NZ to help Australia with bushfires

[trev]

Australia has limited water supplies generally, and this is a limiting factor on how much population we can support. With most populated areas already on water rationing, there is very limited ability to increase population in existing regions. However there is a vast amount of water available in the NW of the continent and the north to a lessor extent, so those areas could support a large increase in population if people choose to live there. The climate is not ideal though. Temperatures can often soar into the mid forties (110+F) and also severe tropical cyclones up to category 5 and very heavy monsoon rains and serious flooding common. These factors act as a discouragement to people wanting to live there. But population is steadily increasing in the region due to vast irrigation capabillity for the agricultural industry and vast mineral resources. As there is a general shortage of labour for the mining industry in particular in the region, any volunteers to migrate there?

[FrostyBoy]

hmm actually I wouldn't mind

But mining is a damn dangerous job

[trev]

About 100 American firefighters could fly out soon to help the Australian firefighters in what has become a global effort to protect Victoria's assets.

Meanwhile, homes are under fire threat near Banksdale, Myrrhee, Boggy Creek Road, Whitlands, Burders Lane, Upper Fifteen Mile Creek Road, Mansfield-Whitfield Road, Middle Creek, Upper Ryan's Creek, Watchbox Creek and Red Camp.

With a large number of smaller fires lit by lightning, firefighting resources continue to be stretched to breaking point, and the existing massive fire is burning slowly due to cooler weather, but burning out of the forested, mountainous areas on a wide front towards farming country, so the the assistance of further overseas firefighters are required.
In Australia, 95% of firefighters are volunteers who have other occupations, so many firefighters have now for 2 months not turned up to work, affecting their employers, or not operated their farms etc. This is costly to these regional communities and families, many small employers cannot afford to pay employees on firefighting duties, so they lose their income as well.