VZCZCXRO5955
RR RUEHCHI RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHPB
DE RUEHBN #0020/01 0400507
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090507Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL MELBOURNE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4872
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 1522

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MELBOURNE 000020 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
Department for CA/OCS/ACS/EAP 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO SENV ENRG CASC AS
SUBJECT: Catastrophic Fires Claim 130+ Lives in Victoria 
 
Ref: A) Melbourne 17, B) Canberra 100 
 
MELBOURNE 00000020  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Brush fires ignited by record temperatures on February 7 
are being labeled as the "worst natural disaster in Australian 
history."  At least 130 people have been killed, over 750 homes have 
been destroyed, and nearly one million acres have burned.  Officials 
expect these numbers to jump sharply over the coming days as the 
true damage is assessed.  Post has received no reports of U.S. 
citizens among the fire victims and remains in close contact with 
state emergency response authorities as they wrestle with ongoing 
fires.  While accustomed to annual brush fires, the magnitude of 
this weekend's fires has left the state reeling.  End Summary. 
 
Australia's "Worst Natural Disaster" 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) At least 130 people have died and over 750 homes have been 
destroyed as the deadliest brush fire in memory continues to burn in 
Victoria.  The state's Emergency Services Commissioner, Bruce Esplin 
told post on February 9 that the death toll and number of houses 
lost will likely rise "sharply" over the next day or two as 
emergency workers access more remote areas.  Record temperatures of 
115-120 degrees Fahrenheit combined with sustained winds of 60-80 
MPH on February 7 led to as many as 385 separate fires during peak 
activity which have burned through approximately 940,000 acres of 
land.  Dozens of local roads have been closed, rail lines have been 
burned and at least one water treatment plant has been damaged, 
further burdening already tight water supplies in one Melbourne 
suburb.  Victorian Health Minister Daniel Andrews publicly stated on 
February 8 that about 80 patients with fire-related injuries had 
been admitted to major Melbourne hospitals, but that the trauma 
centers are "coping well." 
 
¶3. (SBU) According to Bruce Esplin, there is a short/immediate term 
need for additional search and recovery personnel.  He also noted 
that there will be substantial long-term assistance required to 
rebuild communities which have been "devastated."  Key power lines 
to Melbourne remain intact but continue to be at risk as fires burn 
in the state's northeast.  While current temperatures in the low 
70's may ease the pressure on the more than 3,500 firefighters 
deployed throughout the state, wind speeds remain high.  Fire crews 
from the neighboring states of New South Wales, the Australian 
Capital Territory and South Australia were all deployed to Victoria. 
 Australian Defence Forces bulldozers and other machinery have been 
released by the PM at the request of Premier Brumby to assist as 
needed. 
 
¶4. (SBU) At least 26 fires continue to burn throughout the state 
with 12 reportedly out of control.  Smaller towns such as Marysville 
(located approximately 75 kilometers northeast of Melbourne) and 
Kinglake (45 km. northeast of Melbourne) have been completely 
leveled by the fires.  Prime Minister Rudd visited Victoria over the 
weekend and announced an A$10 million (US$6.75 million) emergency 
relief fund which provides payments to those affected by the fires. 
The PM suspended Parliament on February 9 to remain in Victoria to 
assist in the response.  According to PM Rudd: "hell and all its 
fury has visited the good people of Victoria."  The death toll in 
Victoria has already exceeded that of the Black Friday fires in 1939 
which left 70 dead and the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983 which killed 
75 people. 
 
American Citizens 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Post has established regular contact with Victoria's State 
Emergency Service (SES), the Salvation Army, the Country Fire 
Authority (CFA), the Victoria Department of Human Services 
(Emergency Management and Public Health), the Office of the 
Emergency Services Commissioner, and the Victoria Police to assess 
the impact of the fire on U.S. citizens residing in its consular 
district.  As of 3:30 PM local time, post has received no reports of 
U.S. citizens among the fire victims and only one request for a 
welfare and whereabouts check.  We believe that the two American 
citizens concerned were likely turned away at the New South 
Wales/Victoria border prior to entering the affected fire zone. 
Post's consular section has also reached out to local American clubs 
and the U.S. Veterans Association.  We will continue to monitor the 
impact of the fires on the American citizen population within our 
consular district and will forward substantial developments septel. 
 
US/AUS Fire Cooperation 
----------------------- 
 
 
MELBOURNE 00000020  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Embassy's Mission Disaster Relief Officer (MDRO) and Consul 
General contacted Bodie Shaw, Deputy Director of the NIFC (National 
Interagency Fire Center, Bureau of Indian Affairs), who is on 
temporary duty as an exchange officer with the Victorian Department 
of Sustainability and Environment (DSE).  According to Shaw, 
Victoria is finalizing the details of a request for assistance, 
which is likely to take the form of a fire meteorologist and burned 
areas rehabilitation teams.  There is a possibility that Victoria 
could request aviation assistance with infrared capability.  (Note: 
Shaw is in Australia to refine and improve the 2007 agreement 
between DOI and the Australian states on assistance in combating 
wildfires.  More on the possibility of deploying other U.S. wildfire 
assets in Embassy septel.  End note.) 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Although Australians are accustomed to annual brush fires, 
this weekend's blazes have left Victoria's people and state 
government reeling.  Emotions are running high in Victoria as many 
people remain missing or displaced and there are already concerns 
that the financial impact of the fires will only further complicate 
the state's long list of infrastructure woes.  While Victoria, in 
combination with some federal assistance, is wrestling with the 
impact of this weekend's fires, fire crews are stretched thin and 
many of our contacts agree that if the weather turns sour again, the 
state would be pushed beyond its capacity to respond. 
 
THURSTON