Over 108 dead (and still rising) here in Victoria from the massive bushfires that were generated in the record temps we experienced on Saturday of over 118 degrees.

I still have extended family unaccounted for in one of the worst hit areas
but I am hoping that they are in refuge and will be in contact later in the day. Homes and businesses I have owned are no longer ! The whole township of Marysville was destroyed and only a couple of buildings left standing.
http://www.marysvilletourism.com/ . It was one of the most prettiest mountain towns you could imagine..it is just black and ash now.

This area alone had amazing number of native wildlife including sugar,squirrel, greater & yellow bellied gliders. Another major worry is the highly endangered Leadbeater Possum whose last remaining habitats was right in the middle of the fires close to the Marysville region!




to this



Sue (Jett) and I are members of Wildlife Victoria who is co-ordinating the wildlife rescue effort from these bushfire grounds as soon as the relevant authorities deem it safe enough for recovery processes to begin. We wont be allowed in whilst fires are still burning in the locale but as soon as we are given the all clear, about 50 accredited fireground rescuers will be going to to save what we can, and also euthanise those animals too burnt and in agony from the fires.

I have been asked by our sugar glider friends, if there are ways they can help the wildlife rescue efforts. If you can spare a couple of dollars and yes we know how bad things are economy wise, please visit this site. http://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au The US dollar is so good compared to ours at the moment that $10US is worth about $16 AU !!

Thanks, Ko. I'll see what I can do on payday. That looks like Hell.

http://news.aol.com/article/australia-wildfires/333038?icid=200100397x1218503852x1201248262 :(

We'll try to help any way we can...

Ko - I tried to donate, but the form only allows states in Australia. I tried to trick it, but it wouldn't accept. Any suggestions?

I will check. In the meantime your best wishes are enough :)

I have left a message so hopefully will hear back soon!

OMG - I dont even know what to say. My prayers are with all of you and the animals that are in danger.

Ko, please post here as soon as you find out how we can make a donation.

Okay supposively it's fixed now but I cant test it because Im not overseas!!! If anyone has any problems please let me know!

http://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au and select the bushfire appeal donation!

Ko - those pics bring tears to my eyes. The ones of the burned livestock did it for me. This is awful! I'm praying for all of yall. It's just unbelievable.

It works

Oh, if you choose to donate 10 dollars that means 10Australian dollars. So I donated 10 dollars and just checked my bank statement and it was only 6.57 or something close to that.

I will probably donate more since the exchange rate is in our favor.....for once.

Would you be so kind as to circulate amongst your network please?

Red Cross and the Governments will be doing all they can for the people as I am sure will you and many other Australians.

There is also the awful reality for wildlife in the bushfire areas - Wildlife Victoria #150;has lost two shelters, the status of others is unknown and there are thousands of injured animals that need assistance.

Wildlife Victoria are trying to ascertain the safety of other shelters in the fire areas and to offer support and help with evacuation of animals already in their care if they need it.

Donations desperately needed to help save the animals, to donate to the bush fire appeal click here.

(or cut and paste this into the address bar - www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/cms/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=43 )

Please donate now to Wildlife Victoria's Urgent Bushfire Appeal 2009 -

another email recieved from the ozark websit

Yay! I got my donation to go through! Wish there were more that could be done here in the states for you folks - but please know that we are thinking of you in your time of crisis. (((HUGS)))

This was a Sugar Glider found at one of the fires, it doesn't look to healthy.

But it looks darn cute

This has been all over the news here. How awful!

Should you choose "summer emergency appeal" in the drop down box or just "donation"?

I sent out a donation. I guess it is in AU dollars, so I'm not sure how that works out. We got hit by wild fires here in FL about 10 years ago, and it was one of the scariest things I've been through, so my heart goes out to you guys.

It is in AU dollars and if you choose ten dollars, you are donating around $6US. With the donate buttons, you can use any of them. The summer emergency appeal is rolling into the bushfire appeal anyway as that was set up before the bushfire appeal just in case. If you are unsure you can always make a comment too requesting where you would like your money spent anyway. I want to thank everyone who is assisting.

I just heard on CNN that 170 people have been killed, and 800 homes destroyed.

Please donate any amount that you can folks.

Looks like the website isn't working at the moment.

Yeah, I've been trying for about an hour or so...

They were on the good morning shows about 2/3 hours ago. I'm guessing the website has issues with the volume of traffic! I will ring and find out.

You guys are the first thing I thought about when I saw the news...was just hoping and praying that our Aussie members were ok...Ko have you located your family? Could not believe my eyes when our news showed Marysville...those poor people and animals...will your goverment help the people to rebuild? The best in people come out in a time like this...we have seen it here in the states with 9/ll, Hurricane Katrina...ect....I know people from around the world will try and help the people in these areas and I hope word gets out and people will also help with the animals...I will make a donation in the AM...PLEASE know you and yours are in my thoughts and prayers...Keep us posted...

I have a cousin who is a fireman with teh country fire authority who is going through teh burned out houses looking for bodies. He is very traumatized but someone has to do this job. They have also called in the army to do searched for people.
The Widllife stories are starting to come in but they are not letting people in or out of fire areas until it is is safe which we don't know when that will be. We still have animals coming in in droves still from heat stress even though ist cooler now. It's just that the trees are so dry there is not nutrients left for animals that eat leaves to survive. My shelter got a Sugar Glider in but she thinks it's back was broken so had to be put down. Still Dozens of possum coming in each day but not many are surviving. The animals from the fires will be the next wave although because the fires were so bad and the heat alone enormous they don't exspect to find many animls alive in the most burned out areas. Marysville had a rich abundance of native animals and many researchers spent many weeks every year up there because of that. Now there wont be anything left to research. My uncle was in fires twnety years ago in Victoria and lost his home. He rebulit but said the animals are only starting to either return or be repopulated now after twnety years.

Both Ko and myself got the call out to do ground search at one of the local towns where the fires went through at 6;30pm tonight. i have too many fires and roads are closed between me and this town unless i head the long way around so I hope to go out tommorow. Then half an hour later another call came for another area but they were hoping the locals could cover this one. I'm not sure if Ko ended up heading up tonight or if she is also going in the morning. I have to get up early to take the possums out to the shelter near by so she can care for them for a few days while i go ot to do the resuce work. I also have mydaughter lined up to feed the adult possums and the gliders incase I am late back or end up staying.

Thanks for the update. Hope things look better soon. This is a true catastrophe.

I have been following these fires and it is just devastating. I live in Florida and about 10 years ago I thought the whole state was going to burn. I hope you have heard from your friends and families.

My son and I have been making tentative plans for a vacation visit to Australia. But if I knew someone would let me help somewhere I would be on a plane tomorrow and do that instead of the vacation. A donation is definitely on the way.

I saw this picture today and I have not been able to think of much else.

That picture/this story bring tears to my eyes

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/bushfires_in_victoria_australi.html

This is so sad, and those pictures of those poor animals brings tears to my eyes. I am so sorry for what your going through and I pray your extended family is okay.