Lightening strikes are arson? Who goes to jail? 😮
Besides, it was a joke about Gina and her portals... oh well.....
You do know that 4-5 people have been arrested for setting some of the fire....Oh well.
Mostly those were back burning fires and just unauthorised fires Dutch. Pretty sure no major fires were started by people. Mostly they were started by lightning strikes and trees falling on power lines.
Can see this fire right out the front door.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6600587/namadgi-fire-now-at-almost-500ha-out-of-control/
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6600587/namadgi-fire-now-at-2575ha-total-fire-ban-declared/
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6602296/orroral-valley-fire-upgraded-to-emergency-level/
[Edited on 1/28/2020 by LeglizHemp]
We are near Tuggernong, in Chisholm.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6602296/orroral-valley-fire-upgraded-to-emergency-level/
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6602726/evacuation-plan-for-southern-canberra-suburbs/
[Edited on 1/28/2020 by LeglizHemp]
Military helicopter blamed for Orroral Valley fire
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6602726/military-helicopter-blamed-for-orroral-valley-fire/
Oh no - how did it happen? Story didn’t say
Best wishes - just a tough situation for everybody
Cause of the fire
Just to recap, Defence has revealed that one of its helicopters started the fire.
An MRH90 Taipan utility helicopter (similar to that pictured below) that was undertaking a mission in Namadgi appears to have started it.
It's believed a landing light - used because the smoke made it hard to see - ignited dry grass when the helicopter landed. A Defence spokesman said the fire grew rapidly, and while the helicopter was damaged, it was able to return to Fairbairn.
"The helicopter and crew were conducting aerial reconnaissance and ground clearance to enable access for emergency services personnel who were conducting bushfire prevention measures in the ACT," Defence said in a statement this evening.
"It is deeply regrettable that our support operations have likely started this fire.
"Defence has taken immediate action to reduce the risk of fires being started by helicopters, including not using certain aircraft lighting in extreme weather conditions."
What began as a reconnaissance mission deep in the Namadgi National Park is now an out-of-control bushfire racing towards Canberra's urban edge.
ACT Emergency Services Agency Commissioner, Georgeina Whelan and Namadgi National Park Area Manager Brett McNamara disembark from an MRH-90 Taipan helicopter at Mt Ginini. Picture: Department of Defence
ACT Emergency Services Agency Commissioner, Georgeina Whelan and Namadgi National Park Area Manager Brett McNamara disembark from an MRH-90 Taipan helicopter at Mt Ginini. Picture: Department of Defence
Defence and the ACT's Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman confirmed on Tuesday evening the Orroral Valley fire burning south of Canberra was likely sparked by the landing light of an MRH-90 Taipan helicopter.
Chief of joint operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton said a team of six soldiers landed in the remote area of the park about 1pm on Monday in order to clear landing zones for aircraft.
Soldiers had been sent into Namadgi for at least four days to undertake similar missions.
Those landing zones would have enabled emergency services to send strike teams in to deal with fires, he said.
Instead, they ended up accidentally starting what ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has called the "most serious" bushfire threat to Canberra since 2003.
"When the helicopter landed yesterday afternoon we believe that the landing light - which is lit on the aircraft as a safety precaution when you're flying in difficult circumstances, such as a very smoky environment - we believe that created enough heat to set the grass on fire," Lieutenant General Bilton said.
From there, the fire spread rapidly.
It is now growing at 400 hectares an hour, ACT ESA Commissioner Georgeina Whelan said on Tuesday.
Even the aircraft itself was damaged by the fire although managed to make it back to Fairbairn, Lieutenant General Bilton said.
In a statement, the Defence Department said it was "deeply regrettable" that its operations had likely started the fire.
"Over the past few weeks, ADF aircraft have been an important part of fire prevention and control activities, in close working partnership with the ACT Emergency Services Agency," the department said.
"We continue to work closely with the ESA to provide personnel and assets to help contain this bushfire.
"The ADF's support to state and territory authorities will continue for as long as needed."
Mr Gentleman said it was the first time a fire had been caused by a helicopter landing light.
The Defence Force has now changed its operating procedures and will not use those landing lights when setting down in extreme weather conditions.
It is also also continuing to investigate how exactly the landing light caused the fire.
"We acknowledge the safety aspect but it's important we're able to continue operations in support of the emergency services," Lieutenant General Bilton said.
MORE COVERAGE:
Why you may get emergency alert messages even if you're not near the fire
Bushfire warning: 'We are not going to put it out today or any time soon'
'Pretty unpleasant and uncomfortable': Extreme heatwave forecast for Canberra
Military helicopter blamed for Orroral Valley fire
Mr Gentleman said despite this incident, the ACT government was grateful for the help of the Defence Force since the territory declared a state of alert early in January.
Defence Force personnel were helping to fight the fire, while helicopters are still being used for fire spotting and fire mapping.
Extra helicopters have been deployed to search ahead of the fire, to ensure the area has been fully evacuated and people have observed the park's closure, the Defence Department said in a statement.
Uniformed Defence Force personnel also helped firefighters and police to doorknock homes in Tharwa, Banks, Gordon and Conder to ensure residents are prepared.
"I'm sure the Canberra community shares our gratitude that none of our defence staff were injured during this incident," Mr Gentleman said.
We can see this out the front door. 15 miles away.
That photo is positively frightening
When a fire can ignite from a shining light......that’s not bone dry, it’s critical mass time & time to get out - these brush fires have scorched an area the size of Kentucky, article said
best wishes to fire crews et al, prayers for rain being sent
Ash has started falling this afternoon here at the house.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6607366/orroral-valley-fire-to-creep-closer-to-canberra/
[Edited on 1/31/2020 by LeglizHemp]
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6607496/live-heatwave-fans-australias-bushfires/
[Edited on 1/31/2020 by LeglizHemp]
The video clip of that firefighting crew having to evacuate moments before the fire arrived, is shocking - looked like it was beginning to be contained last week, but no - a rainstorm is desperately needed, it’s not in the forecast tho - there’s no beating these fires on the ground or from the air - best wishes
It was 104 yesterday but no wind. Gonna be a tough day today as the winds will return around 11am this morning. We could see the flames from the driveway last night for the 1st time.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-51320333
[Edited on 1/31/2020 by LeglizHemp]
[Edited on 1/31/2020 by LeglizHemp]
Canberra overnight temperatures
Canberra has sweltered through one of its warmest nights on record, with the temperature only dropping to 25.5 degrees at 5.30am on Saturday.
The temperature had already climbed above 30 degrees by 7.30am, towards an expected top of 41 degrees.
The overnight minimum is the highest recorded at the Bureau of Meteorology’s Canberra Airport weather station, where the previous record was 24.4 degrees, recorded on January 13, 2010.
An earlier site at the airport recorded an overnight low of 26 degrees in 1983.
[Edited on 1/31/2020 by LeglizHemp]
The fire reached 55,200 hectares, about 23 per cent of the ACT's land mass. It had grown almost 20,000 hectares in just five hours, was out of the control and was travelling in a south-easterly direction.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6609320/canberra-survives-worst-conditions-since-2003/
[Edited on 2/1/2020 by LeglizHemp]
It is a beautiful day, temps have dropped and the kid has been dropped off for his 1st day of Kindergarten and we are sitting here at 10am waiting for the Super Bowl Kickoff. Nachos at halftime.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6609934/state-of-emergency-lifted-from-the-act/
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6621648/more-rain-in-nsw-sydney-faces-floodwaters/?cs=14231
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6621055/rain-brings-fire-relief-with-more-to-come/
