Caminul Felix Family Villages in Romania and Thailand send their love and prayers to all that have lost their homes and families to the fires in Australia. The children and families that ones were abandoned, orphaned and rejected children at Caminul Felix, received lots of support from you all through the years, from Whittlesee, Victoria, and many Australian towns. That we never forget, and we hope for your speedily recovery. We love you. Lars.

It's very hard for the media to find a middle ground. They are trying to report the human interest stories. Unfortunately they are on the verge of feeding off the tragedy. It's really a no win situation for them.
The people interviewed are totally shell shocked and in some cases almost incoherent with shock and grief. The anger is just beginning to show as they are not allowed to go back to their properties to see the damage due to the amount of bodies in cars , houses etc. these areas are being treated as crime scenes in case arson is involved. When the adrenaline of the immediate danger is past the reality will sink in and the post traumatic stress will begin to emerge. It's going to be a long road to recovery and they need all the support they can get to rebuild their communities.

This is a terrible terrible moment for us Aussies.
The bodies of children and parents have been found – trying to flee there homes but have not been able to make it, the bodies of husbands and wife found on driveways, trying to protect there homes, something that they have been able to do in past fires. These fires were travelling over 20km in 2 mins... people could not see them coming through the smoke – and could not outrun them!

One lady hid down a wombats hole because she could not make it to safety! just one of the desperate measures taken to save a life!

To all the familes who have lost mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, neighbours, friends – All of Australia is with you!

We send all our love and prayers to you in the midst of this ghastly tragedy. it is even more of a tragedy to hear of such evil acts as arson.
To all of you who have lost, Australia and many people all over the world are with you.

As one of the many Australians who has been watching with an ever-increasing heavy heart at the cruelty of this land, I just hope this viciousness of nature ends soon with no further loss of life.

Everyone says Australia is the "Lucky Country"..... Lucky until she decides to bite back with teeth sharpened by souless, evil bastards who deliberately light these fires. I find it so ironic that whilst the southern end of this country burns, the northern part is drowning in floods.....

My heart goes out to every person who has been affected by this tragedy. This is a terribly cruel hand that you've been dealt and noone deserves this. My deepest sympathies to the families who have lost loved ones.

Tomorrow, I will be heading to the nearest NAB and donating $100 to the fund-raising cause. And given that I lost my job last Friday, I don't think it's too much to expect the rest of Australia to put their hands in their pockets to help these poor people out. If I were still guaranteed of a pay cheque, that amount would be alot more. And don't forget the wild-life fund raises too. They need just as much help as the human counterparts.

For those Aussies yet to make a contribution, give up the ciggars for a day, forget the drink for a week and go without the fancy meal and put the money where it's needed most – the fund raising.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!!!!

Its a terrible tragedy that for the last 10 years the Victorian Government has been warned about. As Environmental groups opposed winter back burning to reduce fuel loads many have said the forest were turning into bombs which sadly is what happened. As the publicity seeking Environmental groups now blame the fires on global warming and say the carbon dioxide emitted from them is bad for the environment understandably many of the innocent victims are furious.

The Media here in Australia has done an o.k. job so far. If they are still hosting all of their network news brekkie shows from the areas affected in Victoria and "current affairs" shows continue to broadcast victims faces in exploitative montage segments then they are scum and need to read up on ethics and stop asking the same stupid "how did you feel" question. No doubt they have a responsibility to report, maybe just let the people grieve off camera for a while.
As Mary says the victims of they media have been interviewed in a altered state of mind and that's just cruel.
My Deepest Sympathy Victoria,
Who would have thought the most temperate state in the country would become fireball and take so many good Aussies.

this has been very hard for every one,but we can not compare your pain with ours.am saying dont loose hope we are all together in prayers.moms dont forget to sing beautiful songs to children so they see the strengt you still hold for them,neighbours remember to hold your hands to show solidarity you still have despite all loses and pain.Despite tha distance we have am asuring you that we are together.Am wishing you all quick recovery.lets hope for better tommorow.friend tike.

I live in Melbourne, approx 60 klms from the bushfire zone, although where I live we have not been directly affected by the fires, the feelings within my general community is one of sadness and grief. These bushfires have touched the very heart and soul of all Australian's, one can not help but shed a tear for those whom have lost so much. It is very depressing to watch the events un-fold on the news, every tv station and every newspaper is constantly focused on this enormous
tragedy.The people of Victoria will be traumatised by this awful event for a long time to come, but in true Australian spirit, us Australian's will come together as one and support each other, and re-build what was once a beauitfull and tranquil place to live in. In just three days, 30 million dollars has been raised to help assist the victums with much needed basic necceties, for a country that is in a recession, Australian's have dug deep to help support their fellow man,woman and child, that is the Australian spirit, a spirit that can never be broken no matter how hard it gets.

i think people are angry because of the great loose they have by now,this invole their material stuffs But especial their Love ones children,parents and neighbours.I think they need psychological help than anythng else.They need help to accept what has just happen and hands to help them move on.Here in Tanzania it has been a great shock when we heard about that because shortly last week we were supporting Kenya for huge death caused by fire,a hundred died.so i think australians and all other paople in the world must show support to our friends.Lets pray together and contribute what we can.i have been so touched by both great losses.am a friend who will neva leave you alone.friend tike frm tanzania.

For days I have watched my computer in horror as reports from the terrible fires in my mothers homeland are relayed to me. My mother, a Becker, brought us up with a love for Australia equal to the love for our own homeland here in the USA. How thankful I am she did not live to see what is now happening to her beloved country and its people. It would have torn her apart. She herself survived a fire as a child, bucketing water on blankets and covering children younger than herself at a children's home. Telling me that story her voice would trail off as her eyes glazed over and I could see her returning there. The trauma will live as a ghost with all those affected by this fire as well. We of the world-not-burning must reach out to help in whatever way we can.

as i was watching on tv news and in the internet what happened in the australian forest fires' ,so terrible and i sympathize to all who lost their properties , their animals, and the loss of human lives .the australians are known as lovers of nature , in fact are leading campaigners for the protection and preservation of environment .sad to say , a terrible thing is bound to happen , oftentimes created by person or persons with terrible mindset .in your country, whenever is the forest is destroyed as it always happen ,[ by an arsonist perhaps ] anyone can conclude that the one responsible is mentally sick . whereas in our country, the philippines our forest is openly destroyed with the help our law enforcers .our mountains here are badly denuded by the illegal loggers well protected by the power that be . keep going our neighbors australians, soon you can recover .good luck .

My heart goes out to all those who have lost family, friends and homes in these terrible events. It is hard to believe that anyone could be so cruel or stupid as to deliberately start a fire in these tinderbox conditions, and I suspect that all the talk of arsonists may be the result of an (understandable) urge to find someone to blame for this catastrophe.

Whether or not some of these fires were deliberately set, I would urge people to think seriously about the underlying trends that are making such 'natural' disasters much more frequent and much more destructive. What we are watching, with horror, is what is likely to lie in store for very many people around the world if immediate action is not taken to curb the greenhouse gas conditions that are causing rapid climate change.

To pretend that global warming is not happening, or is not caused by rising levels of greenhouse gases, is in my view almost as morally and intellectually cretinous as casually throwing a lighted cigarette into the bone-dry Australian bush.

Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.

Words fail at times like these.
Know that all of Aussie-land is in my thoughts and prayers.

The best way to help these victims is to donate to the Australia Red Cross...you can donate as little as $5 -here is there link:
http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/services_emergencyservices_victorian-bushfires-appeal-2009.htm

They also have a comment guest book for people who want to leave messages to the victims:
http://tributes.heraldsun.com.au/gb2/default.aspx?bookID=10363880001932

We love you!!! As we know some of you has supported our children in Felix Family and we never forget. Every badthing will be gone.
To all the familes who have lost mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, God be with you.

God bless
Mana Rujirayanyong
Surat Thani Felix Village, Thailand

I've been watching in horror from the U.S. as the news of the Australian fires just keeps coming, and seemingly, just keeps getting worse. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy (or perhaps I should say, crime).

I live in San Antonio, Texas and my sister lives in Marysville. I have not heard from her since the fire. Does anyone know where I can find out which shelter she might be at or who I can contact in Australia to find out?

My wife and I would like to help in some way. We believe that one of the viable ways would be to donate to the Salvation Army. Is it possible to get an address for them in that devistated area?

Im in Victoria and this is the most devestating thing that has ever hit us ever. We have experienced very severe bushfires before offcourse. However this was something else. I went out on to my upstairs deck for 1 minute on that hot hot hot Saturday and the heat and hot wind was the most intense oven heat I have ever felt. After 1 minute I had to go inside to splash cold water on my face that is how intnese this heat was. Even peoples garden plants that were in the shade were burnt by this hot hot hot dry wind. There is something very scarily wrong with the atmosphere as far as I'm concerend if that kind of heat has appeared. This state has been in drought since 1997 and a whopping 54 inches of rain has gone missing from the state capital which receives an annual average precipitation of a mere 26 inches anyway.
The Autumn Winter and Spring rains have struggled to appear or more commonly not appeared at all year after year. Additionally the place has become much more windy r particularly in the relatively calm months of June and July. It's as if there is some kind of suction around Antarctica that is sucking all the rainfall way to the south towards southern Tasmania and points south. There is something very wrong here and the rest of the world needs to know right now!!

I have never been to Australia but I imagine it to be a friendly, welcoming, fun place. To see such a country devastated by such natural (or was it arson) is devastating.

JW, I would like to amend your last statement: I believe the whole world is with you.

May rescue and relief be swift and effective.. Best wishes.

We thought we had problems with our credit crunch and our weather conditions at the moment but what has happened to our Australian friends has put everything into perspective its unimaginable what you must be going through, myself and everyone I know here in Bristol are thinking of you at this terrible time.
Thoughts be with you
Mark

Yep, while it's obviously a difficult call between reporting the news and being intrusive, if the media were not there reporting the harrowing, tragic and sometimes inspirational stories of those involved, the rest of Australia - and indeed the world - would not know the magnitude of the disaster and donations and aid would be less.

It also has to be remembered that the events personally touched many of the newscrew covering the fires. Many personally knew one of the victims - one of Australia's longest serving and respected TV news anchors.

TV journalists were openly weeping while reporting his death and that of his wife who they knew and loved.

Another senior journalist was desperate to get back to his own home after hearing his wife scream and the phone go dead. His son, a television cameraman covering the fires from a helicopter, couldn't go on and had to be replaced as he feared his mother had been killed in the fires below him. Fortunately she survived by diving into a dam.

The fires have touched everyone and the nerves are still very raw.

Really is too sad what I whached through internet about bushfires in Australia. I hope Aussies could overcome this tragedy and could relief their sufferings from their losses. God may give you his strenght to endure this sadly moment.

Kind words from all over the Globe are giving us here in Australia a real boost to know the Global Community has us in it's prayers. THANKYOU. 65 mph winds fanned these fires and embers that travelled up to 25 mile in the air, the lady down the wombat hole had 2 kids a dog and her neighbour in there as well. Another lady a wildlife carer gathered all the animals she could and hid in a disused mine as she did in the 2003 bushfires. Habitats where endangered species live have been totally wiped out some animals are lost to mankind forever. We live in the most fire prone country on the planet of which we accept fires as part of nature what we can't and wont accept is these firebug arsonists. They will be caught, the Police are hot on the tails of arsonist's. These people when caught will suffer.

I'm from Australia, and live in a small community about 300 Km's from the nearest fires. The toll it is taking on the whole nation in unbelievable. This far out, we're not expected to get the blazes, due to our amazing firefighters, but we still get smoke, and all of the news.
Waking up every morning and not being able to see too far, not being able to drive far due to the unbearable amounts of smoke.
I'm still in school, and I wake up to the news about the mose recent fires, the casualty count, and where they moved to overnight. The only thing we talk about at school is the fires, and the poor souls who are trapped, and who have lost up to 90% of their town, friends and family.
Being an ex-Victorian, I have friends and family being threatened by the fires, and family out, risking their lives to save others.
Thank you, America, for recognising that this is indeed an extreme natural disaster, and sending aid. After all, we are one world.

Aussies are survivors! Our motto (never let your mates down) is in full swing as the country gets behind all those affected. It is heartening to have countries like the UK and New Zealand say that they stand with us and stand ready to provide whatever we may need. The words help the the soul, in knowing others stand ready to assist in all ways and in the practical support actually given.
Australia has never shied away from offering and sending support to any and every country that has faced a disaster. Its now that we see who our friends are, in our time of need. Some of our neighbors have offered help...Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia to name a few. It is the silence from some that has been disappointing.

We will recover, thats whats important.

Is America going to send in some kind of help and/or aid for our "down under" friends? Surely, we should do something. Besides the awful toll on human beings, some very precious wildlife have been devastated. Those animals that may have been able to survive, will not be able to sustain themselves because there will be no food for them to survive on for months or years. Much prayer for this country is needed, and any human resources we could possibly lend them would be a clear answer to those prayers.

with the death toll now standing at 181 and sad to say possibly to hit 300.... im avoiding watching our local news. i say good luck to the victorians from us sydney siders batteling our own flames at the moment as we do every summer. hopefully the near 40 million dollars donated by families, companies, even banks are opening their pockets giving 1 million dollars each instead of taking all they can get at this time in the economic downfall...i am proud to say im australian. xx

Us Aussies are a tough bunch and country Victoria will be back. The bush is beautiful and that's why people live there, but one of the few downsides of living in Australia is the bloody fire risk. I urge everyone if you have a few bucks to spare, please help out in any way you can.

Thanks to everyone for the international thoughts, support and prayers, everyone in our southern state needs it all. A very special thanks to USA Fire Fighters that have come over and joined in. We are used to bushfires here, but this one was so severe, the conditions so impossible, nothing much could have been done to control it. The stories are heartbreaking, especially when children and babies have become victims. It's so horrible with whole families being killed, sometimes you can't watch the news footage any more. The amazing re-unions of lost ones and incredible escape stories are all that are keeping everyone down there sane, I think.

The livestock, pets and native animal losses only add to the terrible sadness. Our most loved marsupial, the tree-dwelling Koala bear, is already endangered as are slow breeders; loss of habitat and an epidemic of Chlamydia that has surfaced in recent years doesn't help. Some wildlife has been rescued, but the losses will be devastating – they had less chance of escape than the humans actually. Any survivors will have nowhere to return to and no food, so more will perish. Even the wild birds were being blasted out of trees and were killed, such was the force of the firestorm and if birds can't get away, you can imagine just how bad it is.

It's not over yet, so please keep praying for the safety of current and potential victims and the field services and volunteers that have done a sterling job of assisting in so many ways.

For those who lost loved ones, neighbors, friends please take comfort 1Thessolonians 4:13,14

Our prayers are with you all!

USA

I am very sorry for th people wh have been injured or have died! I hope the arsonist is caught!

I lived in australia for 40 something years and now live in the U.S. I am an Australian citizen and so is my husband my children were born there and i do have the two older one still living there my heart and prayers go out to all those who have lost a loved one and or lost their homes i still remember Ash Wednesday it was horrible and i can just imagine how this must be, i do hope they get who ever is to blame for this devastating horrible time my prayer are with you all.
Isabel

To the people asking, "How can so many get trapped in a fire?", I'd have to say no-one is safe here, no-one can say they're safe and really believe it. A couple of years ago fires got right down to the harbour in Sydney, which people would have thought impossible. On Saturday fires were traveling up to 15 miles in just a few minutes. You've heard of the "Perfect Storm", well we had the "Perfect Firestorm". Due to the ongoing drought the ground holds no moisture and the leaves, bark and debris scattered on the ground is all drier than dry, providing even more fuel. Add to that the eucalyptus trees which contain a flamable oil and in extremely hot weather can spontaneously combust. It's a recipe for disaster. People were racing away in their cars, watching fires on the horizon when trees started exploding around them. A fire can be raging 1/4 mile away and things will simply explode right next to you, as do houses and buildings because of radiant heat of about 2,000F. These temps create their own winds which creates momentum and fire speed. These are the conditions that have led to many of the deaths (181 and climbing) and many of the homes destroyed (1000 +). What made this fire so impossible to beat was the 118F temps combined with 60mph winds. Then the winds changed, so the fires raced off in other directions. It was unwinable. People in those wooded areas all know to have fire-plans and thought they were ready for the worst, but where does one go to escape a 15-story wall of fire traveling at 60mph that turns as quickly as the wind? Or a house-sized fireball racing down a hill? It's a bit like trying to face a fighter jet with hand-to-hand combat skills. This is why so many perished.

I spent time working and studying in Australia in 2001/2002 and saw first hand the outcome of the NSW bushfires that summer. I worked forest fires here in Spain where I live and work in volunteer rescue.
Australia is my favorite place in the world and everday I see the images on the news and my heart brakes. If anyone can tough something like this out, it's the Aussies.

I have recently been to Australia, and visited friends and family. It is an unbelievably beautiful country. My heart is breaking for those people who have lost everything. Who can we contact to help? – South Africa

I still cannot believe the devastation that Victoria has seen, and it is still not over.

I donated $100 last night and my last $50 tonight before I get paid next. It might not be a lot of money, but I wanted to help as much as I can. I would only spend it on something that I really do not need, these people actually need the money. I have been following the news and stories every day since news first broke of this here in Australia. It is heart breaking to hear the stories coming from these broken communities. I will continue to help as much as I can

Seeing the support coming from all over Australia and from our overseas cousins is so wonderful. Thanks to everyone that is helping those in Victoria and keeping them in your thoughts and prayers.

to heide who wanted to know about her relative, and anyone else who would like to know, you can contact the red cross or 3aw radio station to find out if they are okay.thankyou all for your thoughts

I'm from Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, and the closest fires are about 50km from my home. Everyone I know knows someone affected, in big ways and small. My dad, a metropolitan firefighter has been volunteering on the firefront (still burning, but we cross our fingers for better conditions to hold). Just want to say how proud I am of him, and also a big, heartfelt thanks to all the citizens of the world giving us a big hug through sites like this, Feeling like the world is thinking of us really is heartwarming. Aussies are known for many things, but perhaps the truest trait of all is the ability to withstand anything and battle through, and to never let our mates down. That's what will get us through. Heide in Texas, I'd email 3AW radio station. They're doing a great job helping to locate lost loved ones. If you have trouble, I am happy to call them for you! Peace, love and a big thank you xox

To Heidi who was wishing to make contact with a relative. I hope you have been able to do so already but if you haven't contact Red Cross. I am a volunteer and there will be a register of everyone who has come in to the relief and evacuation centres. I am on the other side of Australia and am sending prayers for your sister.

It is just starting to hit me. Alongwith 4 million others I live in Melbourne. Last Saturday I got up, went to the Hardware store in ferocious heat, bought some lattice. After putting it up I went out to my fave cafe to have a coffee. Getting more unbelievably windy and hot. I left and went to an outdoor pool. Lots of kids playing, jumping, splashing. Wind was unbelievably strong. Mebbe 100km. Sky filthy brown. Air = 46C (115F?). Came home about 5pm to turn on air con (bought the night before as a final give in to this heat), lay on couch and watch sport. A very Aussie thing to do. (I have lived through a bushfire in a way once before. Up on roof, watering house etc.....luckily it never came right to me...)
What is getting to me though........is whilst I was doing all that , only 1 hour's drive away, people were running, screaming, huddling........dying.....whole families......kids even......so so many are dead. Burned. I am crying. Dear God.....

http://www.redcross.org.au

Thanks Austin – nice words of support, mate. We will get through this and it's comforting to hear the outpouring of compassion from our friends around the world.

Australians are strong and surely will bounce back to normalcy. We all Mumbaikars are praying for you.
God Bless...

How can we, my wife Lucy and i who spent three and a half years recenlty in dear Aussie, stop our tears to flow and our sentiments bubble, at the holocaust evolving before our very eyes, We are hear in Cyprus, but our hearts and minds are there in the little Vicorian townships and in Melbourne itself where scores of our friends Australian, Greeks and Turks live and we want to tell you all that we love you and pray for you all.

John and Lucy Taliotis

I grew up in rural New South Wales, and the constant threat of summer bushfires was a way of live. To see this carnage and increasingly horrible casualty toll, breaks my heart.
God speed to all my fellow Aussies in harms way.

It's a no-win situation for both the people affected and the Koala's and other wildlifes natural environment. I pray the government will help the people who live in the bush to ressetle out of harms way in the city or at least the suburbs. In a country with inreased drought and enlarging desserts, it's a no-win situation when a family decides to settle in the bush and then clear something like 40,000 trees around their house as a firewall. This greatly contributes to dessertification and more misery in Australia.

My condolence to the affected families.

almost 100 million dollars in generous givings of the australian people. not to mention the donations of clothes, food, and necessities. thankyou to you all for your well wishes and open hearts and to the government for the support at such hard times to the victorian bushfire victims of black saturday 2009. may this never happen again and may we learn from these mistakes.. we will pray for u~!