Australian PM Faces Heat From Angry Locals; Navy Evacuates The Stranded In Malacoota

[appalachiablue]

- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison heckled by locals, "You're Not Wanted Here."

- Australian Navy to help evacuate the stranded in the East Gippsland region.

A mass evacuation is underway in Mallacoota where more than 4,000 locals and holidaymakers have been stranded since the devastating bushfires on New Year's Eve.

The first evacuees boarded the Navy ship, the MV Sycamore, from the fire ravaged coastal town at 8.40am on Friday - just 24 hours before catastrophic weather conditions are forecast to whip up more blazes.

About 100 people, including families with small children, were seen wearing masks and carrying just a few personal items as they were escorted by military personnel to the wharf early in the morning. Some even managed to save their pets, which were along for the journey too.

The voyage to Western Port in southern Victoria, which is expected to take 20 hours, comes after thousands of people spent four days in limbo after being told it was too dangerous to leave the seaside town following the bushfires on Tuesday.



Jan. 2, MV Sycamore sailing from HMAS Waterhen to assist in bushfire relief efforts in Victoria.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/2/1909095/-Australian-Navy-begins-to-evacuate-the-stranded-in-Malacoota-Morris-faces-the-restless-natives?utm_campaign=trending

[appalachiablue]

1. Refuge at the beach while houses, trees burn in Rosedale, NSW

Residents & visitors in New South Wales town of Rosedale seek refuge from bushfires on the beach.

[Aussie105]

2. He is still down playing it.

First it was . . . but I'm on holidays! Do I have to come home? Awwww!

Then it was . . .not a problem, the unpaid fire fighters will do their job, nothing to see here!
(At the time, he was sending thoughts and prayers on TV - from a lush looking tropical garden, with his wife, a long, long way from any fires.)

Now it is . . . heroes, all the fire fighters! Travel around fire ravaged towns, tries to shake hands and people react negatively.
But yes, quite a few people killed, hundreds of homes burnt, wildlife and livelihoods ruined, but his smile and handshake will make it all better.

. . . . and then he talks about 'natural disasters', of course people are upset, he is not taking it personally, he says.
(Missing the point - he never took any action on preventing Climate Change seriously.)

Had to correct him, nothing natural about the heat, the long and ongoing drought, the rapid transitions in the weather.
'It's man made!' I shout at the TV.

Meanwhile, we are sitting here in the suburbs of Adelaide. Wife smells smoke. I show her the current map (*). The smoke could be coming from the East, the West, or the South.

Other states are on fire too. Check the maps for Victoria and New South Wales.

(*) Map:
https://apps.geohub.sa.gov.au/CFSMap/index.html

[Thyla]

3. Been following the CFS site all week as well as others

I'm originally from Adelaide too, awful to see all of KI(possibly my fav place in the world) is on warnings or fire. Hills up near my old stomping grounds and Barossa under threat. Have friends who have lost everything and are highly on edge. And this is just SA.

Have other friends in Vic an NSW who are badly affected. Hard to watch from afar, can't imagine what everyone is going through.

[ancianita]

4. There are no more natural disasters. I'm horrified at the hell Australians are going through.

I've watched as much as I can. Called my family in New Lambton, north of Sydney. They've moved now beyond shock and horror toward problem solving mode.

Man made solutions are going to take all the wealth of the West, if human life means anything.

[appalachiablue]

5. We all sense this inferno is a preview of what's to come.

[ancianita]

6. IF we keep up this navel gazing. Every American should see footage of this every damn day.