey fukers.
DocW

[drwayne]

no, not me.. just liked the pic.

[Richie the shipwright]

Cant argue with that logic (paddy). Strip em, thrash em, throw em on the fire i say! Hows that song by the bloodhound gang go..... BURN MOTHER****ER BURN!!! Best wishes to all you tassiemaniacs..

[Xzessperated]

Cant argue with that logic (paddy). Strip em, thrash em, throw em on the fire i say! Hows that song by the bloodhound gang go..... BURN MOTHER****ER BURN!!! Best wishes to all you tassiemaniacs..

Thanks Richie. Love the Spirit Of Australia build you are doing mate.

[Flying Scotsman]

My God, you Aussies have all my empathy in Southern Australia...We have just rain and tons of it in BC.

Douggie

[drwayne]

A pal In Adelaide (Jamie @OSE) sent me a couple sms pics last night of a bushfire obliterated race boat (and shed) from Tas.

the shed
fire1.jpg

the race boat engine
fire2.jpg

my shocked face

[Richie the shipwright]

Rain?....... What the hell is that??? Doc.. Ill never complain about my hot shed again... Major bummer... :-(

[andym]

Well sorry to hear of the fires, but if you live in or near the bush in Australia you have to expect them. What amazes me is the number of people living in bush fire area's that do not prepare for them or have an active fire plan !
Now Dr Wanker you stated earlier that you have built a couple of Ken Retalicks V2 hulls and said that 100kmh would not happen on gas, do you remember? Well attached are some pics of the maiden voyage, top GPS of 63.5 mph, What was the hull numbers you built ? A great handling hull, much better than my Insane gen 3 v2 3.jpgv2 pic.jpg
Now Young Patrick I do believe you owe me a phone call !!!
And finaly a big G'Day to my mate Douggie, how are you buddy ?

[andym]

Oh just to remind you Dr Wanker

have built a pair the new retallick 45" 26 petrol sniffers.
Better than his earlier hull...
Goes alright... chine walks 100k+ ( you likely wont see that )

No chine walk at all, did try a mates blunt prop and had torque roll but with my props no such problems. Wont see a 100k, you are an arrogant fuker aren't you !!!

[Richie the shipwright]

Gotta love this ose site.... ask a question... get an answer. I asked what rain was... it started raining!!! Cooking hot and 40 something one week, 22°C and pssing down the next... Our country really is a sarcastic bastard sometimes. (But we love it anyway) :-)