Aussie Bushfires.

[ngatimozart]

Link to the ADF OPBUSHFIRE ASSIST 2019 / 20. It covers what the ADF are / have been doing and is updated daily. Operation Bushfire Assist 2019-2020 | Defence News

A quick update on the internationals:

• The New Zealand Defence Force and the Singapore Armed Forces are providing support through military assets and personnel.
• Two Singapore Armed Forces CH-47 Chinooks have deployed to RAAF Base East Sale to support operations in Victoria.
• Three New Zealand helicopters have arrived and are now available for tasking.
• Thirty New Zealand Army engineers and their equipment arrived at Kangaroo Island on January 9 and have integrated with Australian Army elements providing assistance.
  • NZDF are sending an Environmental Health Team, a Primary Health Care Team and a Chaplain to Kangaroo Island today. (NZDEFMIN)
• The Papua New Guinea Defence Force contingent will be formed around military engineers and will combine with Australian Army personnel from the Townsville-based 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment. These personnel regularly train and exercise together, both in Papua New Guinea and Australia. The combined team will be attached to Joint Task Force 646 and expected to operate out of country Victoria.
• We have accepted the Republic of Fiji’s offer to provide a platoon of engineers, who will work alongside ADF personnel operating out of East Gippsland.
• Defence has received additional offers from other international partners and expects these to be progressively developed as need and circumstances evolve.

 

[ASSAIL]

Came across this story about what seems to be an active disinformation campaign regarding the causes for the bushfires in Australia. I have not yet come across other references to this taking place, but it does make me wonder (if the campaign is truly happening) who might be engaged in this and why.

it all depends on which side of the philosophical divide each news organisation sits.
If you wish to believe the right wing “Spectator” they submit this We don’t just have a bushfire crisis. We have an arson crisis, too | The Spectator Australia
If however you like to believe the left wing agencies and public broadcasters, they say this Police contradict claims spread online exaggerating arson's role in Australian bushfires
And this We crunched the numbers on bushfires and arson — the results might surprise you

 

[Takao]

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force contingent will be formed around military engineers and will combine with Australian Army personnel from the Townsville-based 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment. These personnel regularly train and exercise together, both in Papua New Guinea and Australia. The combined team will be attached to Joint Task Force 646 and expected to operate out of country Victoria.

To put the PNGDF contribution into perspective, it's the same as the ADF deploying around 2300 people. Which is bigger than either of our contributions to Iraq or Afghanistan. A very serious show of commitment and support from PNG.

 

[Todjaeger]

it all depends on which side of the philosophical divide each news organisation sits.
If you wish to believe the right wing “Spectator” they submit this We don’t just have a bushfire crisis. We have an arson crisis, too | The Spectator Australia
If however you like to believe the left wing agencies and public broadcasters, they say this Police contradict claims spread online exaggerating arson's role in Australian bushfires
And this We crunched the numbers on bushfires and arson — the results might surprise you

The part I had found most interesting about the story I linked to, were the reports that an apparent SME on digital media at Queensland University of Technology found that one of the trending hashtags which was being repeated displayed a large portion of posting/sharing behavior which was attributable to bots and/or trolls. I am certain that at least some of the Moderators here on DT have either noticed bots joining/posting/attempting to post here, and I would not be surprised if there have been some trolls which Mods had recognized by their posting style and content coming back after bans for "bad behavior".

My personal belief is that a this point, the cause does not really matter all that much compared to getting the fires knocked down and under control if not extinguished completely. In the mean time (and to help achieve that objective) taking steps to mitigate potential damage and risks of future/additional fires by instituting and enforcing fire bans, making effective fire breaks, etc.

 

[ASSAIL]

Here’s a pretty confronting video of a homeowner defending his property during a firestorm.
If it had sound it would be even more scary.

Man defends home from raging firestorm in Australia

 

[seaspear]

It's a fallacy that global warming is causing the fires. Bad management practices have definitely contributed to their severity and arson has been a causal factor. Climate change has also contributed to their severity because of the increasing mean air and ocean temperatures and the resulting changing weather patterns. In Australia and NZs case there will be increasing longer dry periods punctuated by short extreme wet events. This means more and longer droughts and a drier climate. The science is unequivocal about this and I back the science having worked with it.

In the future, the bushfire hazards can be mitigated for by far better management of the hazard through the use of firebreaks and the aboriginal people's traditional knowledge of bushfire management. They've been doing it for tens of thousands of years, so have both the institutional knowledge and expertise. Just because it isn't western doesn't make it any less valid.

I am curious in the reasons for your opinion of global warming being a fallacy but not climate change why wouldnt they be linked?

 

[ngatimozart]

I am curious in the reasons for your opinion of global warming being a fallacy but not climate change why wouldnt they be linked?

You didn't read what I wrote. I said: "It's a fallacy that global warming is causing the fires." The second part of the sentence which I've highlighted in bold is the important part of the sentence, not the first. You've taken it out of context, by trying to claim that I have an opinion that global warning is a fallacy, when I did not say such a thing at all. That's how misunderstandings happen. The actual fallacy is that global warming is causing the fires, when in fact it isn't at all. It just makes the conditions more prone for wild fires, and for fires to be harder to control.

 

[seaspear]

Perhaps this article linking global warmaing to climate change provides some light on the point I was trying to make
What's the Difference Between Global Warming and Climate Change?
if global warming is shown to effect the climate and the climate then becomes more condusive to the conditions for fire outbreaks where is the fallacy ?
Im aware that there are of course many contrary scientific views to the article I ve posted not least to those who subsidise disparaging views of climate change

 

[ngatimozart]

Perhaps this article linking global warmaing to climate change provides some light on the point I was trying to make
What's the Difference Between Global Warming and Climate Change?
if global warming is shown to effect the climate and the climate then becomes more condusive to the conditions for fire outbreaks where is the fallacy ?
Im aware that there are of course many contrary scientific views to the article I ve posted not least to those who subsidise disparaging views of climate change

I am very aware of the difference between the two. I should be considering I have studied climatology and worked in a climatology related field.

 

[ngatimozart]

The RAN arguably made it's most important delivery to Mallacotta recently. The town was in extremely dire straits - the pub had just about run out of beer. Royal Australian Navy delivers 800 gallons of ale to fire-ravaged town in hall-of-fame beer run. It mightn't seem much in the overall scheme of things, but to a small town cut off by land it is important for morale.

 

[John Fedup]

Important, I think “essential “ would be a better word.

 

[ngatimozart]

A RNZAF B757 is leaving Whenuapai tomorrow for Nadi, to uplift a RFMF engineer team of 54 from Fiji for deployment to Australia to help with bushfire crisis. The ADF has also requested a third NZDF air loading team, which left yesterday. The RNZAF have a C-130H(NZ) and 3 NH90 providing airlift support foor the bushfire crisis at the moment, plus the NZDF ground teams and the NZ firies there.

Pacific partners work together to provide additional support to Australia

 

[Redlands18]

You have to laugh, there is now flash flood warnings for northern NSW

 

[StingrayOZ]

Japan has just landed two c-130's to help.

While the fires are coming under-control with the rain, there is still total devastation in those areas hit. Trees are still coming down and blocking roads. The rain itself is becoming another problem.. A land of Fire and floods as they say.

 

[ngatimozart]

Japan has just landed two c-130's to help.

While the fires are coming under-control with the rain, there is still total devastation in those areas hit. Trees are still coming down and blocking roads. The rain itself is becoming another problem.. A land of Fire and floods as they say.

The crocs and gators will be loving it, but the snakes will be getting grumpy. Beggars can't be choosers and the rain is sorely needed, even though its causing problems. Seeing the video of that cocky (farmer) dancing with joy in the rain yesterday drives home just how much that rain means.

 

[StingrayOZ]

The rains really have been missing, its been a hard drought all over the place. Towns have run out, cities have run out, fish are dying in muddly pools that used to be rivers, the states are tear each other apart over water allocations. People even in the city ran out into the rain and fell to their knees in tears. I don't imagine that happens in many other places.


https://www.waternsw.com.au/supply/drought-information/greater-sydney

Which surprises no one. The fires were particular bad due to the drought and high temperatures and dry hot winds. This is targeting to be the worst drought we have ever had. Turning on the desalination did nothing, neither did water restrictions and Sydney consumes water at twice the rate of Melbourne currently, per capita.

After the fires, if you want anything to grow you want steady rain, there is a worry that this rain is just enough to get seeds to germinate and then die off when the heat and the dry returns..

But you can't be too negative. Some rain is better than none.

 

[Redlands18]

Im getting a bit worried about the grass at my place, its turned this funny looking green colour and it seems to be longer.

 

[ngatimozart]

Im getting a bit worried about the grass at my place, its turned this funny looking green colour and it seems to be longer.

Just be careful, it's most likely the stuff that you can't smoke.

 

[John Fedup]

Just be careful, it's most likely the stuff that you can't smoke.

Can’t or not allowed to? If the latter, can I send you junior to change the rules? No return though!!!

 

[ngatimozart]

Can’t or not allowed to? If the latter, can I send you junior to change the rules? No return though!!!

No, I mean that if you smoke it, the taset would be somewhat terrrible. Definitely not the good stuff, and yes it's illegal in Aussie and here.