>-- Original Message -- >Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:04:34 +1100 >From: michaelvanderveen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx >Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Australian bushfires & 300 members >To: "Don Warnaar" <300country@xxxxxxx> > > >Hi All, >Just letting you all know that we all survived the fires (this time) with >a very lucky escape and a wind change that with 15 mins to spare missed my >home and cars and my parents home, missed all of my cousins's homes but one >cousin was left with a hideous clesn up and destruction of all their shedding, >cars and cattle. I have many stories to tell, but it has been such an emotional >rollercoaster ride, that I really dont have the strength right now. I will >tell you that one family I know lost his shedding with an R/T Charger Aussie >version and several Gt Falcons. >Its been very very sad, and everyone, and I mean everyone here has been affected. > we thank God or whatever force or luck as it may be that we are still here >though, and we have a lot of rebuilding to do. I am one of two 300 owners >who live in this part of the world, and we are all safe. Just thought you >guys would like to know. >Take care out there, >Mike Van Der Veen, >S/E Victoria >Australia >300F among other non 300 cars. >>-- Original Message -- >>To: <chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, >> "christopher beilby" <thelastbestgenius@xxxxxxxxxxx> >>From: "Don Warnaar" <300country@xxxxxxx> >>Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:10:22 -0500 >>Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Australian bushfires & 300 members >> >> >>Hello Christopher, >> >>Thanks for sharing your story of that terrible situation in Australia. >Most >>of us cannot even imagine the devastation that many in your country are >going >>through. We all treasure our 300s, but you are so right that life itself >>is so much more precious than material things. Best wishes to you and others >>who are so vulnerable. May you be safe and secure. >> >>The Chrysler 300 Club International is truly international with the sharing >>of your story from so many miles away. >> >>Don Warnaar >>New Jersey >>USA >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: christopher beilby<mailto:thelastbestgenius@xxxxxxxxxxx> >> To: chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >> Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 6:04 PM >> Subject: [Chrysler300] Australian bushfires & 300 members >> >> >> >> As it has been featured on overseas news and some 300 Members have contacted >>re 300 members here, I can give a very brief update re the tragic bushfires >>that claimed somewhere between 200 and 300 lives here on Saturday night. >> >> The fires mainly involve the south east corner of the nation, that where >>gum trees exist amongst hilled slopes, going up into forrest ridges/valleys, >>and also where sometimes the annual rainfall is not as low, as occurrs elsewhere >>over much of 'non tropical' parts of nation. >> >> I live in Adelaide, which has a gum range running up behind it, which >then >>quickly fades out, rises again around Victoria's Capital Melbourne (pop >2.5m), >>and then continue/runs up behind the coast past Sydney in New South Wales. >>Bushfires are worst where gums and higher rainfall winters occur. This part >>of the nation has had drought for a now claimed near 10 years, and that >has >>seen usual summer bush here, much drier than normal. And over the last two >>weeks leading up to Saturday, much of this south east corner of nation has >>also seen near record daily temps, 100 year records broken or equalled. >> >> Saturday morning I knew it was to be hot, it tipped 110 degrees, so at >>9 am with it already 100 degrees, I walked 300m up to shops (to save using >>300C for so short a trip), and when I got back 40 mins later, a searing >hot >>north westerly wind had begun, and the temperature in the shade was now >47C, >>or 121 in old degrees!! All day, as I was out back of the house working >on >>putting a motor in a car (a '67 GM convert 4 spd, nowhere as easy a '57 >300C >>!!), I just hoped I did not smell smoke. Adelaide and all our State was >lucky >>this time. >> >> But just before evening Victoria was not, saw maybe 12 major fires, some >>even on flat near treeless country 100 miles north of Melb, others just >30-50 >>miles from the centre of the City - it was Melbournes hottest day in history, >>and with this same terrible hot wind, heat that had been building trapped >>in the nation's red centre for weeks, waiting for the right wind to carry >>it south. >> >> Fire risk here is rated 'one to a hundred' - news said last night this >>day it was 325, triple off the scale!!! People who had stayed, had virtually >>no hope, two towns of hundreds of home that were beautiful late 1800s -1920s >>homes and large old guest houses saw a flame front of often 80 feet high >>come onto them at speeds faster than fleeing cars could travel. And many >>never even knew, no warning possible with so many fires travelling so fast, >>and if inside with airconditioners on !!?? It was a firestorm the like of >>never seen, worse that one in early 80s, and 1939. >> There are many terrible terrible stories, and many miracle escapes. As >>far as I know no 300 owners/members should have been lost, but with over >>750 homes destroyed, plus 5000 homeless, this before those injured, this >>tragedy will touch so many over the whole nation. >> >> I sold my farm near 30 years ago when I nearly lost my home, cars, etc, >>when my header caught fire as I was on it. The force of my fire would have >>been nothing compared to what happened Saturday night - and warm weather >>is tipped again this weekend, with about 5 fires involving a potential maybe >>20% of State still not yet fully controlled in Victoria. Please may this >>end better, and it makes one realise possessions, even 300s, are nothing >>without life first. So many that lived, lived because they just fled for >>their lives, did not try to save one thing other than themselves - but then >>they often still had to have a miracle as well. There is to be a Government >>Formal Inquiry, to try and see how to better advise, protect and guide people >>here if this type of so hot summer weather is to be the norm - some burnt >>brick homes shown on TV just exploded, bricks thrown 30-50 feet, all broken >>into pieces no larger than tennis balls - a bus left with it's alloy window >>frames as massed molten >>metal blobs all around what left of it. >> >> America has it's terrible tornados, other parts of world their problems, >>Australia is lucky we miss much of this, but this fire is our worst national >>disaster in our fairly brief 200+ years to date - may it never happen again. >>I have never kept all my cars in one place, my supercharged 300C has only >>been at my house for 2 days in 12 years I just realised - yet if one must >>go to these lengths to keep 300s, treasured belongings safe, it makes one >>wonder seeing all what has been on TV last days, is it time for any re-assessments. >> >> Take care, enjoy life, it is a great gift/treasure, >> >> Christopher >> __________________________________________________________ >> Get rid of those unwanted christmas presents! Get what you want at ebay. >> >> http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Frover%2Eebay%2Ecom%2Frover%2F1%2F705%2D10129%2D5668%2D323%2F4%3Fid%3D10&_t=763807330&_r=hotmailTAGLINES&_m=EXT<http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Frover%2Eebay%2Ecom%2Frover%2F1%2F705%2D10 1 >2 >>%2D5668%2D323%2F4%3Fid%3D10&_t=763807330&_r=hotmailTAGLINES&_m=EXT> >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> >> >> >> >> >>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> > ------------------------------------ To send a message to this group, send an email to: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/Yahoo! 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