Fires burning in Australia.

[Swampy]

Two Australian states have declared a state of emergency as bushfires bring a

Best wishes.

[Swampy]

Australian officials on Wednesday ordered residents and tourists to get out of the way of fast-approaching flames as firefighters struggled to contain more than 150 bush fires raging on both the east and west coasts.

I hope it rains over there.

[Sir John]

I must admit i am highly suspicious of these fires.

Our media usually declare them to be "deliberately lit", and this time with so many and so far spread they have hardly said a word about the supposed causes.

Not evidence just a gut feeling.

[Swampy]

So what does your gut feeling say?

[Sir John]

Far too wide spread, far too concentrated in groups of fires, groups 100s of Kms apart and all starting within hours and days of each other.

No proof, but it smells like an orchestrated pattern.

[Swampy]

"We're doing it because it's a passion. It's a brotherhood," says Daniel Knox.

...

He is part of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) which calls itself "the world's largest volunteer firefighting organisation". Its 70,000 members are extensively trained and, except for a few senior staff, mostly unpaid.

They are heroes.

[piobaireachd]

I've been listening to some of the radio traffic. The south coast RFS is on Broadcastify.

[Swampy]

Dec 28, 2019 22:28:38 GMT -5 piobaireachd said:

I've been listening to some of the radio traffic. The south coast RFS is on Broadcastify.

Thanks for chiming in, Todd. Any news on the fires?

[piobaireachd]

It was mostly banter and status updates between the field and command, but starting yesterday it been pretty busy with the flare up. At one point there was over 3,000 listeners on the NSW - Victoria frequencies.

[Swampy]

There are some incredible photos on the internet about the fire.