Author Topic: Bushfires Victoria 6th December 2006  (Read 14818 times)

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Offline Jimmy Deguara

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Re: Bushfires Victoria 6th December 2006
« Reply #15 on: 13 December 2006, 02:39:48 PM »
Hi Brad,

Bloody hell! Melbourne looked like the planet Mars!

I don't mind taking pictures of something as rare unique as that!

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara
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Offline Brad Hannon

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Re: Bushfires Victoria 6th December 2006
« Reply #16 on: 14 December 2006, 05:59:01 AM »
Yeah it was a cool sight Jimmy.  This morning we awoke to smoky conditions again but it wasnt too bad.  The sun was again a great sight as it's silhouette broke through the smoke haze and appeared orange/pink.  However, by 10.30am Melbourne was enveloped in grey/brown smoke.  Visibility from my 18th floor window is down to 500m max.  Anything less than that is pretty hazy.  Winds are from the NE (the direction of the fires) but are relatively light at this stage - in fact they've now dropped to a zephyr.  Will be very interesting if they spring up as forecast.

I see the temp for tomorrow has been reduced to low 30's (from the previous top of 34) and I assume this is due to the amount of smoke that will prevent direct surface warming from the sun itself.
hmmm June 2nd......

Offline Harley Pearman

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Re: Bushfires Victoria 6th December 2006
« Reply #17 on: 14 December 2006, 12:06:55 PM »
Brayden

Those shots you took near Wodonga are awesome. It looks like that you are NE of Mt Baranduda looking S or SW.

This is the best pyrocumulus cloud that I have seen. I grew up in Albury across the border in NSW and I remember seeing something reasonably similar during the 1985 / 1986 bushfires generally in the same region.

I remember two consecutive days in early January 1986 in which temperatures hit 42C and 41C over the two days and there was a bushfire outbreak in NE Victoria although not as large and as significant as this. One fire did produce a significant pyrocumulus cloud.

Black Friday 1940

Actually on this subject, if there are any photos around, you may wish to do a comparison to Black Friday (Friday 13 1940). You may see something not too dissimilar here and in the same locality too.

Apparently on this day 10% of Victoria went up in flames. I did a research project on this at high school and the event of Black Friday came at the back of a drought that was very severe. The current drought that you are experiencing seems to be similar to what happened in 1939 / 1940.

That heatwave on those four days (January 9 to 13 - 1940) pushed temperatures to record levels, something that has not been reached since although they have been approached (eg 3 January 1990 and again in January 2002 at Albury). I remember reading through newspaper articles and records that have been kept at the Albury City library and I remember seeing a temperature of about 47.9C for Albury on that day (Friday 13 1940) and a 49.7C nearby but I cannot confirm that higher figure.

On that day, vast areas of NE Victoria was blackened and the problems then are not too dissimilar to what is happening today except on that day (13/1/1940), 71 people lost their lives and whole towns were lost.

Its interesting to see the similarities of today (2006) to that year (1939 / 1940). Could this be a repeat of that year?

However, it was not long afterwards that the drought broke in mid to late summer, apparently something that is rare. The BOM has prepared a rainfall map for all to see on their website showing what happening to rainfall in 1940 and it is amazing to see the stark contrast.

If you look at the rainfall figures for 1939, approximately 233 mm of rain (Give or take a small amount) fell in a 12 month period of 1938/1939 but I am aware of a 100 mm fall occurring (a one off event) that pushed the total to about 330 mm for 1939. This is the lowest but this year may pip that.

This year, I think that you have had about 260 mm (Give or take and correct me if I am wrong). Its in the lowest 10 percentile of rainfall figures. In terms of rainfall it appears to be matching that year (1939). In terms of heatwaves you are getting, it appears to be matching that year and again these fires appear to be matching that year too.

Incidentally, the bushfires of that year were burning for weeks which culminated in the Black Friday events.

Its worth noting the similarities of the two years. So overall, excellent photos but it is a frightening reality and a reminder that something similar in similar circumstances happened 66 years ago (In this very region).

Harley Pearman

Jeremy Lunn

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Re: Bushfires Victoria 6th December 2006
« Reply #18 on: 20 December 2006, 07:48:57 AM »
Was in town last Wednesday and took a few shots.  Though I'm beginning to think it'll be a common occurrence this summer.

Offline Jimmy Deguara

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Re: Bushfires Victoria 6th December 2006
« Reply #19 on: 04 January 2007, 02:32:52 AM »
Jeremy,

My assumptions re that the haze and bushfire threat has diminished with all the recent storms and rains?

Regards.

Jimmy Deguara
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Offline Jimmy Deguara

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Re: Bushfires Victoria 6th December 2006
« Reply #20 on: 05 January 2007, 05:18:24 PM »
John,

Thanks for the information John. Can't really rely on media - although on my chase trip I had not watched or heard news:)

You suggest they are within containment lines but obviously still are a concern. Are they allowing it to burn itself out? I take it the main concern is to protect life and property.

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara
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