These images are from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite from February 17.
They're false colour images, using a combination of visible and near-infrared wavelengths of light to make the smoke more transparent and to highlight burned areas.
Unburned vegetation is red, while burned areas are charcoal. The top image shows a close-up around Marysville which sits near the centre of the immense burn scar.
Wildlife experts have predicted that millions of native animals have lost their lives and more will go before their habitat renews itself. I watched vets at work last night, gently helping animals from koalas to tiny possums and the tears flowed again.
The stupidest thing to cry about is my son. He's been dead for nearly 14 years but I kept looking at his portrait and thinking that he'd be right in the thick of this if he was here. He loved those forests and animals and he wouldn't have stopped fighting for them. So stupid me is crying because if I lost him now when I need him more than ever then I would be more heart broken than I was all those years ago. It's not rational but then when were mothers ever rational about their kids, so I'm still bawling at every sad or uplifting story I see. I'm old enough to be hardened to this but I go to pieces at the sight of a child hugging a new teddy to replace one lost in the fires. If anyone looks at my heart when I die, it will have 'softie' branded all over it.
17 comments:
*hug*
So much charcoal, so little red...
((hugs))
You are the mother I would have wanted. I would tell you anything. And be forgiven, tears washing away everything, fear, dishonour, everything. You are a mother; eternal.
A mum is a mum is a mum, forever (((hugs)))
"Softie"? Not that there's anything wrong with that (R, tm, (c) etc).
I can never figure out why the terms bleeding heart and do-gooder are insults.
Take care of yourself.
You are a wonderful mother, JT.
xxx
Everybody left nice comments and now I have tears.
Thank you Mindy, I'll send them back if you need them.
River, Wilson's Prom looks like losing 2/3 of it's trees and bush and they've only now managed to get the water helicopters in.
Rh, Behind every great man stands a great mother usually carrying a large stick.
Jayne, I am in awe of your talented mothering.
Phil, those terms come from arseholes with granite in place of a heart. I refuse to cry for the state of the Liberal Party though, that's a smiling thing.
Right back at you, Kelly and Sam. Miss C is a credit to you both and a slap in the face to anyone who says lesbian mothers are an abomination and shouldn't be allowed.
You know my view on "same-sex parents".
I'm entitled to it.
Rh, I know your views but in this case even you would have to agree that Miss Charlotte is being brought up to be a wonderful young lady.
On the surface.
Deep down as well.
I suppose you think the Father at St. Mary's Church should be sacked but he's what I would call a real Christian.
RH, why'd ya have to go and ruin a beautiful moment?
I've just watched Underbelly. What a laugh. Total fiction. Soap opera served up for the mugs. And why so much tit? Because the pop-eyed audience wouldn't watch at all if there wasn't a fuck between every ad break.
There's not a writer, there's not a painter, there's not a film maker in this entire bignoting country that's worth five cents, the piddling little poodles.
Muriels, that comment has been deleted as I don't believe Rh made it, and he's had hacking comments made before.
Rh, I refuse to watch 'Underbelly' or read anything about it. It's a sordid story already played out in the courts and the fact that money is still being made from it disgusts me.
And if that comment was yours, sorry I deleted but it was vile and not like you at all.
I can't remember what I said but it would have been pretty bad if you deleted it.
Savers half-price sale next Monday. I'm taking you there in a stretch Limo.
It's a laugh to me how these Underbelly roughnuts are given posh wives for the bourgeois dame audience to identify with. In my experience some of the wives and girlfriends are more murderous than the blokes. Lady MacBeth wouldn't get a look in.
And here's one of them (cultured sensitive devoted 'little woman')on her hands and knees ineffectively cleaning up a vast pool of hubby's blood with a rag. Well golly me, hasn't she heard of a floor mop?
Really, I was expecting an advert for Sabco in the next break. And did you see the children -dear little angels, peeking around the corner? How disturbing. Yes, but did you see them? Here it is again. Did you see them? Sure now? Here it is again....
Crap.
Well it's done for irony.
Irony is very popular among the better classes. The lives of the lower orders are full of irony, but only the better classes can see it.
Post a Comment