Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MELBOURNE28
2009-02-17 05:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Melbourne
Cable title:
US WILDFIRE EXPERTS ARRIVE IN MELBOURNE
how-toVZCZCXRO3765 RR RUEHCHI RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHPB DE RUEHBN #0028/01 0480553 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 170553Z FEB 09 FM AMCONSUL MELBOURNE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4883 INFO RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 1533
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MELBOURNE 000028
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
Department for CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, White House for NSC Bader
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID SENV CASC AS
SUBJECT: US WILDFIRE EXPERTS ARRIVE IN MELBOURNE
Ref: A) Melbourne 25, B) Melbourne 24, C) Melbourne 23, D) Melbourne
21, E) Melbourne 20, F) Melbourne 17, G) Canberra 134, H) Canberra
100
MELBOURNE 00000028 001.2 OF 002
Summary
-------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MELBOURNE 000028
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
Department for CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, White House for NSC Bader
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID SENV CASC AS
SUBJECT: US WILDFIRE EXPERTS ARRIVE IN MELBOURNE
Ref: A) Melbourne 25, B) Melbourne 24, C) Melbourne 23, D) Melbourne
21, E) Melbourne 20, F) Melbourne 17, G) Canberra 134, H) Canberra
100
MELBOURNE 00000028 001.2 OF 002
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) A team of 60 U.S. wild fire personnel arrived in Melbourne
on February 15 and were met by Consul General and Victorian
officials. The arrival received wide media coverage. Six large
fires continue to burn, and while they have not crossed containment
lines, the blazes continue to threaten Melbourne's water supplies.
Police officials have revised the death toll from the February 7
fires to 187, though post has not received any reports of U.S.
citizens injured or killed in the fires. While the fires are not
yet contained, officials are already beginning to consider the
longer term environmental impact, which will undoubtedly place a
greater strain on Melbourne's dwindling water supplies. End
Summary.
U.S. Personnel Arrive
--------------
2. (SBU) Sixty U.S. wildfire experts arrived in Melbourne on
February 15. Consul General, lead USG/Australia firefighting
liaison, Bodie Shaw (Deputy Director of the NIFC -- National
Interagency Fire Center, Bureau of Indian Affairs) and several
Victorian emergency services officials met the U.S. personnel at the
airport. Information Officers in the two arriving groups provided
short interviews with reporters from several prominent local and
national news agencies. Initial deployment of the U.S. team is for
30 days with the possibility of extension. They will be stationed
at two separate positions outside of Melbourne and post will provide
additional deployment information septel. Post has received at
least two emails from local Australians thanking the United States
for its support.
Fires Continue as Water Worries Mount
--------------
3. (SBU) According to Emergency Management Australia (EMA)
officials, approximately 3,000 firefighters continue to battle six
major fires in Victoria. While the fires have not passed
containment lines, they are still considered to be burning out of
control and have left Melbourne in a sea of haze since February 14.
Police officials have revised the official toll from the February 7
blazes up to 189 and continue to warn that it will climb higher.
4. (SBU) Officials are worried about the safety of Melbourne's water
supplies. A February 17 media release from Victoria's Minister for
Water announced that more than 10 billion liters of water have been
transferred away from one of the city's water catchments to other
reservoirs in the past 10 days in order to avoid contamination. In
addition, Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE)
officials told post on February 15 that regenerating forests consume
large amounts of water which may reduce future water supplies. To
date, however, Melbourne Water's key infrastructure including dams,
major treatment plants and depots are undamaged by the fires.
(Note: Melbourne's water supply is made up of nine interconnected
reservoirs. Five receive and store water directly from 160,000
hectares of forested catchments while four are used only to store
water. End note.)
Public Reaction
--------------
5. (U) As police continue their search for evidence of arson, public
pressure is mounting on an alleged arsonist, Brendan James Sokaluk
who remains in police protective custody. Sokaluk, whose identity
was released last week via Facebook, has reportedly received
thousands of hostile comments and even threats of vigilante justice.
Police have warned the public that such threats may be prosecuted.
A law firm reportedly intends to pursue a class action suit against
a Singapore-owned electricity company which maintains power lines in
Victoria as soon as the results of the royal commission into the
fires are made public.
6. (U) The Australian and Victorian governments have announced a
national day of mourning in Melbourne's Rod Laver arena on February
22 "to honor those who have lost their lives, support those who have
suffered and recognize the work of our emergency services." Post is
working with Embassy to determine the appropriate level of
representation at this event. Plans are underway to organize a
MELBOURNE 00000028 002.2 OF 002
major benefit concert at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 14.
Private donations continue to flow in to the Red Cross which is
managing the relief fund.
American Citizens
--------------
7. (SBU) As of 4:30 PM local time, post had not received any reports
of U.S. citizens injured or killed in the fires. We have also
verified the well-being of all of our outstanding welfare and
whereabouts (W&W) requests. At this time, post is assisting two
U.S. citizens (separate cases) with the replacement of passports
after their homes were destroyed in the fires (ref. D). Neither of
the two citizens have requested additional consular assistance at
this time.
Comment
--------------
8. (SBU) While the front pages of local newspapers have shifted
emphasis to other headlines ("Japan plunging into depression"),
Victorians continue to grieve over the losses sustained by the wild
fires. As the immediate danger from the fires begins to recede, the
state is already considering the long term impact of the fires,
particularly on water supplies. Water shortages will add yet
another cumbersome worry to a state government already facing an
aging mass transit system and other infrastructure woes.
THURSTON
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
Department for CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, White House for NSC Bader
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID SENV CASC AS
SUBJECT: US WILDFIRE EXPERTS ARRIVE IN MELBOURNE
Ref: A) Melbourne 25, B) Melbourne 24, C) Melbourne 23, D) Melbourne
21, E) Melbourne 20, F) Melbourne 17, G) Canberra 134, H) Canberra
100
MELBOURNE 00000028 001.2 OF 002
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) A team of 60 U.S. wild fire personnel arrived in Melbourne
on February 15 and were met by Consul General and Victorian
officials. The arrival received wide media coverage. Six large
fires continue to burn, and while they have not crossed containment
lines, the blazes continue to threaten Melbourne's water supplies.
Police officials have revised the death toll from the February 7
fires to 187, though post has not received any reports of U.S.
citizens injured or killed in the fires. While the fires are not
yet contained, officials are already beginning to consider the
longer term environmental impact, which will undoubtedly place a
greater strain on Melbourne's dwindling water supplies. End
Summary.
U.S. Personnel Arrive
--------------
2. (SBU) Sixty U.S. wildfire experts arrived in Melbourne on
February 15. Consul General, lead USG/Australia firefighting
liaison, Bodie Shaw (Deputy Director of the NIFC -- National
Interagency Fire Center, Bureau of Indian Affairs) and several
Victorian emergency services officials met the U.S. personnel at the
airport. Information Officers in the two arriving groups provided
short interviews with reporters from several prominent local and
national news agencies. Initial deployment of the U.S. team is for
30 days with the possibility of extension. They will be stationed
at two separate positions outside of Melbourne and post will provide
additional deployment information septel. Post has received at
least two emails from local Australians thanking the United States
for its support.
Fires Continue as Water Worries Mount
--------------
3. (SBU) According to Emergency Management Australia (EMA)
officials, approximately 3,000 firefighters continue to battle six
major fires in Victoria. While the fires have not passed
containment lines, they are still considered to be burning out of
control and have left Melbourne in a sea of haze since February 14.
Police officials have revised the official toll from the February 7
blazes up to 189 and continue to warn that it will climb higher.
4. (SBU) Officials are worried about the safety of Melbourne's water
supplies. A February 17 media release from Victoria's Minister for
Water announced that more than 10 billion liters of water have been
transferred away from one of the city's water catchments to other
reservoirs in the past 10 days in order to avoid contamination. In
addition, Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE)
officials told post on February 15 that regenerating forests consume
large amounts of water which may reduce future water supplies. To
date, however, Melbourne Water's key infrastructure including dams,
major treatment plants and depots are undamaged by the fires.
(Note: Melbourne's water supply is made up of nine interconnected
reservoirs. Five receive and store water directly from 160,000
hectares of forested catchments while four are used only to store
water. End note.)
Public Reaction
--------------
5. (U) As police continue their search for evidence of arson, public
pressure is mounting on an alleged arsonist, Brendan James Sokaluk
who remains in police protective custody. Sokaluk, whose identity
was released last week via Facebook, has reportedly received
thousands of hostile comments and even threats of vigilante justice.
Police have warned the public that such threats may be prosecuted.
A law firm reportedly intends to pursue a class action suit against
a Singapore-owned electricity company which maintains power lines in
Victoria as soon as the results of the royal commission into the
fires are made public.
6. (U) The Australian and Victorian governments have announced a
national day of mourning in Melbourne's Rod Laver arena on February
22 "to honor those who have lost their lives, support those who have
suffered and recognize the work of our emergency services." Post is
working with Embassy to determine the appropriate level of
representation at this event. Plans are underway to organize a
MELBOURNE 00000028 002.2 OF 002
major benefit concert at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 14.
Private donations continue to flow in to the Red Cross which is
managing the relief fund.
American Citizens
--------------
7. (SBU) As of 4:30 PM local time, post had not received any reports
of U.S. citizens injured or killed in the fires. We have also
verified the well-being of all of our outstanding welfare and
whereabouts (W&W) requests. At this time, post is assisting two
U.S. citizens (separate cases) with the replacement of passports
after their homes were destroyed in the fires (ref. D). Neither of
the two citizens have requested additional consular assistance at
this time.
Comment
--------------
8. (SBU) While the front pages of local newspapers have shifted
emphasis to other headlines ("Japan plunging into depression"),
Victorians continue to grieve over the losses sustained by the wild
fires. As the immediate danger from the fires begins to recede, the
state is already considering the long term impact of the fires,
particularly on water supplies. Water shortages will add yet
another cumbersome worry to a state government already facing an
aging mass transit system and other infrastructure woes.
THURSTON