Sam the Koala

Now for a good news story - Just days before “Black Saturday”, Australia’s worst bushfire disaster that commenced on the 7 February 2009, the courageous Victorian Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteer firefighters were in the middle of backburn at Mirboo North desperately fighting to contain the fires that destroyed 31 homes when one of their own, Mr David Tree, came to the rescue of an injured koala that had suffered burns to her paws.

 

Mr Tree can be seen in the videos giving “Sam” the koala a drink from his water bottle while holding her hand. The second video gives a good account of the actions of Mr Tree in an interview with the news media.

 

What you are about to see is unique and totally out of character for a koala; a sure sign of Sam’s desperation. Koalas usually rest motionless for up to 18 hours a day, sleeping most of that time high in the branches of eucalyptus trees and when disturbed are are capable of causing considerable injury.

 

 

Sam, a celebrity on Facebook, YouTube and throughout the world is recovering in the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter in Rawson, where by all reports she has grown quite fond of a male koala, called "Bob”.

 

These clips may not seem earth shattering but for us Australians Sam shines as a representative of the millions of animals, birdlife and reptiles lost in these fires and holds the key to the future of further koala’s in the state of Victoria.

 

 

Mr Tree will receive the “Hero to Animals Award” from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Asia-Pacific) for his gallant rescue of Sam on February 1, 2009.

 

To Mr David Tree, his co-workers and the volunteers that are caring for the injured wildlife well done. To Sam and Bob, get well soon and perhaps we may hear the pitter patter of little paws very soon.

 

Related Topics:

 

1. Black Saturday
2. Where is Mirboo North?
3. What is a Koala?
4. Victorian CFA

 

To be continued...

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Black Saturday

The Australian state of Victoria is currently being terrorised by the country’s worst bushfire disaster, as a series of fires driven by high winds, record temperatures and arson continue to burn since Saturday 7 February 2009.

To date the “Black Saturday” bushfires have taken the lives of 208 people, injured more than 500, consumed over 450,000 hectares (1.1 million acres), destroyed 1,834 homes and damaged thousands more, resulting in 7500 people being left homeless.

Bushfire smoke stretching from Victoria to New Zealand. Image courtesy of NASA – MODIS website
The fires still rage in some areas but hopefully the end is in sight for the many thousands that have been affected and for the 4000 firefighters that are still bravely fighting the worst bushfire since 1983 where 75 people lost their lives in what is known as “Ash Wednesday.”

The damage bill from the Victorian bushfires may top A$2 billion but already over A$100 million has been raised through the Red Cross appeal so far, with the Australian Federal and Victorian Governments funding a A$10-million community recovery plan and a A$51 million first stage joint package aimed at businesses directly damaged or destroyed by the bushfires.

The factors influencing the widespread devastation and high death toll from the fires range from continual high temperatures that peaked at 47.4 degrees Celsius (117 degrees F) on the 7 February 2009, high winds up to 120 km/h (75 mph), global warming, 2009 southeastern Australian heat wave, lightening strikes, sparks from a power tool, cigarette butts and arson with the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd describing the deliberate lighting of fires in Victoria as “Mass Murder”.

The long standing “stay and defend or leave early” and hazard reduction policies will surely be reviewed in the coming months.

A Royal Commission into the bushfires will issue an interim report to the Victorian State Government before the next fire season with the final report due to be submitted by July 2010.

With subsequent coronial inquires and court proceedings that are to come, hopefully the true cause of the fires and the deaths will put an end to the current blame game.

I understand how the extreme weather conditions have played their part to make this inferno so uncontrollable and devastating but I am almost totally oblivious as to why an arsonist acts the way he or she does.

So who are they and what drives them to cause A$1.6 billion worth of damage each year in Australia?

From my readings I have come up with some surprising and not so surprising facts:

Background and Motivations of an arsonist

Tend to come from poorer areas	Thrill seeker
Likely to be a young male	Would be hero
Poor relationships with parents	Insurance fraud
Experienced childhood abuse	Sexually perverted
Poor self-esteem	Political protest
Low or borderline IQs	Relieve boredom
Loner	Attention seeking
Mental disorder	Displaced aggression
History of violence	Clearing fuel loads
Pyromaniac	Vandalism
Start fire close to home	Retaliation
May join in fire fighting	Concealment of a crime
Low achiever	Sense of being in control

This list is far from complete and perhaps you may want to add to them or even correct me. Please feel free to do so.

To those that have lost loved ones, I give you my condolences.

To those that have been injured, I wish you a speedy recovery.

To those that have lost all their worldly possessions, I pray you will be back on your feet very soon.

To those firefighters that have risked their lives, I thank you.

To those from Australia and overseas that have donated funds, goods and specialist services, good on you.

To those emergency service workers and volunteers that have toiled without rest, you will never be forgotten.

To those responsible for lighting fires, I hope you get your just deserts.

To Mother Nature, please give us a rest.

References and Links:

2009 Victorian bushfires
Stay and defend or leave early policy
Ash Wednesday fires
Bushfires bill could top $2b
Horrific, but not the worst we’ve suffered
Australian Red Cross – Victorian Bushfire Appeal 2009
Attorney-General for Australia
Emergency Management Australia
Australian Government Bushfire Assistance
National Day of Mourning
Federal Government 18th February 2009 media release
Kevin Rudd pledges action on early warning system
2009 southeastern Australia heat wave
Prime Minister describes Victoria fires as “Mass murder”
Images
Retired Judge to head bushfires Royal Commission
Bushfire arson in Australia
Juvenile arson intervention programs in Australia
Australian bushfires: inside the mind of an arsonist
Arson – A Practitioner’s Portfolio
Fanning the flames - what makes the arsonists tick
Bushfire arsonists bored, want change
Australian arsonists likely to be young and male
Where is the state of Victoria
International reaction

To be continued…

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