Large Wildfire Threatens Homes in Victoria, Australia

CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTERS
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
MAJOR EMERGENCY DECLARED
RISING TEMPERATURES
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
LOSS OF CROPS & LIVESTOCK
SCENARIOS 900, 800, 555, 444, 111, 101, 100, 080, 071, 070, 03, 02
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Emergency warning  issued as wildfire threatens homes in Victoria, Australia

The warning has been issued for towns Mockinya, Nurrabiel, Telangatuk and Toolondo in northwestern portion of the state of Victoria, said reports.

“Private properties north of the Black Range State Park and the Mt Talbot area could be impacted anytime within the next hour,” said  a warning by the country fire authority (CFA) .

The “fast moving, out of control” wildfire has consumed more than 1,500 hectares and was traveling north from the Black Range State Forest in the Southern Grampians, having reached the Mt Talbot Reserve, said the local media.

South Australia

Meantime, another major blaze has destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and numerous outbuildings in the state of South Australia.

“More than 700 firefighters from SA, New South Wales and Victoria continue to secure the blaze ahead of 38 degree Celsius temperatures forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday,” said a report..

Social media have reported looting  in the areas affected by wildfire.

Related Links

• Major Emergency Declared as Wildfires Devour Homes in S. Australia January 3, 2015

Major Emergency Declared as Wildfires Devour Homes in S. Australia

CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTERS
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
MAJOR EMERGENCY DECLARED
RISING TEMPERATURES
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
LOSS OF CROPS & LIVESTOCK
SCENARIOS 900, 800, 555, 444, 111, 101, 100, 080, 071, 070, 03, 02
.

Thousands flee their homes in S Australia as massive blaze burns towards multiple communities

Dozens of homes are feared lost as a massive out-of-control fire burning on multiple fronts threatens lives and property in the state of  South Australia.

The city of Adelaide Hills [Population: ~ 30,000] remains siege as the 10,000-hectare out-of-control Sampson Flat fire in the Mount Lofty Ranges threatens dozens of communities, reported ABC Australia.

A major emergency has been declared, with the fire conditions described as the worst since Ash Wednesday in 1983, when a monster blaze killed more than 75 people in the states of South Australia and Victoria and destroyed 2,300 homes.

In February 2009, the so-called “Black Saturday” bushfires claimed 173 lives and destroyed more than 2,000 homes in Victoria. A total of 12 bushfires are burning out of control across Victoria, comprising about 26 blazes,  covering up to 225,000 hectare of land.

 

Sampson Flat fire front in the Adelaide Hills approaches goats and geese in a field. Photo from firefighter Eugene Klaebe taken on January 3, 2015. User submitted: Eugene Klaebe/ via ABC (au)

2013 confirmed as Australia’s hottest year on record: Australia BoM

• Average temperatures were 1.20°C above the long-term average of 21.8°C, breaking the previous record set in 2005 by 0.17°C.
• All states and territories recorded above average temperatures in 2013, with Western Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia breaking their previous annual average temperature records.

 

Record Heat Scorching Australia

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
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Extreme conditions continue as searing heat wave moves across Australia

Temperature records shattered again in central, western and north-west Queensland, with 40+ degrees (Celsius) recorded in multiple locations on Thursday.

“It is unusually hot. It’s at least 15 degrees above the average up there at the moment and those are pretty unusual temperatures,” said a weatherman at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

“Century Mine in the far north-west of the state got up to 44.6 today, Camooweal 45.5, a new January record, the Monument Airport 45.9, another January record,” said a senior weatherman at BOM.

“Bedourie police station [recorded] 47.3 [degrees Celsius], which is an annual extreme for them, and Birdsville got up to 48.6 [degrees Celsius.]”

“Our temperatures have been near record, the highest temperature we had was at Moomba at 49.3 degrees but a lot of centres up there are pushing up around that 50 mark,” said another official at BOM.

“It is unusually hot. It’s at least 15 degrees above the average up there at the moment and those are pretty unusual temperatures.”

In the Northern Territory, top temperatures at Alice Springs have remained above 43ºC since the New Year, several record broken already.

Meantime, highest-ever temperature of 45.4ºC was recorded at Tennant Creek airport on Thursday, breaking the previous record  set on January 25, 2013 by 1.2ºC,  said a report.

Australia’s Drought Spells Absolute Disaster

The heat wave has brought more misery for drought-hit cattle farmers who have been slaughtering livestock as Australia sweltered through the hottest year on record in 2013, said a report.

“Water supplies are fast diminishing and whatever feed supplies that were left are cooking off to the point where there won’t be any left,” said Charles Burke, chief executive of Agforce, a Queensland cattle industry group.

“This drought is shaping to be an absolute disaster.”

Australia is the third largest beef exporter in the world after India and Brazil, followed by the US, NZ, EU-27, Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico and Belarus (Source: USDA).

Hottest Year Since Records Began in 1910

Australia experienced its hottest year in 2013  since records began more than a 100 years ago, said BOM on Friday. The continent recorded average temperatures of 1.2ºC above the long-term average of 21.8 degree Celsius, shattering the previous record set in 2005.

The authorities have issued multiple health warnings on Friday for several major cities as fire crews continued to control bushfires across the continent.

Australian PM May Live to Regret…

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott abolished the country’s Climate Change Commission in September, denying that climate change was responsible for bushfires across New South Wales state in October.

Ex-tropical cyclone Christine

South Australia’s far north also experienced near-record temperatures on Thursday, as ex-tropical cyclone Christine moved across the state.

RUSTY Upgraded to a Cat 4 Cyclone

Powerful Cyclone RUSTY Could Cause Severe Flooding in Australia’s NW Coast

Severe Tropical Cyclone RUSTY Forecast Track Map. Source: Australia BOM (Note: WST = UTC + 8hrs)

• Cyclone RUSTY  intensified to a Cat 4 storm early Wednesday, Australia’s BOM reported.
• At 3:00am UTC (11am WST) February 27, 2013  RUSTY was located at 19.5S, 19.4E.
• The cyclone was quasi-stationery for about 6 hours, hovering some 100km off the coast, BOM reported.
• The storm could make landfall east of Port Hedland, about 1,300km north of Perth, Wednesday PM local time.
• High winds have already been reported in Australia’s north-west coast.
• Up to 600mm of rain (~24in) has been being forecast over a 24-hour period.
• People in low-lying areas have been evacuated.
• RUSTY could dump the equivalent of Perth’s entire winter rainfall  over the next 3 days, BOM has warned.

Related Links

• Back-to-back Australian Disasters [index page for Australian disasters 2010 – 2013]

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February 27, 2013 – DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,109 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,109 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Fire ‘like an atom bomb’ destroys homes damages Australian observatory

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,153 Days Left 

[January 14, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,153 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

A ‘perfect storm’ of a fire destroys dozens of homes in NSW

• The massive fire has consumed more than 40,000 hectares near the Warrumbungle National Park in Coonabarabran area in New South Wales (NSW), destroying dozens of homes.

• The destructive blaze with a 100-km front has also destroyed scores of other structures, hundreds of livestock and farming machinery, and remained uncontained as of  Monday, local reports said.

• The mega blaze has severely damaged several buildings at Siding Spring Observatory in the national park, but “the main telescope facilities are okay,” said the acting director for the Australian Astronomical Observatory.

• “There was just absolutely no stopping that fire,” a fire official said, adding that wind conditions had created “perfect storm” conditions for the fire to burn “with such a ferocity we haven’t seen in years.”

• “It looked like an atom bomb the way it went up,” said a property owner who lives to the west of the fire.

• “The smoke plume of that fire extended some 14km (8.6 miles) into the air and even prevented us from getting aircraft overhead because of just how dangerous and bumpy the conditions were,” a fire official told reporters.

• At least 200 wildfires sparked by lightning and fueled by hot and windy weather are burning in NSW.

• About 3 dozen fires remain uncontained, officials said.

• Dozens of fires are also burning in Victoria and Tasmania.

• Hottest Hell on Earth Posted January 8, 2013

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Hottest Hell on Earth

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,159 Days Left 

[January 8, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,159 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Australia: Entombed by a ‘dome of heat’

Hundreds of fires fanned by record temperatures and high winds are currently burning across Australia, many of them out of control.

About 90 percent of New South Wales (NSW) was in severe danger, with “catastrophic” conditions declared in five areas: the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, the Southern Ranges, the northern and eastern Riverina and southern parts of the lower Central West Plains.

• Temperatures soared to near 46ºC (118ºF) today.
• Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has forecast temperatures of up to 54ºC (129ºF)  in central Australia next Monday and has accordingly extended its temperature chart by adding two new colors, pink and purple, to allow for the extremes.
• High winds and atmospheric conditions have created a ‘dome of heat’ entombing Australia, experts said.

Australia Forecast Map for 06:00 UTC on Saturday 12 January 2013 . Source: BOM

Global Temperature Forecast Map for 06:00 UTC on Saturday 12 January 2013 . Source: BOM

SH Temp Forecast for 06:00 UTC on Sunday 13 January 2013

Power Outages

“The blistering heat also caused a blaze at a nuclear research facility in southern Sydney after cabling overheated in a nearby electricity substation, while thousands of homes in the city’s north experienced power outages due to soaring demand,” said a report.

FEWW Links and Forecasts

• Australia’s Runaway Bushfires Threaten Lives and Property

• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Australia on Fire: Tasmania Burning

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Australia’s Runaway Bushfires Threaten Lives and Property

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,160 Days Left 

[January 7, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,160 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Wildfires force thousands from homes as Australian heatwave persists

Temperatures are forecast to exceed 45ºC in some areas of Australia, with hundreds of wildfires already burning in five of Australia’s six states.

• As Australia braced for “catastrophic” wildfire day,  authorities warned a massive runaway bushfire near southwest Victorian settlement of Drik Drik had the potential to double in size to 8,000 hectares, a report said.

• At least 100 fires are burning in New South Wales (NWS), Australia’s most populous state.
  • The heatwave will spread across much of NSW on Tuesday, with strong westerly winds creating “catastrophic” bushfire conditions, fire officials have warned.
  • NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner warned that fire danger ratings across “a significant part” of the state would be raised to either severe or extreme.
  • “It could be some of the worst fire weather conditions we’ve seen for years, both in terms of fire ratings and the geographic spread of the conditions,” he said.”Couple that with the fact the last two years have been dominated by rainfall and moisture, which means we’ve got fuel loads across NSW the likes of which we haven’t seen for 30 or 40 years.”
  • “Any fire that burns under the predicted conditions — 40 degree (Celsius) temperatures (104 Fahrenheit), below 10 percent humidity, winds gusting over 70 kilometers an hour (43mph) — those conditions are by any measure horrendous,” said NSW Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner.

Related News Links

• Australia braces for “catastrophic” wildfire day
• Vic bushfire spreads to farming community

FEWW Links and Forecasts

• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Australia on Fire: Tasmania Burning

China: “Watergate” crisis

• “20 million residents in Beijing are waiting for a response from the government after the national capital was embarrassed by a media report that said inappropriate sewage discharge and garbage disposal led to the deteriorating quality of tap water,” said a report.
  

• Chinese city of Handan, located in Hebei province, fails to report huge toxic leak into Zhanghe River, cuts off water to 1 million.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Drought Declared in Southeast UK

Larger areas of the UK face drought this year: DEFRA

England declares drought in more regions after months of low rainfall.  Drought is now affecting the country’s southeastern, eastern and parts of the Midlands. The river Kennet has stopped flowing near Lockeridge in Wiltshire, reports said.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 21

[February 21, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,485 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• England, UK.  As UK government declares drought in southeast England, the country’s top official responsible for  environment has warned that large parts of the country are facing an inevitable drought this summer even if the coming months bring heavy rainfall.
  • “Drought is already an issue this year with the south-east, Anglia and other parts of the UK now officially in drought, and more areas are likely to be affected as we continue to experience a prolonged period of very low rainfall,”  British Environment Minister has warned.
  • Meantime, the country’s Meteorological Agency has warned that ‘prolonged periods of heavy rainfall in the near future are unlikely.’
  • Groundwater levels in East Anglia are exceptionally low.
  • Rainfall in the Midlands, East Anglia and the south east in January was about 35 percent below normal.
  • East Anglia has experienced its driest-ever 5-month period from last September, the Center for Hydrology and Ecology reported.
  • The counties of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and large parts of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, as well as  west Norfolk are experiencing drought, while Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Kent, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Shropshire are extremely dry.
  • “Since June 2011, drought has affected Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, parts of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, and west Norfolk. In February 2012 following a dry winter, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent, Surrey, London, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and the east of Gloucestershire are now in drought,” Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) reported.
  • In contrast, northern England and Scotland have experienced their wettest winter in 100 years, reports said.

UK Groundwater Levels as of mid February 2012. BGS © NERC. Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Environment Agency, 100026380, 2012.

Other Global Disasters

• New South Wales (NSW), Australia.   The government in the Australian state of NSW has extended a natural disaster declarations to the northern areas of Bourke and Tamworth, a report said.
  • The disaster declarations follow widespread flooding which has substantially damaged homes, businesses and infrastructure.
  • The following local government areas have already been declared disaster areas: Walgett, Brewarrina, Liverpool Plains, Gloucester, Upper Hunter, Ballina, Gunnedah, Moree Shire, Greater Taree, Gwydir, Narrabri, Tenterfield, Bellingen, Byron, Lismore, Kyogle, Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Inverell, Nambucca, Kempsey and Tweed Shire Council.
  • Flood evacuation orders may be issued later today.
• Western NSW.  Meantime, major flooding is occurring across the western portion of NSW, reports said.
  • Fooodwaters from Queensland and eastern NSW are heading west towards Brewarrina and Bourke (combined pop: ~ 4,000), where three swollen river systems converge.
• Southern NSW.   “Authorities received more than 300 calls for help as flash flooding hit Sydney and the New South Wales south coast last night,” a report said.
  • “Extraordinary rain. Terrey Hills had 61 millimeters in a hour, and Peakhurst had 26 millimeters in just ten minutes,” State Emergency Service spokesman said.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar 

Back-to-Back Australian Disasters

• Inland sea moving across NSW, Australia  Posted on February 10, 2012
• The state government in NSW (Aus)  has declared Gunnedah a disaster area

• Flooded Australia: Thousands Evacuated in 3 States
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Wildfire Consumes 1 Million Acres in WA

• Australia: 5 disaster areas declared in NSW following severe flooding

Inland sea moving across NSW, Australia

An area the size of England and Ireland flooded in northern NSW

A massive body of water moving across the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has left at least 7,000 people isolated in the northern portion of the state, but the figure is expected to exceed 10,000.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 10

[February 10, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,496 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

QLD Flood Map. Source: ABOM

NSW Flood Map.  Source: Australia BOM.

• NSW, Australia.  A massive body of water moving across the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has left at least 7,000 people isolated in northern NSW, but the figure is expected to exceed 10,000.
  • Flooding in northern NSW has impacted an area the size of England and Ireland combined.
  • Many areas in the south are also impacted by extreme rain events.
  • “Down in the south, many rivers are on a flood watch and now, as we’ve seen, the Sydney metropolitan area and surrounds are also experiencing the impact of these weather events,” State Emergency Services (SES) said.
  • The inland sea moving from the north of the state to the south was expected to continue for two months, isolating towns and communities along its path for many weeks, SES spokesperson said.
  • “It really is quite a significant protracted event of an extremely large body of water moving across the state.”
  • “A lot of communities will be isolated, some communities will need to be evacuated,” NSW Assistant Police Commissioner said.”It is a significant welfare issue, emotionally and physically, for those people.”
  • “There are water-logged cotton crops, stranded cattle and farmers sitting on the veranda counting losses,” a report said.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

• The state government in NSW (Aus)  has declared Gunnedah a disaster area

• Flooded Australia: Thousands Evacuated in 3 States
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Wildfire Consumes 1 Million Acres in WA

• Australia: 5 disaster areas declared in NSW following severe flooding

Australia: 5 disaster areas declared in NSW following severe flooding

Days of severe flooding turns north of NSW state into disaster zone

The state government of Australia’s New South Wales (NSW)  has declared 5 northern districts as disaster zones after days of severe flooding transformed Bellingen, Byron, Kyogle, Lismore and Richmond Valley areas into swampland.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – January 30

[January 30, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,507 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• NSW, Australia. Nearly a week of severe flooding has turned northern parts of Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state into disaster zones.
  • The state government of NSW has declared 5 northern districts as disaster zones after days of severe flooding transformed Bellingen, Byron, Kyogle, Lismore and Richmond Valley areas into swampland.
  • “This weather system has caused a lot of damage to critical infrastructure, property and road networks,” said a senior official.
  • At least 1,500 people remain isolated by the floods since the mega deluge began on January 24, reports said.

Weather systems to remember!

MTSAT – Australia – IR – Greyscale – Source: ABOM.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

• Flooded Australia: Thousands Evacuated in 3 States
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Wildfire Consumes 1 Million Acres in WA

Flooded Australia: Thousands Evacuated in 3 States

Torrential rains continue to cause havoc in Queensland, NSW and NT

Gold Coast prepares for evacuations as heavy downpour forces the release of water from Brisbane’s largest dam.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – January 25

[January 25, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,512 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Queensland, NSW and NT, Australia.   Heavy rainfalls in Queensland have caused extensive flooding, which is exacerbated by the release of water from Brisbane’s Wivenhoe dam, the largest in the area.
  • Residents in the Gold Coast are being evacuated as forecasters predicted strong storms on Wednesday pm.
  •  The water level in Hinze Dam, Gold Coast City’s main water supply, has risen by at least 3 meters in less than 48 hours, reports said.  
    
  • Gold Coast City Council activated the Disaster Co-ordination Center.
  • The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) have evacuated thousands of people and ordered many more in several areas to evacuate.
  • Thousands of people in remain isolated.
  • “Darwin and surrounding areas have been hit by wild weather since Tuesday. Strong wind gusts have knocked down trees and caused power cuts,” a report said, with wind gusts of up to 93kmh recorded at Darwin Airport.
  • Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning, with the possibility of flash flooding throughout the Darwin-Daly and northern Arnhem districts.
• Western Australia.  Multiple bushfire continue to ravage Gascoyne region in Western Australia.
  • Month-long blazes have consumed more than 600,000 hectares, which includes grazing land, and destroyed  infrastructure in the region.
  • The State Government has so far rejected calls to declare the fire-ravaged area a disaster zone, a report said.

Other Global Disasters

• Virginia, USA.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared 20 counties and 4 independent cities in Virginia as agricultural disaster areas because of losses caused two separate disaster conditions.
  • Disaster Conditions No. 1: Craig, Frederick and Page counties have been designated primary natural disaster areas because of losses caused by excessive heat that occurred May 1, 2011, through Sept. 30, 2011.
  • The following 12 counties have been declared disaster areas because they are contigous: Alleghany, Giles, Montgomery, Rockingham, Botetourt, Greene, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Clarke, Madison, Roanoke and Warren.
  • The independent city of Winchester has also been declared a disaster area.
• West Virginia. The following counties in West Virginia have also been declared disaster areas because they’re contiguous: Berkeley, Hampshire, Hardy, Monroe, Jefferson and Morgan
• Virginia.  Prince George County has been designated as a primary natural disaster area because of losses caused by Hurricane Irene that occurred from Aug. 27-28, 2011.
  • The following counties and cities in Virginia were also declared as disaster areas because they’re contiguous:
    • Counties: Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Surry and Sussex;
    •  Independent cities: Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Wildfire Consumes 1 Million Acres in WA

Disaster Zones Declared in NSW and WA, Australia

Severe Flooding in NSW, catastrophic bushfires in WA destroy homes, farms and businesses in Australia

Disaster zones have been declared in two Australian states due to catastrophic bushfires in Western Australia (WA), which began on 23 November, and severe flooding in northwestern New South Wales (NSW).  

Disaster Calendar 2011 – November 29

[November 29, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,569 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• NSW, Australia. The state government in Australian state of New South Wales has declared 3 shires in the northwest as disaster zones after flooding destroyed farms and businesses.
• Thousands of people and livestock and hundreds of farms remain isolated after days of torrential rains which triggered mega flooding, creating an inland sea.
• The three shires of  Armidale Dumaresq, Inverell and Moree Plains have been declared disaster areas.
• “I saw first-hand how widespread the devastation is,” said the Emergency Services Minister.
• “There are many families and business owners who have been affected by these recent floods.”
• Evacuation orders remain in effect at various locations.
• WA, Australia. The Government of Western Australia (WA) has  declared the Margaret River region a disaster zone following devastating fires that consumed thousands of hectares of bushland and destroyed dozens of homes, sheds and chalets.
• Tungurahua Volcano, Ecuador. Ecuador’s government is urging about 700 people in 4 villages on the slopes of the Tungurahua Volcano in the Andes to evacuate the area after the 5,023-meter volcano began erupting on Monday, sending pyroclastic flows down the volcano flanks.
  

Strombolian eruptions observed during the night of November 28, 2011. Photo by J. Bustillos / IGEPN. Image may be subject to copyright.

Related Links

• Australian Disasters [Index]
• Tungurahua volcano erupts

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disaster Calendar 
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Pesticides Destroying the Great Barrier Reef

Agricultural pesticides found  about 60km inside the reef at toxic levels: Australian government report

Time and time again, Australian farmers have demonstrated that they are poor stewards of the land.

READ THIS FIRST

Continued hacking and content censorship

In view of the continued hacking and censorship of this blog by the Internet Mafia, the Moderators have decided to maintain only a minimum presence at this site, until further notice.

FIRE-EARTH will continue to update the 2011 Disaster Calendar for the benefit of its readers.

WordPress is HACKING this blog!

WordPress Continues to Hack Fire-Earth, Affiliated Blogs

The Blog Moderators Condemn in the Strongest Possible Terms the Continued Removal of Content and Hacking of FIRE-EARTH and Affiliated Blogs by WordPress!

Disaster Calendar 2011 – August 13 Entry

[August 13, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,677 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• The Great Barrier Reef, Australia. As if coral bleaching caused by climate change and pollution from tourism and transport industries weren’t enough, now a new report on water quality issued by the Australian government says that agricultural pesticides are causing significant damage to the World Heritage-listed natural wonder.
• Alabama, USA. Death toll from April 27 Tuscaloosa tornado has climbed to at least 50, a report said.
• Nebraska, USA.  A second disaster declaration has been issued for the state of Nebraska following  flooding from May 24 to August 1, reports said. [For details of Nebraska’s first disaster declaration see August 12 entry.]
• Colorado, USA. Agriculture Secretary has declared 3 counties in the state of Colorado as natural disaster areas. The freezing temperatures from April 26 through May 3, 2011 caused severe damage to crops, especially apples and stone fruit.  The three disaster areas are Delta, Mesa and Montrose counties. Additionally,  Garfield, Gunnison, Ouray, Pitkin and San Miguel counties as well as Grand and San Juan counties in Utah were declared disaster areas because they are contiguous.

Related Links

• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• 2011 Disaster Calendar – August
• 2010 Disaster Calendar 
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Severe Storms Attack Australia

BACK-TO-BACK DISASTERS CONTINUE TO HIT QLD, VIC

Vicious Storms Attacking Queensland

Australian Region Infrared Satellite Image

Queensland Warnings Summary

Current Warnings

• Coastal Wind Warning 1,
• Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Southeast Queensland 1,
• Flood Warning – Don River and Adjacent Streams,
• Flood Warning – Coastal rivers – Maryborough to Gold Coast,
• Flood Warning – Lockyer, Bremer, Warrill & Brisbane below Wivenhoe.,
• Flood Warning – Condamine-Balonne Rivers,
• Flood Warning – Macintyre/Weir,
• Flood Warning – Moonie River,
• Flood Warning – Thomson/Barcoo/Cooper Ck,
• Flood Warning – Gulf Rivers,
• Queensland flood warning summary.

Victoria Farming Disaster

Floodwaters have submerged at least a third of the Australian state of Victoria, inundating at least 62 towns and killing hundreds of thousands of poultry and scores of other farm animals. Floods have damaged a reported 1,730 properties, affecting at least 4,300 people.

Click Image to enlarge. Source: Victorian Farmers Federation, ABARES, via The  Australian.

Flood Headlines

Towns isolated as floods swamp Victoria

• New Victorian flood front ruins farm sector
• Flood-hit Kerang facing days of isolation
• Residents in Dimboola in northwest Victoria are being evacuated as the Wimmera River rises. Source

• More storms on the way for SE Queensland
• Severe storms threaten flood-affected areas
• Severe storms threaten flood-affected areas
• Monsoon rains intensify

Current Warnings

• New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory,
• Victoria,
• Queensland,
• Western Australia,
• Northern Territory.

Flooding in the Australian Interior

Click image to enlarge. Download larger image (8 MB, JPEG)

Click image to enlarge. Download large image (5 MB, JPEG)

Floods continue  to spread across the interior of southeastern Australia, namely in the states of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. Both false-color images above use a combination of visible light and infrared to enhance the contrast between land and water. Water appears in shades of blue. The top image was captured by MODIS on NASA’s Aqua satellite on on January 20, 2011, the bottom image on January 22, 2010. Source: NASA-EO

Victoria Floods – Satellite Images

Flooding in Victoria – January 2011

Click image to enlarge. Download larger image (14 MB, JPEG)

Floodwaters continued to surge from Australia’s state of New South Wales to its southern neighbor Victoria on January 19, 2011 causing substantial damage to infrastructure and agricultural produce. These images use infrared and visible light to enhance contrast between land and water. Top image was captured by MODIS  on NASA’s Terra satellite on January 19, 2011, bottom image nearly a year earlier on January 20, 2010. Water shows in shades of blue.

Related Links:

• Australia Disasters Headlines

• Victoria Flood Update: 46 Towns Affected
• Australia: Back-to-Back Disasters Hit Vic
• Flood crisis spreads to 5 Australian states
• Global Floods Update – Australia
• Back-to-Back Australian Disasters [Links page]

• Earth’s Human Induced Antiphase Nears Completion
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs

Australia Disasters Headlines

Back-to-Back Disasters Continue to Plague Australia

The number of Victorian towns affected by floods has risen to 58.

Victoria braces for worst as water surge builds

“Victoria’s flood crisis has worsened, with hundreds more homes being swamped yesterday by a mass of water surging north towards the NSW border, cutting off entire towns and terrifying thousands of residents.” Source

Severe thunderstorm with hail batter SE Queensland

Strong winds with gusts of up to 95 km/hr uproot trees and topple  power lines in Brisbane’s west. Source

Bad weather is now moving to the north of Brisbane, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says.

“It looks like things are trying to move north of the Lockyer Valley as well,” he said.

“There’s a bit of a band of these storms pretty much from Brisbane arching up towards Samford then Esk, locally heavy rainfall and then less intense rainfall, spreading out.

“People in the Lockyer Valley now have probably seen the worst of it for today.”

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology.  Click image to enlarge.

• Latest Satellite Image.
• IR Color Animation

Eastern Australia Flood Map

Source: BOM. Click Image to Enlarge.

Brisbane Devastation: Before and After Photos

High res aerial photos of the Brisbane floods captured in flyovers on January 13 and January 14. Source

Current Warnings

• New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory,
• Victoria,
• Queensland,
• Western Australia,
• Northern Territory.

Related Links:

• Victoria Flood Update: 46 Towns Affected
• Australia: Back-to-Back Disasters Hit Vic
• Flood crisis spreads to 5 Australian states
• Global Floods Update – Australia
• Back-to-Back Australian Disasters [Links page]

• Earth’s Human Induced Antiphase Nears Completion
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs

Australia: Back-to-Back Disasters Hit Vic

Victoria’s flood crisis to continue for days

Forty-three towns and nearly a third of Victoria have been inundated

At least 1400 properties across the Australian state of Victoria have been inundated, as 3,500 people are  forced to flee their homes.

Source: Image from Japan Meteorological Agency satellite MTSAT-1R via Bureau of Meteorology.  Click image to enlarge.

• Latest Satellite Image.
• IR Color Animation

Some 43 towns  have been affected by the floods,  said to be the worst flooding to hit northern and northwestern Victoria since records began 130 years ago.

A map of flooded areas in the state of Victoria. Source. Image may be subject to copyright.

The towns of Echuca, Horsham  and Kerang were expected to be hit by massive flooding as rivers in the ares peak overnight,  reports say.

”The message to Victorians is that we are not out of the woods yet as far as this flood crisis is concerned,” the State Emergency Service spokesman said. ”In some of our river systems we are seeing unprecedented stream rises.”

‘We anticipate parts of the central business district and areas to the west of the Campaspe river in Echuca to be impacted,” he said.

“Rochester, on the Campaspe, which reached a record height of 9.5m, far in excess of the previous record set in 1956, and Charlton on the Avoca, which peaked at 8.05m on Saturday, are among the towns worst hit so far,” a report said.

About 80 per cent of both towns have been inundated.

Weather and Warnings

• Tropical Cyclone,
• New South Wales / Australian Capital Territory,
• Victoria,
• Queensland,
• Western Australia,
• South Australia,
• Tasmania,
• Northern Territory.

Related Links:

• Flood crisis spreads to 5 Australian states
• Global Floods Update – Australia
• Back-to-Back Australian Disasters[Links page]

• Earth’s Human Induced Antiphase Nears Completion
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs