ACT and NSW Governments to be sued over 2003 Canberra bushfires

[Troy711]

ACT fire response 'doomed to fail', court told - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

What a load of shit.. anyone who witnessed what happened on that day would know that there was freak forces of nature at work and that all the man power and planning in this country could not stop it. And all the people jumping on board to claim compensation because they didn't have insurance.. NEWS FLASH!!! You took the gamble and lost.. too bad. I sympathise with you but you made a bad choice, sorry.

One more step towards the complete and utter destruction of common sense I say.

[Julie]

I agree totally troy!

[Troy711]

Sad fact is they will get the compo they are asking for and us tax payers will foot the bill.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that a hell of alot of people have been massively affected by this but you can't stop nature and that's the risk you take when you buy a house on the edge of a pine plantation. (For anyone that doesn't know, some of the worst hit areas had huge pine plantations literally across the road). The government isn't at fault, the emergency services are at fault and the home owners are not at fault. Easiest way to put it is 'shit happens'.

[50LTRv8]

My question is that was there anyway to stop these fires? Even if we had a decent fire service, that day was the worst I have ever seen, the wind was just so strong, I don't think anything could have stopped it.

[Tim Smtih]

What about extensive hazard reduction burns and increasing the distance for fire breaks? There must be a limit to how far fire can spread if it doesn't have any fuel.

[Troy711]

What about extensive hazard reduction burns and increasing the distance for fire breaks? There must be a limit to how far fire can spread if it doesn't have any fuel.

From what I have heard the fires were so massive they created their own weather patterns with wind speeds up around 200km/h. I see what you are getting at but I honestly think that given the freak conditions no amount of fire breaks would have contained it.

Really, the only winners out of this court case will be the lawyers involved. Even if the people win they will get squat.

[Julie]

I can't imagine how anyone could live in a bushfire prone area and not have home/contents insurance its just insane. Sure I feel for these people that lost everything because insurance can never replace everything but what sort of an idiot would you be to not have insurance. Call me a bitch, heartless or whatever you like but I did not donate to people who lost their homes in the any of these appeals. I instead chose to donate to the rural fire brigade because I know they will spend the money on preventing such tragedies and they have saved our arses more than once. We came close to losing everything in 2002 and we would have if it weren't for those brave souls I would gladly give them any spare dollar I have, but for someone who was too ****ing stupid to insure their property.. well thats their problem.

[50LTRv8]

What about extensive hazard reduction burns and increasing the distance for fire breaks? There must be a limit to how far fire can spread if it doesn't have any fuel.

Have you seen video of it?

YouTube - Canberra fire

Theres more on youtube

[Swordsy]

If these people aren't happy with the way its run, maybe they should volunteer and try and make a difference themselves, Or just f#%& off.

[weedo_86]

it seems you guys are having the same problem as victoria is having... can't blame themselves so the blame the people who tried to help them, it tears me up i risked my life on feb 7th, and to have people saying we were never there pisses me off

[TVR-190]

bah, N.S.W doesnt have any money left anyway

[Troy711]

bah, N.S.W doesnt have any money left anyway

ACT has less! We can't even get the dual lane road we paid for the first time.. they have to build it twice to get it right.

[Maxxiz]

Thats ****ing ridiculous! I remember the day clear as, scared the hell out of me, watching houses right opposite the grandparents house burn to ashes, after seeing it every week for the past 10 or so years.

[Tsunamix]

Im A member of the Qld Rural fire brigade.

This just makes me want to quit it so I don't lose everything for trying to help others.

Way to go you selfish pricks.