Nothing will remove the dreadful pain of this past week, like many I will drop in to a bank today and give to the appeal, Aussies always do.
So many deaths it is so very sad, much needs to be asked about those fires.
I have, many of us have , worn the yellow of bush fire brigades, mates are 600 klm away from home in Victoria fighting them now, I honor them all.
From an 11 year old fully active fire fighter, long before brown books or formal training, manning blitz trucks with mums and old men while dads worked in mines I have known.
Fire bugs light most fires.
We need a Royal commission into these fires.

Maybe a Royal Commission to check the quality of controlled burns which have not been undertaken because of enviromentalist/green protestors asserting their authority to protect the lesser-known dingbat too, Belly

We have a drought, we have lightning strikes and whilst we also have arsonists, we have a situation where land owners are forbidden, by law, from burning dead trees on their property when it is safe to do so because of the authority of entomologist public servants, concerned more with the life cycle of "bugs" than people and we also have DSE burnoffs which have gone out of control 2004 fires (although they would not have been a contributor in this weeks tragedy)

This tragedy and the loss of loved ones is a timely reminder to Mr Five Percent (little Johnny's clone) that population expansion is an imprudent policy.

No longer can we clear great swathes of forest for residential development. No longer will Australians desire to reside in areas surrounded by beautiful woods, harking for the call of native birds and animals which are close to extinction.

No longer can the rural community continue on the self-destructing course of expanding herds of cloven hooved animals to feed the expanding number of humans - herds which are destroying top soil and turning this arid nation into a desert while they and/or their feed crops burn to cinders in Australia's summers.

No longer can we patiently wait for Mother Nature to regenerate and remediate the destruction of our carbon sinks, destruction wrought too by the evil arsonist.

But the false prophets will tell us otherwise.

Belly
Indeed.
At one stage I lived in alleged the most bush fire prone area in SA where you could count on 3 things each season.
Hot temps, gully winds and bush fires.It was on the edge of a vast water catchment (bush) area a series of wind prone gullies. on the side of a mountain range in a rain shaddow. Spectacular yes, lots of wild life yes but like the animals wild, admire but be wary not affraid.
After the Hills fires it became mandatory for all houses in this area to have the following
Boxed guttering,
Sealed eaves
Double glazed windows,
Shutters
Water tanks, with additional large fire fighting fittings
An independent petrol pump connected to a tank fed spray system on the roof enough water for 45 minutes spraying.
30 meters clearing around the house.
And mandatory fire hazard minimization clearing of scrub for a further 30 meters.
Houses set towards the centre of the block.
Regular inspections by the CFS
And notice of intention to fight or flee registered with the local CFS number of residents etc.
Sure this added to the cost of the house but simply put If you couldn't afford these you couldn't 'afford' (in both senses) to live there.

Every house was aggressively encouraged to have
Written emergency and evacuation procedures lodged and approved by the local CFS, appropriate clothes (boots/top to toe full overalls, jumpers for every member including children, no thongs sneakers, shorts, tee shirts) kit usually in a cupboard by the door. (Torches, canned food, a real first aid kit and containers for drinking water etc)
While in Qld I wondered why people who live near bush use fire access tracks behind their house for parking boats, storing fire wood or throwing garden refuse like palm fronds, pruned branches.
Having survived Ash Wednesday in Vic then the Adelaide hills the two things we learned were when living near the bush don’t be complacent and be prepared, most tragedies stem from these.
Yes a royal commission is justified if only to give grounds to enforce the above precautions.

I'm beginning to see the benefits of some sort of bunker.

It seems a lot of the dead stayed to fight for their houses or left it too late to leave.

It is truly heartbreaking.

If a Royal Commission should find the fires were largely lit by arsonists how do we proceed? I don't know the legalities but one news commentator mentioned if deaths occur the charges can be changed to murder.

Would longer prison terms be the answer? Arsonists seem to be compelled to commit these acts for reasons only known to them and seem indifferent to the potential consequences. Some have said it is a mental illness. I don't know.

What an irony that we have floods covering 60% of QLD and dry and hot conditions further south in much need of water.

Like Belly said we Aussies have demonstrated great generosity in the aftermath of disaster and I am sure we will all do the same again.