The people of Victoria, and to a lesser extent New South Wales and South Australia and Queensland all need your good thoughts and prayers. Victoria is currently being devastated by wildfires - as I write this the news report says that 65 people have been confirmed as killed - and the toll is likely to increase as the fireys come across burnt out cars and homes. Some towns have been obliterated - the scenes look like a nuclear blast. New South Wales and South Australia have also had bushfires but not to the same extent. Too add insult to all this, in far north Queensland the towns of Tully, Ingham and Townsville are under water for the third time in the past 2 weeks. There are people missing in these floods, including a small boy who has been taken by a croc in a flooded river. You may remember INgham as being the town destroyed by Cyclone Larry a few years ago - and now this. These towns are also running out of food and fresh water. Please - your good thoughts are needed for us at the moment. Mother Nature seems to have decided to test the population of Australia.

Maddy, thank you for the update on what's occurring in Australia. The American news has just started really picking up the story. My prayers are with all those who's lives have been touched by these natural disasters. I've been thinking about you and Ebony, and all the people effected by this. Please keep us updated about the situation.

Oh my! I hadn't heard about this! I'll check it out on the net. I'll keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers! Keep us updated girls!

I was hearing about all this yesterday on the news. My thoughts are with you and everyone living in Southern Australia.

I only get the most rudimentary of local news these days and none of this has made it on the stations in rural illinois. What a horrible situation - my thoughts go out to you and hope all stay safe. Is there any organization (like the Red Cross) collecting donations to help the relief effort?

I'd heard something about this last week, but I had no idea it was so widespread! My thoughts are with you, our other Aussie gatchamaniacs, and everyone in these areas of Australia.

Oh my gosh... I was only talking about this with my mum last night -- she lives in Yeppoon, near Rockhampton, and was telling me that 40 people had been killed in the fires and with the flooding and heatwaves that Eastern Australia was going through considerable hell. She said they're calling it Black Saturday ... My hopes, prayers and wishes definitely go out to my people back home! I'm somewhat shocked that the Canadian news stations haven't really picked this up ... Maddy, I know you are one of the people who are out there in the thick of it trying to coordinate emergency teams and what-not, so dear, take a deep breath and know we're all thinking of everyone back home!! Thanks for letting us know what's happening.. SJ

My thoughts are with you and the people affected by these disaster, Maddy.

Maddy, thank you for the better update. Local news coverage only briefly mentions it. I'll keep you all in my prayers.

News is worse and worse. There are now 108 people confirmed killed in these fires - many of them killed in their cars trying to escape, or caught in their houses. It's a tragedy, and even the fireys are loosing morale - simply becaue of the deaths they are discovering. I have some friends who have lost their home - and, unfortunately, some others who are missing.

I hadn't heard of this yet, but it sounds terrible. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone.

For me, personally, the news has been the worst. I have had confirmation that 12 friends have died. The amazing thing is that of those friends - 6 knew each other. The others were all from different aspects of my life, and it's meant that this tragedy has touched me through every single aspect - old school friends, professional, and my hobbies and fandoms - the only one that seems to be untouched is Gatch/BotP. I also have other friends who thought they were going to die - but the fire completely jumped their house. All around, everything is black, with houses flattened. Their house - a 100 year old cottage - is untouched. They, and the neighbours who were caught there with them, are thanking god every second that he watched over them. The neighbours have lost everything.

Oh no...Maddy, that is just awful. I am so sorry to hear this...

Maddy, to lose so many who you know .... I am so sorry to hear this.

Maddy, I am deeply saddened about your loss. My prayers are with you and all those in Australia.

Maddy I'm sorry to hear of your loss of so many friends... I just saw this on the news the other day but just briefly here.

Its been getting a lot of in depth coverage here and , well, you cant really put into words what an awful situation it is, seeing people on the news who have lost friends, family , everything. I hope the fires are bought under control soon. PS - I also hope the arsonists who have been setting some fires get their come uppence.

I was just watching this on the news...and yes, I hope they find the demented murderers who started the fires! They just said that Pres. Obama is sending aid... I was hoping the US would help out!

Maddy, I'm so sorry that you've lost friends. My heart goes out to you, and to everyone affected by this tragedy.

Yes - some of the US wildfire specialists are coming over to help from California.

Its very bad isn,t the death toll keeps going up, whole families died in their houses. They estimate approx 300 people. Many remain unaccounted for. In VIC. Were we are holidaying at the moment is a potential bushfire zone, lucky (181 so far have been counted) Its raining today so that might deter the fire bugs..I just wish it was in VIC, they need it the most. My in laws are on stand by since they bushfire fighter volenteers (most farmers are) and Singleton has had bad fires. They are still vulnerable to grass fires, FIL won't have gumtrees near then houses. They've been preparing because of the heat. Hopefully this rain reaches, QLD doesn't need it. (Maddy, are you near the flooding?) In in NSW, Sydney, Lane Cove is in the middle of sydney and has been burning. It was smokey when we left on Sunday. What makes me sooo angry... is that most of those fires were delibertley lit!!!! Bastards, makes me very condor and when they catch them 'i do hope they are charged with mass murder. (Parliment passed a motion yesterday to up the sentencing to murder for people who deliberately light fires resulting in loss of life, about time.) maddy hugs, so sorry to hear you lost so many friends in VIC.

I hope they do find those who started all this. And yes they should be charged with murder. This is just awful.

There are still fires burning out of control in VIC. Australia and American bushfire services have had a good working relationship for a long time. When there are bad fires during summer in America we often send people over to help out. A good friend of ours whos in bushfire sevices communications went over a few years to the states when they had wild bushfires, he said they're fantastic firery's over there...Great team work between them all. So its good to have them come over here. When the jobs done lets hope theres a pub standing to offer them a beer...

Maddy I am so saddened to hear about the loss of your friends. That must be so difficult and the crisis is still not over. My heart really goes out to you. For those interested, here is the link to the Australian Red Cross - they have a lot of information and a link to a special fund for relief aid. australian red cross

Sorry to hear about your loss, Maddy. My prayers are with you and all others in Australia.

Maddy, I'm sorry to read about your losses. My thoughts and prayers go out to all in Aussie that are affected by these fires.