Living Through Australia’s Black Summer: Fire Country

[@tommyh500]

I moved from England to Australia 9 years ago. The grit, determination and sense of community of the Australian people is second to none

[@Haywood477]

Anyone else notice Vice has been putting out good stuff lately

[@PerfectlyUselessComment]

Almost a return to what they used to be. I hope they keep it up.

[@azamatk0928]

That's what I was gonna say, well filmed! Heartbreaking scenes.

[@KalitAcosta]

On issues that truly matter

[@kristopherryanwatson]

@@PerfectlyUselessComment you're right. 5 years ago they were really doing great, about 2 years ago things turned really shitty...the last few months. though, it seems like things are back on track.

[@kamenidriss]

I was enjoying those mystery girl series. Just kidding those were so bad

[@anewkindofmedia3295]

Shoutout to that farmer. Farming is constant and becomes everything. Losing livestock hurts like losing a loved one sometimes. And to imagine 100 cattle went out so horrifically is heart breaking. And a dramatic drop in finances..

[@inconspicuousname2925]

anewkindofmedia you can always buy 100 cattles

[@jubbus]

Inconspicuous Name yes like they are so cheap

[@Rhinoinasuit]

They dont treat them like loved ones, before the fires they'd have sold them off to the slaughterhouses or shot them in the head themselves. Let's not act like the cows were taken away from a horrific fate. It was just replaced with another, much more brutal one

[@andi__bandi11]

Idk how it is in Australia, but in Arkansas USA one head of cattle ranges from $1000-$2000, so yes it’s a very dramatic drop in finances

[@eddiedabs8496]

@@inconspicuousname2925 you fuck.. Just.. Fuck man..

[@tylerwallis6654]

I love the lack of music in this. It makes the emptiness of the countryside and the loss of possessions and property feel heavy and real

[@33mavboy]

Play misty mountain cold from hobbit while watching this on mute my friend

[@yzdatabase4175]

deaf?

[@Silver-Ellipsis]

and what music there was, was haunting.

[@rainbownation2706]

I watched the whole 24 min of this and I am shaken. I didn't even smell what these people did,I didn't hear what they did and I lose any thing,I live on a different continent, so I can't claim to understand. One thing I realized during the 24 min of this video is that these people have a heart, a soul and a mind made of granite. I don't think they can be easily broken.

[@Bopperspaniel]

I live in California and this hits home for me I lost everything I owned and pets in the camp fire last year. Cannot imagine loosing that much land compared to my little town it’s crazy bigger. Love and condolences to everyone affected.

[@generationfallout5189]

This is just the beginning. Each year it will get worse and worse. Then you will see the proud break. There will be none left unbroken by the armageddon we scripted.

[@christinewelsh2362]

It was the feeling that these fires will never end. Will we be here tomorrow? How long will this go on for? Will I be next? I've never lived through something so awful in my whole life, and even though I was safe, the endless dark days of smoke, burnt leaves blown in from 20km away, the smell, the fear - it will never leave me. And the anger at the Federal government for its uselessness, with out "leader" deciding to continue his holiday in Hawaii even after people were killed.

[@Scareface80]

I watched the hole thing..... And felt nothing! Just for the animals tho!

[@wiishzy8104]

I cant even think of the pain all of the people had to go through, especially the children. to lose your home, your bed, what keeps you alive, and even friends, apart from losing your life. I really dont know what people did to earn this. all of those people in the store looked like kind, heart-warming people. I think what everyone is focusing on there is supporting each other, and not the ''is my cheerleading coach going to yell at me if im late?'' kind of crap. people are realizing to not take everything for granted.

[@andrewchoi4978]

21:54 “Where to from here?” “...healing the land.” Selfless.

[@QuillsOnWheels]

That was beautiful. When he broke down I started to get teary myself.

[@domitron]

The sentiment was beautiful, but he cannot heal the land. The land will burn away because we left the Holocene, the stable climate that all human civilizations have flourished in. This is what scientists told us in very plain terms since the 80s would happen. Now it's happening, and I feel sorry for those who are suffering so early in the process like him. But, obviously, eventually, we'll all suffer since there is no way in hell civilization will (or even probably CAN) give up fossil fuels. And keep in mind that Australia is the world's leading exporter of coal and made about 72 billion last year from coal. The US is soon to be the leading exporter of oil. In other words, fossil fuels are so profitable that as long as Murdoch owns the Australian media, the fires will ALWAYS be from "arsonists" no matter what the police say is true. Likewise, climate change will ALWAYS be reported to have "just 10 more years left" or due to solar activity or some other such nonsense, even while we all know the truth that it's already too late and we caused this with our massive volcano of burning and ecocide that we affectionately called "industrial civilization".

[@QuillsOnWheels]

@@domitron I dont agree with your mindset. I'm from Australia and we're starting to see new life and plants sprout from the burnt ashes. The land CAN heal. It takes time and care but I believe it'a possible. Call me naive but I hold on to the hope that events like these will bring people closer and wake us up to take care of our planet and let it heal. The firefighter guy has the right mindset. We just need a lot of people to understand, sympathize and feel what this man has felt.

[@NineVoltVibez]

When his voice cracked I started crying man. The feels'

[@ambercameron6988]

@@QuillsOnWheels shut the fuck up will u

[@marios3202]

How long do you think it will be before we start seeing those disgusting "Australian insurance companies are doing XYZ to avoid paying claims from the wildfires" articles?

[@mephistovonfaust]

They probably will. If it's anything like in Germany, then they can claim higher power which is an instant bailout. I was an insurance salesman and financial investment advisor for nine years, up until last year so believe me when I tell you, yes, it's probably going to be really bad for everyone who has lost their home. The thing is, if they would pay out the whole economy could crash, basically 2007 all over again.

[@derekformosa2195]

Anyone remember how lot of people didn't get paid out from the Ft. Mac fire

[@blanca5050]

The house never lose!

[@robbywallace9402]

I'm pretty sure alot of people don't have insurance. Alot of people live off grid and build there own homes. They lost it all. So damn sad.

[@jadoei13]

I don't know the numbers, but I can't imagine they'd have anywhere near enough to pay even half the claims. In the end it is just a distribution of risk, but that only works when there's not a lot of high risk events. When half a country burns down, there's not a lot any insurance company can do. Yeah they probably could 10x the cost of it to be prepared for the next fires, but that probably wouldn't attract customers either.

[@smithy2692]

Don't forget, while all of this was going on our own prime minister abandoned Australia for a holiday in Hawaii - in secrecy.

[@seafoam6119]

and I thought trudeau was bad... you deserve better.

[@urm9.m]

Don't forget about Koala Killers role to play in this

[@jord.an6123]

@@seafoam6119 trudeau would be a cakewalk compared to the conservative Liberal Party scumbags in charge here

[@Jamie-tj9fn]

in secrecy? I heard it was arranged months before the fires even started

[@jord.an6123]

@@Jamie-tj9fn He didn't tell anyone though, thst's the secrecy

[@SagePacetti]

Even in the most damaging events in human history the people always figure a way out to restart. Each individual helps one another, slowly healing each others pain and rebuilding what they all have lost. This is an amazing 24 minute video. This helps remind me that even in a world full of complaining, bickering and hate, there is still lots of love and compassion in our small world. Thank you Vice for making this piece.

[@roganoelofse376]

Succinctly explained. Thank you for this, it's precisely how I felt watching this.

[@kingweeb3365]

Human with all our flaws ,still find ways to do good

[@RameshPatel-bd6xi]

Fuck off bitch!!

[@theantichrist5191]

I don't even know the words to express how massive this loss is. I don't live in Australia but I am absolutely devastated that this happened. This was a massive loss to our planet I feel so bad for all the animals that died. I also feel so bad for the Australian people for having to go threw all this. It's so crazy.....

[@holeindanssock156]

Change is coming to the world. Just like we now look back at women not voting and no gay marriage as stupid. We will look back at immigration bs and plastic in the ocean the same way.

[@theantichrist5191]

@Leonard Ney i mostly feel bad for the animals and I hate most people but Australia never did anything to anyone, plus Steve Irwin was a gift to this world and was taken too soon. I could list names of people for days who deserved to die but he wasn't one of them.

[@jadoei13]

@@holeindanssock156 This has next to nothing to do with immigration. Sure their is unequal education among populations, and certain belief systems might not be helpful and those might be more prominent among certain groups of people, but in the end that has little to do with their genetics and way more to do with whether you choose to let them go to a decent school and let them understand the world. That sort of change takes decades, but blaming them for your problems won't help anyone. Quite the opposite, if we could get the whole of Africa up to western standards tomorrow, that would mean more people solving all the problems we have in this world. It would mean better health care, more firefighters to help out during the next fire, better technology to battle climate change and so on. Also, just look at Japan having to open up their borders to immigrants because their economy is suffering severely from a lack of new workers. Closing it all and living in your own little world is just extremely inefficient. No I don't want open borders, they'd keep coming till it looks the same in the western world as there and then some, but closing down everything also seems like a bad idea.

[@theantichrist5191]

@Princess C Everytime I try and reply to you it gets removed, no white person alive is reasonable for any of that. You are a racist

[@AbStar_xx]

It was so distressing for everyone in the country, even those of us who live in the cities. The whole nation was being smothered in the smoke and heat, and a lot of us had family/friends in the affected areas.

[@rossrobbins7707]

When the woman at 4:00 talked about all of her art being destroyed, that was pretty heart-wrenching. I feel so awful for all of these people.

[@danw3505]

That's the part that got ya choked up? Not the guy that lost 100 head of cattle. Burned alive. Then had to go and shoot, then bury, 30 of his sheep because they had parts of their faces burned off? But that one lady lost some paintings lol.

[@rossrobbins7707]

@@danw3505 Read the last sentence of my comment and then shut the fuck up.

[@AmrothPalantir]

I loved that hippie female, so materialistic thinking... Talking more about her paintings then her children. A modern supreme feminist in her zone..

[@calamusmaideneye9406]

@Syvx Fires like this have never been seen before mate. Anywhere in the bush in Australia is now a bushfire zone, even the rainforest was burning. This is new, a scale and ferocity never seen before

[@calamusmaideneye9406]

@Syvx www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/07/record-breaking-49m-hectares-of-land-burned-in-nsw-this-bushfire-season Except you are wrong?

[@Kailyn123456luvu]

I can't begin to explain how stressful it was. Always checking the fire app, packing the precious things in your life. Preparing your house for the worse. My parents were going to stay and fight while I left with the animals as I have severe lung issues and could have died with that level of smoke. You had to wear masks to go outside and we had to have our air filters on all the time just to breathe in your house. The sky was bright red and thick with smoke. Nobody can truly understand this until you have gone through it. This lasted for a month and we barely made it out.

[@user-gm8rp1ox3z]

Late 2019 I was in Australia and made my way from Sydney to Melbourne via car right through the fires. On the side of the highway you could see dead cows that suffocated from the lack of oxigen in the air, everything was smoking, you couldnt even see your hand in front of your face, it was quite bad overall. BUT when I stopped at little towns that were affected by the fires the GREAT Aussie mentality of holding on together while never giving up and helping each other really came through. Even though people had lost everything they were still being optimistic and said that everything will be fine.

[@mattmopar440]

This is the stuff I want to see from Vice good job

[@yungtwist4226]

When the woman at 4:00 talked about all of her art being destroyed, that was pretty heart-wrenching. I feel so awful for all of these people.

[@seanbaskett5506]

I was really moved at Andrew Sunder Spencer's words. You know he was hurting inside, but put on a cheerful face, a great sense of humor, and a whimsical approach that I'm sure was hugely appreciated by those around him. I know that had I been there in all that madness, that's the guy I would have instantly gravitated towards. I don't judge that he was once a Rajneeshi member, and their Oregon newsletter unfortunately reported that he died of heart attack or stroke in that tent on the Cobargo showgrounds, 6 months after the fires. SIX months later, he was still roughing it and giving his all to the community at the relief center. My vocabulary is too limited to properly express the deep respect I have for that man. Stay strong, Cobargo.

[@Ravidist]

I lost my house to wildfire in Colorado in 2012. Losing your house to a fire is something that hits you months, or years later. Only in the past few years have I really started to grasp how much was really lost. It's like that man said, when it happens you're just, numb.

[@juttasnyder1804]

How utterly moving and insightful. For so many people smoke in our cities gave us a very small dose of a whole other reality. This piece takes you there, right there. Congratulations Vice !

[@tomalapevides]

I'm from Portugal where we also get terrible fires every year, our seasons are also becoming longer and longer, but nothing of this magnitude... Every few years the forests near me burn down, sometimes a few miles away, sometimes way too close for comfort, like in 2005 where we almost lost our house. I'm not sure our way of life - what we like about living surrounded by nature, trees, vegetation - if it's sustainable anymore. It's just too dangerous, everything has to be cleared, well away from houses etc What I have seen is how Australians have stepped up, from your amazing firies (mostly volunteers like ours too), to the communities seen in this docu, to the people looking after the wildlife, to the outpouring of donations. Basically everyone except for the politicians in the pockets of the coal industry. Your spirit is truly admirable, how you don't lose your dry sense of humour even when faced with devastation. I hope to visit soon and help with my tourist dollars, I don't care if the forests are a bit scorched and whatnot... I'm used to seeing burnt eucalyptus anyway... Think we got them from you guys!

[@synapsesuicide4372]

I hope y'all recover quickly from this travesty, I feel for the loss of life, both human and animals.

[@maxxsee]

the elite will just beam a new fire

[@callummitchell3045]

i dont know if anybody could watch this and not feel heart broken; its unimaginable the amount of impact its caused for thousands. Still crying writing this comment; but it's so beautiful to watch how some of these individuals change their outlook and can still be so optimistic. It's absolutely admiring; and really puts you in a perspective of how strong our country is when we unite together. As well helps me move on myself. because if these people can; so can I.

[@randallforbes3224]

Sadly, Sunder who was interviewed on this Video has passed away in his sleep, whilst still living in a caravan at the Cobargo showgrounds - vale Sunder, a gentle and helpful soul................

[@randallforbes3224]

this comment written by Surajo Frith, not Randall

[@adramaqueen3]

How awful. It’s a year since the fires, I live on the outskirts of Sydney, & I came across this video after reading Black Summer. I was just thinking about how much Sunder reminded me of my own father, they have a very similar way of talking as well as looking alike, when I found this comment. I really hope his family & friends are ok. RIP to a fabulous Australian.❤️

[@misterb.s.8745]

God rest his soul. His beautiful Australian spirit really comes through in this video.

[@lit_for_20]

man, this hurt. i've never even seen a wildfire with my own eyes, and i dont wanna imagine the loss. all the best to australia, i'll chuck a couple of bucks your way

[@SEEYAIAYE]

Appreciated mate, here's hoping you'll never have to experience one in your life. It's not for the faint of heart. Years ago an island caught fire here from a lightning strike, this was 20km away and even then I woke up to a smokey hell with that satanistic looking red sun and ash raining down on my home, the creepiest thing was the silence, both humans and animals knew to GTFO.

[@johnphilip8485]

I just watched this again (6 months later).. Rest in Peace `Sunder` , you were indeed a GENTLE man and sadly missed ..

[@UniquestChic]

What happened to him?

[@huchman1621]

I feel so bad for that farmer. I can't imagine how he must feel

[@maxxsee]

thats what the elite do

[@benjamin-rn5zn]

@@maxxsee can you shut the fuck up

[@rogerjohnson9466]

This is so, so well done. Amazing job to everyone who helped make this. Stuff like this is why I stay subbed.

[@Kirkbdavis]

Really well done. Even with the fire I was struck by the beauty of the place and the character of the people as well. Thanks for putting this up.

[@aphexius3287]

"Standing tall and proud" couldn't have said it better. This is who we are as a nation, and as a people.

[@Rangifulla]

but not the Abbos

[@bigblackdave6030]

ThomasTheOG facts no one should have to go through this shit your Australia ffs not Zimbabwe

[@aidan4891]

Bulk chills when they were describing the fire front. Unimaginable

[@gracecalis5421]

I wish that volunteer firefighter the best of luck. Him talking about how the forest will heal and life will go on, it broke me. Good man who deserved much more than the shitty hand his government dealt him and the Australian people.

[@juliaa365]

i'm glad that vice posted this, it feels as if most of the world just sort of forgot while people are still grieving and suffering

[@katymaloney]

That footage of the firetrucks speeding off and then the whole road being engulfed in flames around 18:38 was very impactful... it reminded me of those scary images from wildfires in northern Canada a few years back, with people driving off with fires burning on both sides of the road, knowing all too well that it's the only road, and they are a few wind gusts away from being engulfed in flames. Hellish.

[@lachlanp4198]

There's absolutely nothing the fireys can do to stop it. The embers cross the road effortlessly. The only thing that put out the fires was the rainfall.

[@DesperatelySeekingAudrey]

theres a 3 minute video from the dunmore firies showing it in real time. Three minutes. It came early and burned everything, and gone in three minutes. unbelievable

[@uberdice]

One truck stayed behind. RFS still managed to save that property, even after all that. Fuckin' legends.

[@nathanvanlieshout7148]

Huge shoutout to the fire fighting service men and women, really appreciate you guys!!

[@fuady87]

22:00 This hit me hard. Brought tears to my eyes, poor guy and people.

[@S1mcard]

I agree, some very moving stories

[@V3SSEL95]

22:17 broke my heart what a kind and caring man no one deserves to go through that 💔

[@MichaelTucker]

This isn't the last time this will happen, but the current government won't listen and take appropriate action.

[@supremebouchard2104]

The only thing that I’m glad is if governments burn our planets oxygen, they won’t have technology to create their own oxygen so they’ll be miserably dying in their “rich” bunkers that supplies last only 3 weeks, i rather die by nature instantly then live that “rich people to survival of the crazies rich”

[@danw3505]

It's not 'burning oxygen'. It's excess C02 into our atmosphere. But what people never seem to realize is that plants eat C02 and poop out oxygen. More C02 = more plants = more oxygen. We're going to be perfectly fine.

[@theonedan1589]

@@danw3505 Fossil fuels like coal are carbon that has been buried for millions of years. To unearth this carbon and burn it into carbon dioxide is adding more carbon dioxide into the air than was originally there.

[@theonedan1589]

BTW more oxygen is not necessarily a good thing. The atmosphere gets hotter and hotter as more gas is released into it and eventually everything will die.

[@theonedan1589]

@Syvx It is my country.

[@BearMarie96]

I know how it feels to lose everything your family has spent lifetimes collecting to just lose in a moments notice to a fire. I can sympathize to the fullest level. But the way these communities have came together to support one another and life each other up is more tremendous than the pain. I truly wish in these times in America, we could have the heart these folks share for each other.

[@siddharthaug10]

Hope you guys recover quickly, love from India 🇮🇳

[@xotic8617]

Thanks vice for finally reporting on our horribly devastating fires that we have here in Australia 🇦🇺

[@CB7F22a]

This definitely made my heart ache. “Heal the land” Mother Earth needs so much help.

[@aidan4891]

No what mother earth needs is to be left alone. She needs no help. We just need to stop polluting her.

[@supremebouchard2104]

Humans think Mother Earth won’t just end us all for a reset, it’ll be too late already if shes targeting forest to deprive us of oxygen... in other words our money and oils aren’t shit we still haven’t been able to colonize in different planets we have failed our own people and planet

[@CB7F22a]

Ai dan No, I mean our earth doesn’t need us humans destroying her, we are the pollution.

[@underfootrecords]

This is such beautiful, thoughtful, and respectful documentation of the devastation. It clearly offers the strength, resilience and pride in these people and this community. Such a well of grief- and still so much love. Thanks Gavin & VICE.

[@IAmWithinEverything]

God Bless every one of these People who lost everything..and all the animals... OMG... horrifying..

[@alexandercharlesedwards-ace-]

Thank you Vice for telling these people's stories. May they have the strength to endure and overcome.

[@goosenuggets3273]

“The forest is alive” the land needs healing. Now I really appreciate what we have in Vancouver Canada 🇨🇦. Heal up Australia!

[@lamsmiley1944]

We had a bit of rain since and most of the fires are now out. It was a scary summer, where I live spent two months covered in smoke and there were days where we had the worst air quality on the planet.

[@mitchhifi9192]

@@lamsmiley1944 I live in thr ACT and I thought the 2003 fire tornado was the scariest thing I've ever seen....this video makes my gut wrench. This is truly terrifying and I wasn't even a witness to any bad fire fronts....I could only imagine how badly people will be affected by this mentally.

[@gyg8853]

Thanks to the message at the end re: our indigenous community and land. We do this all the time at work and it helps raise awareness.

[@rubensingley2440]

I was driving through Cobargo a few hours before it was hit. The whole scene even before the fire strucl was terrifying. The worst part is that I only saw 2 firetrucks anywhere near the town. Later that day we had ash falling over our car as we saw the flames burning down the side of a mountain during our exit.

[@theowlfromduolingo7982]

1 billion animals dead. Let that sink in.

[@potion95]

The Owl from Duolingo I can’t fathom that

[@jessicasmith7102]

😭💔😭💔😭💔😭

[@naughtymonkey1563]

There's now a nation-wide shortage of bbq sauce.

[@vlajster]

it just can't,i don't care about the personal belongings,houses etc.

[@fatskimp1232]

vlajster animals aren’t shit people matter not some replaceable pet

[@jennnay2335]

Thank you for making this. My heart goes to all beings of Australia. And, to the land. Hug you, brothers and sisters.

[@PHlophe]

jenn extend your sympathy to people in easte africa because the heavy flooding that occured at the exact same time as the australian bush fires are related according to climate scientists.

[@flame8388]

Lechiffresix six Australia is also flooding

[@jennnay2335]

Lechiffresix six absolutely. My love to Africa.

[@MoggleTV]

wow, thats though, im sorry for everyones loss.

[@freddiemercury956]

Knemzy Grindz looks pretty tough as well....

[@naughtymonkey1563]

All are dictionery got burndt

[@jessicasmith7102]

This is a planetary loss; it's our home that we share with all God's creation. Every animal, every plant, ALL Life is beaUtifuL and preciously sacred. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. 😭💔😢 I grieve with you. #totalloss #whereisthelesson #lordhearourprayers #howcanthisbeprevented

[@leroy92TX]

This though to read

[@SpectateDrake]

@@leroy92TX 😭😅

[@on2wheels378]

As a 7th generation Californian... My sympathy and prayers to you all in the AU... We know the loss you have suffered. I am so sorry this happened to you all.. God's speed and blessings.

[@DakinRinone]

I'm grateful to live in illinois. Never thought I would say that, I wish the best for all of these people. The mental scars alone are more than enough

[@disguisedlime9005]

We could see the fire and clouds from New Zealand in Taupo. The sky went orange and we were able to look directly at the sun. This has been a sad year for everyone

[@delrheacastelino4788]

I still remember packing all my important things with mum till 1 am, because of how close the fire was to our house. That was a horrible time and now that winter is almost over, bushfire season is gonna start all over again.

[@xtylerawesomex]

Literally left tears in my eyes and I'm on the other side of the planet!

[@thenoicemango1827]

Imagine having to go out and kill your livestock just to end it’s suffering. Poor farmer.

[@delailama736]

Awful. Imagine sending it to an abbatoir to kill it for it's meat.

[@thenoicemango1827]

@@delailama736 Yummy

[@ashdog236]

@@delailama736 one dies naturally like it would in the wild, food for others. The other one is burnt alive. You vegans are nuts 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@delailama736]

@@ashdog236 You don't think an animal ever died naturally from a fire?

[@delailama736]

@@ashdog236 And how exactly do abbatoirs kill animals "naturally"? Do sheep die via electric shock from a pair of tongs out in the wild often?

[@Dogmuff1ns]

I live in a major city and even from hundreds of kilometers away the smoke was thick enough to hurt your eyes and gave a friend an asthma attack. I live in Brisbane which is hundreds of kilometers away from the fires

[@RONNYfromOZ]

The smoke reached Chilie

[@juliustetevano6113]

Sydney was full of smoke, the sun was red and it was raining ash.

[@Dogmuff1ns]

@@juliustetevano6113 I'm in Brisbane and it regularly got so bad it hurt my eyes for days at a time

[@RedDread_]

Flew from sydney to brisbane about a month and a half ago when the fires were big. the sight from the air was apocalyptic

[@Bob-lr4if]

Good to hear that the inner city Greens weren't completely unaffected by their actions.

[@WildfireEngineer]

Pretty incredible folks, you folks really came together

[@SparkschuItai]

This is...very depressing. I really wish I could save their country, but I’ve no power to do it. I hope their friends and families prays for the best. From Japan, I’m Sparkschu Itai.

[@d.griffa]

I cried. Long live Australia.

[@emilyfredrickson9009]

Last year my partner and I went through the California Camp fire. That fire was the worst in California's history, it was literally like the apocalypse. This fire was significantly worse. I can't imagine how horrifying that must have been.

[@brendandonaldiarmaid3110]

Emily Fredrickson we all know Since September, at least 25 people have died and thousands have been made homeless. Every state and territory in Australia has experienced fires this summer. But the biggest fires burn along stretches of the eastern and southern coast, where most of the population lives

[@deejoker6285]

my heart is with you all

[@Automedon2]

My heart absolutely bleeds for our human and animal brothers who have suffered so much.

[@louismason5549]

Gathering No Moss Are you vegan?

[@Automedon2]

@@louismason5549 yes

[@camobubba98]

I lost everything in a house fire a year ago next week, and I still can't fathom the pain of everyone involved.

[@BLACKLIGHT_NL]

16:16 These images in combination with the music and the stories being told are really terrifying... Vice translating their stories in that part really clearly. Such a horrible scene that is beautiful at the same time.

[@jrgonzales8935]

Wow people be grateful for what you have today. It could all be gone tomorrow. So sad 😥

[@Spike.SpiegeI]

this is so devastating to see... just imagine losing nearly EVERYTHING you own and your house. You have no idea where you'll find a new home or how long you will be without one. Just terrible.

[@Aight7]

Amen, life pops out unexpectedly, in the rough. I'm getting emotional... Watching this after three years. I remember that summer and i shocked i was watching the news from home, Italy. After three mere years, please Australia be strong. It will take time, but you will slowly and beautifully flourish again... Hopefully. Never lose hope.

[@fluffyfurball7777]

It's so sad that this is being swept under the rug, so hard to find more info on it here in the US now...my heart goes out to you, Australia.

[@erikadirk]

The old volunteer firefighter is amazing!

[@madmadimadison7542]

Couldn't watch this without crying aloud

[@itcouldbegood]

i've never sobbed from a video until today

[@Mr_YouJ]

To all the cattle herders in Australia, you should all came together and donate one to two cattle each to that man because he is one of you. It is a tradition in my pastoral community back in Africa that when such disaster strikes and one of us lost much of their possession, we came together and every family donates one or two animals to get them off the ground.

[@theyasirtahir]

That was painful to watch. Sending love from Pakistan.

[@PRIVXCY]

Thanks for cutting our funding to our fire fighters by 30%, really appreciate it.

[@xothree]

That's so sad hope they get all the support they need😨😨😨

[@Pyr0technicien]

Nice document from you vice, really good footage selection and heartbreaking interviews.

[@pennelagoon]

I am lucky I was on holiday, my friend told me what happened he told me when he walked out of his home and would smell smoke. A lot of people evacuated but luckily there was no fire where we lived. A kid in my class who usually gets in trouble would pray everyday wishing there were no more fires. It was pretty surprising, and soon enough everybody started doing that. Soon it stopped. You may call me an attention seeker, I’m only sharing my story. The people on this video need more support than me.

[@kamenidriss]

Enjoy this thumbs up vice, this is the type of content the internet wants

[@punkybrewstar83]

The Sikh community in Auckland is freaking bomb too- all through quarentine they had these huge food donations- they are really amazing.

[@CheeerriOH]

As the farmer said, it'll take years to recover from this. What is really tragic is that this time next year another set of communities will be suffering in the same way. This won't be just a one off. It will continue to get worse and worse as time goes on. Heart goes out to everyone affected.

[@minutemangangplank8599]

This fire season is exactly why i started my degree in conservation and land managment, i really hope i can do something if anything

[@honestreviewer4864]

Everyone once in a while vice makes an outstanding video

[@abbykaczmarek7491]

Scientists had warned us up to a decade ago that Australia would be the first of many nations to experience catastrophic weather events such as fires and floods because of global warming. We are seeing it happen in real time now and we are only the first of many nations that will be effected.

[@nathanchandler18]

I'm guessing you watch the news too much, the world used to be going into an ice age now its heating up to much, the worlds temperature fluctuates over time up and down, global warming is silly, going green costs a LOT of money, and nothing is going to change, the corporations don't care, going green will never happen in our, or our childrens life time. It just isn't sustainable or possible without going back to sticks and stones

[@abbykaczmarek7491]

nathan chandler I’m guessing you are Ignoring undeniable scientific facts which demonstrate that due to extreme levels of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, the earth is warming. While it’s correct that the temperature of our earth has always been naturally effected by small variations in the earths orbit, ancient evidence has been found such as tree rings, ocean sediment and coral reefs that show that the earth is warming roughy 10 times faster than the past ice age recovery time. This isn’t a political debate about money and finances, this is an argument about our future generations and their livelihoods.

[@nathanchandler18]

No I dont watch any news, its all silly, there is science for both sides of global warming, its just down to what you believe. Where we are right now in time there is no way to go green, at all, going vegan is a joke, getting an electric vehicle is silly, but the worse global warming gets the more those industries sell, the third world countries are where fingers should be pointed for all the issues, from the way they deal with plastics and waste

[@nathanchandler18]

Exactly I dont doubt its happening, but its not near to the extent every one is making it out to be, but it isn't going change at all, people dont think of the spider web leading up to something they use in a day, like every bit of material in your house, how the power was generated when you flip your switch the equipment used to gather material, the trucks and equipment used to haul it, the equipment to refine it, the equipment to move it again, and the equipment used to install it, the world is nowhere near advanced enough to change things, not cost wise or advanced wise, and even going electric is terrible, sure theres no emissions, but there's still emissions on the charging end, it bothers me though about 95% lf the people demanding change cant cite a scientist, they just quote the news, they rally behind it and demand change with out doing research, or thinking about the costs of going green, their life doesnt change at the end of the day they just complain

[@nathanchandler18]

@@abbykaczmarek7491 i'm just curious here, but what do you do in your day to day life to combat global warming if you are talking about it being an issue and wanting change

[@internetstrangerstrangerofweb]

We’ve been waiting for almost a decade for this.

[@Bob-lr4if]

Greens and Labor have been banking on it.

[@ldrost1999]

What is the song at 15:17 ? So beautiful!

[@tru9437]

I wonder also

[@beefwellington7323]

Thank you Vice, mainstream hasn’t reported on this since the beginning of January.

[@Anon-ek3ck]

I don’t like to talk about depressing things but I think everyone should remember that this will return, don’t know when but we should stay prepared.

[@ganeshprabhu3131]

VERY WELL SAID. PRECAUTION IS BETTER THAN CURE.

[@DougGrinbergs]

Quality production, interesting images, stories. Sad, sobering, powerful.

[@masterindisguises]

Thank you to the Muslim & Sikh communities helping out 👍

[@tonyschmittou8845]

And the Christians

[@masterindisguises]

Tony Schmittou yeah and the majority of folk too

[@keira4997]

This hits to close to home. It was painful to watch. Thank you..

[@cronicd21]

Gladys Berejiklian knew this was going to happen and so did Scott Morrison and they did nothing but defund rural fire services.

[@PlagueFather]

Best of wishes to Australia. They will bounce back.

[@drw5252]

Lord father bless those people that lost so much 💓💓💓

[@eldorado1244]

Doyle Wright....give it a rest mate

[@VoLCoMzYaDiGG]

If he wanted to bless them he would've done so by not burning down their homes, killing hundreds of millions of innocent animals, and now all these people get to do is rebuild and continue to add to the real issue. Climate change.

[@Goblinqing]

does got answer youtube comment prayers now?

[@susireed4242]

Cried so much near the end.

[@OPEK.]

Godspeed 🇦🇺

[@systemofhaz9725]

I live in this community in Merimbula about 30 minutes or so from carbargo, I experienced this day first hand (not in the middle of it but in the community) and it was just mind blowing and crazy, the air, the sky, and just the people, we on the south coast are an amazing strong community though and everything now is slowly getting better, I hope that day was the worst of it 🤞🏻, and a big thanks to vice this was a perfect production, described this tragedy perfect

[@Ebola-Kun]

Imagine how many similar events have occurred since life began on Earth. Complete extinction events, the dinosaurs, pompei, existing is dangerous

[@jadoei13]

Yeah we're lucky it has been pretty stable for a couple of hundred thousand years to let us evolve to this point. Hope we can keep it under control in the next thousand years though, seems like it might be a bit more challenging.

[@Automedon2]

I think about that with tsunamis. Imagine all the coastal people who were washed away and there's no record that they ever existed. There are cities they have found that are under the sea. That people think they have power over nature is ridiculous.

[@generationfallout5189]

Yea especially when you are heating the world with carbon and methane and tipping a delicate balance that has taken billions of years to settle in the first place. Humans dumb yo.

[@Ebola-Kun]

@@generationfallout5189 Blame humans if you want but here you are using wifi to get on youtube and complain- you're the most human of us all. Also i mentioned events that occurred prior to humanity as evidence this is bound to happen, whining over it is redundant.

[@fullsickness]

I was only 8 at that time and i knew nothing about it. I questioned why Chinooks kept flying over, and why it was so disgusting outside. When i looked on youtube i figured out why all of this started, I was scared. I was very Infatuated with The ADF And always wanted to join. When we went to one of the Centres to get some money i saw so many people in the army. We never evacuated and stayed in the home we live in today. I am so glad that everyone put their hands down and its all fixed. On Behalf of East Gippsland And alot more places. THANK YOU ❤

[@ganeshprabhu3131]

THANKS TO SIKH VOLUNTEERS FOR HELPING THE DEPRIVED. HATS OFF. THANKS TO VICE FOR BRINGING OUT THE HORRIBLE VIDEO OF WILDFIRE AUSTRALIA. I PRAY ALMIGHTY FOR ALL.

[@KalitAcosta]

GANESH PRABHU yes sirrrrr

[@adammcnally1955]

Went to Amritsar last year. The Sikhs have a great community spirit. Thanks for helping out guys. Really appreciated.

[@isabelrobinson5986]

@@adammcnally1955 me, too - how amazing are the Sikhs!

[@ganeshprabhu3131]

@Skrompeterto YES, WE CAN'T FORGET MUSLIMS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD.

[@MH_Photography]

Thanks for this honest report, you guys are in my opinion the best regarding news media. Keep on this great work!!

[@wesbesttreacts4515]

Imagine being surrounded by a forest of fire and it just keeps getting closer

[@Automedon2]

Like the woman said, you'd just have to hope the smoke gets you before the fire.

[@dalusa81]

Vice, this was really an amazing story. Thank you!