AUSTRALIA:
A WARNING FROM THE BUSHFIRES
Melbourne, February, 2009 - There was Sam the rescued koala
suckling water from a bottle held by a fireman; there was the couple falling into
each others arms after the fire separated them; there were tears and defiant
declarations " we'll rebuild ". And then there was the reaction to a campaign to
help survivors of the worst bushfire in Australia's history, a horror scenario in
which some two hundred small town residents burned to death.
Few stories are more heart-warming then the generosity
of people for people struck by misfortune. It seems that often in times of
disaster human beings can be capable of amazing unselfish practices and
sacrifices when charity supersedes our materialist nature.
During one week the people of Australia - a population of
20 million - donated 100 million dollars to bushfire victims, brushing aside
concerns about a world-wide recession that has hit hard the Australian
economy and the Australian dollar.
The entire proceeds from an Australian Rules football match, a
popular sport that can attract a hundred thousands spectators for one game
alone, were offered to the bushfire campaign. During the match famous players
and personalities ran phone-lines that collected pledges of five million dollars
alone while the warriors on the pitch still fought ferociously for victory.
Australians are famous for their charity but in this case the plight
of the bushfire survivors was more personal. Their fate touched everyone
because it was so much part of their own habitat. This is a sunburned continent
with extreme weather conditions, a south parched, tinder dry and short of water, a
north flooded by torrential downpours. On this continent desert and snow
alternate with a greenbelt coastline and an arid interior. Australians will forever tell
you about their poisonous snakes and spiders, their man-eating crocodiles and
killer sharks and how rivers run dry for years then suddenly flood the land as far
as the horizon; how the great interior lakes are empty cracked basins for years
and then one day they turn into an inland ocean.
But those who live on this continent have always viewed the
land as an interminable provider and they did little if nothing to safeguard its
delicate eco-system or adjust to its unusual peculiarities. Australia's settlers
introduced sheep and cattle unsuited to the water-poor land. Governments built
open water canals from which the burning sun evaporated as much as 70 per
cent of the precious liquid they carried. Nature-lovers built villas, cottages and
wood houses into densely forested areas, easy victims for the almost annual
bushfires.
Australians love their gardens and plant them with European flora
that requires constant watering thus depleting further the continent's scarce water
resources instead of planting native flora which sinks deep liquid-storing roots
and survives on minimum amounts of water.
Even though some of the bushfires were lit by pyromaniacs the
strange climatic conditions of Australia have always produced bushfires long
before the white man invaded the continent two centuries ago. Then like today
many bush fires were ignited by lightning during thunderstorms. In recent years
unusually strong winds have fanned these fires into savage conflagrations.
(In the February fire, the worst in history, a hot northerly wind from the
interior fanned and fed small fires eventually converting them into deadly fireballs
racing through dry forest and bush.)
While the authorities did predict the potential of killer bushfires no
one could have prevented the tragedy especially since most residents decided
not to evacuate their endangered homes and leave to the flames a lifetime's
paraphernalia, mementoes and homes in the bush often built by their own hands.
In fact the tragic fires have given Australians a blunt
warning: Beware! In our era of traumatic climate changes and ever more
extreme weather conditions your continent, already fragile by birth, is
sure to become one of the most flagellated climatic victims - and
therefore needs much more of your caring.
ends
A WARNING FROM THE BUSHFIRES
Melbourne, February, 2009 - There was Sam the rescued koala
suckling water from a bottle held by a fireman; there was the couple falling into
each others arms after the fire separated them; there were tears and defiant
declarations " we'll rebuild ". And then there was the reaction to a campaign to
help survivors of the worst bushfire in Australia's history, a horror scenario in
which some two hundred small town residents burned to death.
Few stories are more heart-warming then the generosity
of people for people struck by misfortune. It seems that often in times of
disaster human beings can be capable of amazing unselfish practices and
sacrifices when charity supersedes our materialist nature.
During one week the people of Australia - a population of
20 million - donated 100 million dollars to bushfire victims, brushing aside
concerns about a world-wide recession that has hit hard the Australian
economy and the Australian dollar.
The entire proceeds from an Australian Rules football match, a
popular sport that can attract a hundred thousands spectators for one game
alone, were offered to the bushfire campaign. During the match famous players
and personalities ran phone-lines that collected pledges of five million dollars
alone while the warriors on the pitch still fought ferociously for victory.
Australians are famous for their charity but in this case the plight
of the bushfire survivors was more personal. Their fate touched everyone
because it was so much part of their own habitat. This is a sunburned continent
with extreme weather conditions, a south parched, tinder dry and short of water, a
north flooded by torrential downpours. On this continent desert and snow
alternate with a greenbelt coastline and an arid interior. Australians will forever tell
you about their poisonous snakes and spiders, their man-eating crocodiles and
killer sharks and how rivers run dry for years then suddenly flood the land as far
as the horizon; how the great interior lakes are empty cracked basins for years
and then one day they turn into an inland ocean.
But those who live on this continent have always viewed the
land as an interminable provider and they did little if nothing to safeguard its
delicate eco-system or adjust to its unusual peculiarities. Australia's settlers
introduced sheep and cattle unsuited to the water-poor land. Governments built
open water canals from which the burning sun evaporated as much as 70 per
cent of the precious liquid they carried. Nature-lovers built villas, cottages and
wood houses into densely forested areas, easy victims for the almost annual
bushfires.
Australians love their gardens and plant them with European flora
that requires constant watering thus depleting further the continent's scarce water
resources instead of planting native flora which sinks deep liquid-storing roots
and survives on minimum amounts of water.
Even though some of the bushfires were lit by pyromaniacs the
strange climatic conditions of Australia have always produced bushfires long
before the white man invaded the continent two centuries ago. Then like today
many bush fires were ignited by lightning during thunderstorms. In recent years
unusually strong winds have fanned these fires into savage conflagrations.
(In the February fire, the worst in history, a hot northerly wind from the
interior fanned and fed small fires eventually converting them into deadly fireballs
racing through dry forest and bush.)
While the authorities did predict the potential of killer bushfires no
one could have prevented the tragedy especially since most residents decided
not to evacuate their endangered homes and leave to the flames a lifetime's
paraphernalia, mementoes and homes in the bush often built by their own hands.
In fact the tragic fires have given Australians a blunt
warning: Beware! In our era of traumatic climate changes and ever more
extreme weather conditions your continent, already fragile by birth, is
sure to become one of the most flagellated climatic victims - and
therefore needs much more of your caring.
ends