Community Chat

[Patriot3]

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@depglass wrote:

Why haven't other countries come to their aid?  Like maybe us?  There must be some equipment and personnel available to help them.  It just makes me cry.  

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@depglassI just saw this morning that a lot of fire fighters from the US are on their way to Australia to help.  God Bless them!!

[Johnnyeager]

The United States government has also sent personnel from the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service.  At this time, there are approximately 100 government firefighters from these 2 agencies in Australia.

[hckynut]

@MorningLover 

I heard last night on the news that 12 were suspected, or arrested, on arson charges. Not sure that had been verified at that time.

hckynut

[Carmie]

I have family in Melbourne.  Some are quite elderly. We haven't heard from them...even the younger members haven't been in Facebook for a while.

We are worrying and praying for them and all the people in Australia.

[MorningLover]

Little fellas looking a little exhausted. Koalas huddled inside the teens' car.

As the cost of the Kangaroo Island fires begins to reveal itself, heartwarming moments of kindness are shining through the despair.

A group of teenagers has been filmed rescuing a carload of injured koalas from the island's decimated Flinders Chase National Park. 

~ 7news sydney

[Tinkrbl44]

I wish that someone would "donate" the time of a big cargo ship and use it for transporting rescued animals off the island a keep them there until the fires are all out.  Of course, there aren't enough cages to do this in an orderly way, I guess.

I just hope this doesn't accelerate the little koala's extinction.  Such sweet animals .... it's heartbreaking. 

Can't believe this was arson .....

[SahmIam]

@hckynut I believe that number has risen to 24 arrested for arson.

[MorningLover]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

I wish that someone would "donate" the time of a big cargo ship and use it for transporting rescued animals off the island a keep them there until the fires are all out.  Of course, there aren't enough cages to do this in an orderly way, I guess.

I just hope this doesn't accelerate the little koala's extinction.  Such sweet animals .... it's heartbreaking. 

Can't believe this was arson .....

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 Here's a report I read.

The Kangaroo Island houses what is believed to be Australia's only chlamydia-free population and was a haven for the species, which is under threat in the eastern states.

The Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park has taken a number of animals into its care. The Department of Environment says the remaining koalas must be managed locally to ensure they remain disease-free.

“We’ve received reports that some koalas from Kangaroo Island have been taken to Adelaide by people who want to get help for them,” bushfire recovery coordinator Brenton Grear said.

“It’s understandable and heartening that people want to rescue these animals, but unfortunately it will mean that those koalas can’t be returned to the island because of the risk of contamination of the population there.”

Chlamydia in koalas can cause blindness, bladder inflammation, infertility and death. 

South Australian Veterinary Emergency Management (SAVEM) has been activated to manage the wildlife rescue effort and is working with other groups in fire-affected regions.

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[Lisa now in AZ]

I have a friend in NSW and, although I hadn't seen him on Facebook, I sent him a message and he replied that he and the family are OK. They live on the water, so that helps. He said that the koala population in New South Wales is mostly gone, same with the kangaroos. He sent me some links, but I have not been able to make myself read about it. And, while his home is safe, he said the air is horrible. He went to Melbourne to visit family, so I am just so happy that he checked in.

[sidsmom]

There are large herds of feral camels who need large

amounts of water.  Either they die of dehydration or are shot.

My heart is breaking.