Australia: Wild Fire - Feb 2009

Israeli officials are racing to contain wildfires that began in northern Israel on Thursday morning, prompting the evacuation of 17,000 and a rare request for international assistance. But while these fires are devastating for Israel - as of Friday they've killed at least 42 people and burned an estimated 8,600 acres in the tiny country - they are far smaller than other major forest fires around the globe.

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Press Release No.869

Geneva, 8 December 2009 (WMO) - The year 2009 is likely to rank in the top 10 warmest on record since the beginning of instrumental climate records in 1850, according to data sources compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The global combined sea surface and land surface air temperature for 2009 (January-October) is currently estimated at 0.44°C ± 0.11°C (0.79°F ± 0.20°F) above the 1961-1990 annual average of 14.00°C/57.2°F.

American Red Cross also part of the Hewlett-Packard Company's Create Change campaign

WASHINGTON, Wednesday, December 02, 2009 - The Hewlett-Packard Company Foundation has contributed more than $1 million this year to help fund American Red Cross disaster response.

The largest contribution, $350,000, was given to help Philippine communities affected by typhoons in September and October.

Washington/Nairobi, 24 September 2009 -The pace and scale of climate change may now be outstripping even the most sobering predictions of the last report of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC).

An analysis of the very latest, peer-reviewed science indicates that many predictions at the upper end of the IPCC's forecasts are becoming ever more likely.

Meanwhile, the newly emerging science points to some events thought likely to occur in longer-term time horizons, as already happening or set to happen far sooner than had previously been thought.

Researchers have …

Sydney_(dpa) _ An inquiry into Australia's worst wildfires said Monday that an early warning system and encouraging householders to leave rather than stay and fight the flames might have reduced the death toll.

The February blazes north of Melbourne killed 173 people, destroyed 2,000 properties and blackened 430,000 hectares as record high temperatures combined with strong winds to create conditions ideal for a conflagration.

Report author Bernard Teague, a retired judge, recommended a review of a controversial policy that encourages people to stay and defend their homes.

Of …

Red Cross has praised Australian and international communities for their support of people affected by Victoria's devastating fires.

Red Cross CEO Robert Tickner described the relief and recovery response over the past six months as an extraordinary demonstration of the power of humanity.

Dear Editor,

It is now six months since bushfires devastated parts of regional Victoria. The terrifying events of late January and early February will be remembered as one of the most tragic periods in Australia's peace time history. The worst natural disaster in recent memory claimed lives and property on an unprecedented scale, and has left a scar not only on our landscape, but on our national psyche.

Six months on, communities continue the overwhelming task of rebuilding their lives.

Une approche intégrée pour limiter les dégâts

27 juillet 2009, Rome - Chaque année, le feu dévore quelque 350 millions d'hectares de terres boisées, de friches et de cultures provoquant non seulement des dégâts considérables à la nature mais aussi aux habitations et aux propriétés tout en privant de leurs moyens d'existence des milliers, voire des millions, d'individus.

Les incendies provoquent aussi des pertes en vies humaines.

En outre, la destruction du couvert végétal par les incendies incontrôlés aggrave à la fois le réchauffement climatique, la pollution de …

An integrated approach to reduce fire losses

Rome, 27 July 2009 - Every year fires affect an estimated 350 million hectares of land, with damage to property, livelihoods and frequently loss of life. Uncontrolled vegetation fires also contribute to global warming, air pollution, desertification and loss of biodiversity.

Editorial

A strong need at all stages

A woman dying of AIDS once told me that it was not so much the disease, but the depression that she lived with that took its toll. She suffered enormously from the fear, isolation and the loss of a future, that can be companions of HIV and AIDS. I shall never forget her words, and they will always remind me why psychosocial support is so important.

While the whole world is focusing on earthquakes and conflicts we should not forget that the HIV pandemic is a global catastrophe claiming millions of lives and causing enormous social disruption.

CANBERRA, May 17, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- After the worst bushfires in Australian history happened 100 days ago, the people in the fire devastated regions slowly moved forwards, with about a third of the 3,000 properties destroyed or damaged have been cleared.

Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority Chairwoman Christine Nixon said on Sunday that "it is vital these communities have the opportunity to identify their needs and rebuild in the way they want."

Nixon made the remarks in Marysville, one of the worst-hit towns in Victoria, while releasing a 100-day …

The Australian Government will provide further resources to aid the emotional and psychological recovery of bushfire affected families and communities in Victoria.

The Government has already provided a $7.5 million mental health package to assist bushfire survivors.

Today, I am launching two new DVDs on post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder, funded by the Australian Government.

The DVDs were produced by the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health (ACPMH) in collaboration with the Rural Health Education Foundation.

One is a resource for doctors and …

Sincere thanks to those who gave

In February Australians came together in an unprecedented display of support. The Appeal, which has now closed, has raised over $300 million. We join families and communities affected in thanking you for the generosity you have shown. In difficult financial times, you have been selfless in your giving.

Joint Media Release with Bill Shorten MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction

Families affected by the devastating Victorian bushfires will have immediate access to high quality early childhood services with $273,200 in Australian Government funding to support 29 playgroups across the state.

The funding will allow Playgroup Victoria to employ six full time staff and hire or purchase three vehicles to deliver support to families with young children in Kinglake, Murrindindi, Bendigo, Wandong and Traralgon.

Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services …

Solomon Islands has provided cash donations towards the victims of the recent bushfires in Australia and flood victims in Fiji which killed more than 200 innocent lives in the two countries.

A share of the donation was also given to the Guadalcanal Provincial Government to assist ongoing relief efforts after the February floods that killed at least 13 people and living hundreds homeless in West Guadalcanal.

The painful triple disasters have triggered sympathy among leaders and several individual business figures in Honiara to form a charitable appeal to the government and the …

After a record breaking appeal and with the bushfires in Victoria now thankfully under control, Red Cross and the Victorian and Australian Governments thank the community for their generosity, recognising a number of events are still to be held.

DAFF09/216BJ

Joint media release
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - The Hon Tony Burke MP

Firefighters in south-eastern Australia are preparing for severe weather conditions across the state of Victoria on Tuesday.

Weather forecasters predict that the region will experience winds worse than on Black Saturday, on February 7, when more than 200 people perished in firestorms.

The worsening conditions are predicted to set in on Monday night and increase the threat from forecast high temperatures.

The weather bureau has described the day's forecast wind gusts as ''a major wind event'' and says that small falls of rain expected during Tuesday will make …

Backburning and containment work is continuing on the four major bushfires still burning across Victoria.

Fears a wind change would fan the flames and spark new outbreaks late yesterday were not realised.

But the fire danger is expected to be extreme on Tuesday.

The CFA's Allan Rankin says this weekend's milder weather will give crews a chance to make some progress.

"That will certainly give us the advantage of being able to continue the work in strengthening the containment lines that have been put in place over previous days.

MELBOURNE, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The fire-ravaged southern Australian state of Victoria was put on a high fire alert on Friday, forcing the closure of around 200 schools as temperatures soared and strong winds threatened to fan blazes.

Dozens of fires continue to burn in Victoria, where firestorms on Feb.