FW: Re: [Chrysler300] Australian bushfires & 300 members

[michaelvanderveen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

>-- 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]
>>
>



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