Bushfires rage out of control from the Bunyip State Park. (Photo: Jason South)
Unfortunately, my worst fears from my Friday post were realised yesterday when horrendous weather conditions led to firestorms throughout parts of Victoria. To date there have been 86 recorded deaths but it is expected that more loss of life will be uncovered as authorities gain access to hard to reach places.
Yesterday was truly awful. Temperatures around 46 degrees celcius with a fierce North wind that blew in in the afternoon. According to news reports, the fire hit places like Kinglake so quickly that people were unable to escape to safety. News tonight informed us that Brian Naylor, a former Melbourne newsreader who was the face of Channel 9, perished in the blaze along with his wife. This will bring this tragedy home to many; Brian Naylor was the comforting elder who was in your home, delivering the news every night at 6.00pm.
Our students tomorrow will need time to talk this weekend through. They will need to try and make some sense of a tragedy that no-one could control. I hope classroom teachers forget curriculum for awhile and allow their students to share and discuss. Sometimes that is just what is needed and now is one of those times.
Lucacept - intercepting the Web 
My thoughts and prayers are with you from the other side of the world.
Let me know what I can do personally and what PLP can do to help. We are so sorry for what your area of the world is suffering.
I am here. Help me know the best thing to do and what collective action piece we need to mount to be of help.
@Sheryl. Thank you for your support. I’ve posted a blog piece on the PLP site to alert others to the situation over here. It would be wonderful to see some collective action take place. Fundraising seems to be what is needed most. Money to rebuild school communities – there have been schools totally burnt to the ground in these fires.
Jenny-
Please know that you all are in our thoughts and prayers in this difficult time. Like Sheryl, if there is anything that can be done to help, please let me know.
@Mark Thank you so much Mark. Our communities have been devastated and we are all reeling as we start to hear the stories of the survivors. Knowing that the international community cares is very comforting.
I hope this will not happen on my country !
i still remember the devastating effects of the black saturday.