AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRES: a quick update

[@cotswoldbikerdad1153]

Stay safe our Australian friends. 🇬🇧🇦🇺

[@TraneFrancks]

Stay safe, Stef. My heart especially breaks for the animals and habitat lost to these fires.

[@davidcartwright5591]

Thanks Stef . I live in an affected area and our neighbouring village has been devastated . We are ok and our house is intact . Your level of generosity is very well received . Cheers .

[@airkingflyer3515]

God speed to our fellow Austrians. Stay safe Stefan. I wish you and your family the very best and thanks for posting the links so that we can donate and atleast help out financially. 🙏🙏🙏

[@billnicholson2470]

Thanks for the update. Our thoughts are with you all there. Please stay safe.

[@bruceharper8149]

Beautifully articulated Stefan, thank you.

[@jdevries44]

please be careful, my friend and all the people in Australia from Europe Belgium greeting and love for you all. Jelle.

[@bendav]

Appreciate the update. For those of us non-locals who are concerned and not sure how to help, thanks for the links. It's hard to imagine how much of the country is burning and the scale of destruction. I'm looking forward to your future updates - especially those areas we can visit as tourists as I will be in country later this year. I'll try to put some extra destinations on the itinerary.

[@craigwillis3372]

A most excellent summary Stefan of whats been going on here for some months sadly. Well done mate...class act. Stay well !!

[@jevanpolock]

Praying that all the fires will be out soon and that rain will come soon to your area. Also for taking care of all the animals that need care and comfort during these fires.

[@tedshropshire1739]

Thank you Stefan for this quickie. I have been concerned about you so thanks for the update. Love your presentations. Good job. !!

[@GGAviation]

It is sincerely tragic, heart breaking

[@stewartwilkinsonsnr]

Bless you Stefan, I have put a message up on my FB page to all my friends here in the UK along with this video from you. I’m sure it will have a impact as it’s direct from someone who lives and works in Australia 🇦🇺 You message is honest strong and from the heart. So pleased you, your wife and daughter are safe. Hoping those involved in fighting these fires stay save and get the fires out. Stay safe. ✈️

[@markelliott585]

Greetings from Colorado and heartfelt prayers for you and all of Australia, Stefan. We in Colorado, as with California and other US States, have experienced the lightening quick devestation of brush and forest fires. I hope that the Australian Open will bring lots of publicity and aid to your fellow countrymen and all the wonderful critters of Australia. Be safe and thanks for the update. xxooxx

[@StefanDrury]

Hey Mark, thanks for the comment. Yeah you guys get it bad in bushfire season as well, you’ve had some difficult years recently. Thanks again, yes here’s to the Aus Open bringing some attention and aid to the situation. Cheers, stef

[@OVTraveller]

Hi Stefan, thank you for your message, which will penetrate beyond the aviation geek community world wide. Our collective Australian hearts ache and will continue to hurt as we visit our favourite spots in the North East of our state and the beautiful Wilderness of East Gippsland. I have noted that other aviation producers have placed similar vlogs on the internet, with a simple and non hysterical ( as distinct from the mass media) message which hopefully will receive as much as support as you no doubt will. So a massive thank you from your local support base. Cheers. Otto

[@LAAvgRay]

Thanks for the update, Stef. I have been concerned for you and your family. #PrayforAustralia

[@Robert-rt9ho]

Hey stef me and my partner are really lucky we live in central Victoria the fires are not so bad here the next town over has been wiped out it is heart breaking seeing what is happening in the country right now. Our town is raising money for the local fire men they need all the support they can get they all do, one of the best things people could do after the fires have ended is to do a road trip and visit the affected towns like you said. Hope everyone stays safe out there.

[@seanmcerlean]

Bloody glad to hear you are all safe Stefan.Absolutley horrendous situation down there.As you know i have visited many times and will come back.Nature will regenerate herself gradually but defo time to take a hard look at how this became so bad so quickly.Stay safe.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you Sean, when the fires are out please consider visiting some of these areas in the future, they’ll need help to rebuild.

[@seanmcerlean]

@@StefanDrury I certainly will.I am a little busy on the job hunt again as it looks as though we are all about to lose ours here at Laudamotion.The losses are getting worse.More coleagues made redundant yesterday evening from Head office and others resigning in droves.

[@Ryzi03]

The smoke is god awful at some points but boy, are we lucky to live in Melbourne. My family has a property half an hour further north from Ballarat and we had a bushfire that was ~20kms away. Luckily the wind blew it away from the towns in the area and the firefighters did an amazing job to control it but the burnt area looks massive even though it was fairly small compared to everything else in Gippsland, Sydney and everywhere else that is being affected. For anyone that is being affected currently, stay safe and know that the rest of the country and the world has your back. ❤️❤️❤️

[@petercawley8444]

Stay safe and my thoughts and prayers for the people of Australia.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you Peter.

[@marvinsmith2389]

Truly devastating news coming from across Australia. From a Country that expects a bush fire season this is just off the scale. Thoughts with all my firefighting colleagues, a huge number who are volunteers protecting their local communities. Stay safe all.

[@StefanDrury]

I agree Marvin, these fires are unlike anything we’ve seen before. Passing my thanks to your firefighting colleagues as well, the work they do is helping so many right now.

[@pokemonguy6579]

Thanks Stef!

[@HyoRidaamotovlogs]

I've been a firefighter over 10 years now and I've never seen anything this widespread and devastating . Black Saturday was more catastrophic in terms of lives lost but this one is definitely the biggest! Saw about 20 destroyed homes in the 4 days I spent in Gippsland.

[@Razorback68]

So tragic!! Stay safe Stefan!!

[@JodelFlyer]

Really heartfelt and great video Stef. (all one take?) I think we are all worried, not only for you and your family but especially those directly affected and threatened by these awful fires, not to mention the wildlife and vegetation which will see devastating long term impact. Stay safe and keep us posted.

[@gdinsdale68]

Well said Stefan we are lucky to be in the capital cities and just suffer through the heat and smoke but others are going through such hardships in losing everything. Our hats off to our Emergency Services who put their lives on the line each day and all the organisations like WIRES, Salvos, Red Cross & Govt Agencies working hard to help support everyone and our wonderful wildlife recover once the fires pass through.

[@StefanDrury]

Thanks Gavin, yes the work those organisations are doing is incredible. The conditions they’re having to work in are just terrible.

[@maxkillers26]

I've been in Australia for 22years too, (my whole life), and I've never seen something this huge before, this is madness

[@Neojhun]

@Autistic Savant LIES you TROLL. I watched Black Saturday 2009 happen on the horizon. I still have not quite nightmares but stress dreams about it. This season is far worse on a much more massive scale. The most noticeable difference was the Air Quality & Duration. This is very different and much bigger. These are REAL WORLD phyiscal effects. Stop with you BS politically motivated lies.

[@Neojhun]

@Autistic Savant "dropping your programmed control words" You are the brainwashed fool to think you understand some hidden cabal that other's don't see. You have baseless superiority complex like you discovered something others can't. I understand the underbelly of society far better than you, e.g. look at my freaking avatar. What you are suggesting has Zero FUNCTIONAL truth and is not functional to my IRL physical existence. Everything I said soo far was NOT based on Media or 2nd hand sources. I live & work in Australia, climate phenomena I have to deal with directly, sometimes with cut up roughed up hands. I can't just ignore it and let my family's home burn or my Buisness & Home get flooded. These are very real world experience. All you do is Sell FAKE "truth" being a Woke Sheep. Falsehoods that would get me killed.

[@Neojhun]

@Autistic Savant "Next you admit your reality of the event is mostly based on watching TV shows." I never said that you LIAR. I was PHYSICALLY in Yarra Valley during Black Saturday 2009. FYI I haven't realy watched broadcast TV in about 15 years. Because I discovered IPTV & Media Centre PC in about 2005. Instead I stupidly deal with freakshows like you.

[@Neojhun]

@Autistic Savant www.flickr.com/photos/neojhun/2079649082/ This is close to the Vantage Point where I could see the Glow from 2009 Fires across the whole horizon.

[@Neojhun]

@Autistic Savant You are now a Swift Boating TROLL. I was Physically There and yet you can't even comprehend the massive error you made. You are the disgraceful real troll when your boiled it down to "using non events to get emotional involved". That is callous insult to those who experience the harshness of Reality.

[@60frederick]

Stef, thank you very much for your video! We won't forget Australia and the Aussies! Here in Switzerland the bushfires eg. became a daily topic. WWF Switzerland is collecting the money which they will send to WWF Australia for replanting trees. eg. Not only animals were lost - I am also thinking of the smallest ones like bugs, bees, flies, eg. Without them the birds who have survived will have a food problem. Sending positive vibes to Australia from Switzerland!

[@warmgunwarmgun3025]

Frederick König thank you for your thoughts regarding the fires.....

[@janinebell763]

That was absolutely beautiful. Every dollar helps.

[@StefanDrury]

Thanks Janine, yes if anyone is in a position to help, these communities and animals could really use it right now.

[@robw156]

Take Care Stef.

[@tomm7301]

My heart breaks for our friends in Australia. Thank you for the update and for the links to recommended charities. Stay safe, my friend! 🇦🇺🇺🇸

[@mangoszki4531]

Am planning to fly from YMMB to YMCO around May and/or June as part of my Cross-country exercise and cpl hour-building. These fires have been and are still heartbreaking and despairing. Seen an aftermath first hand that was next to my house. I thank the water bomber helicopter and the many firefighters. I Thank you Stef for your videos. Take care and be sure to keep the blue side up.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you, and yes go visit some of these places. Have lunch there, show others how great these places are, use tourist dollars to help communities rebuild and spread the word after the world focus has shifted elsewhere.

[@mangoszki4531]

@@StefanDrury Can't say no to a tasty lunch and visit to help dear members of our community. I know people who would be up coming along to also visit and help out with the tourism there whilst building up experience as a pilot. Am also considering a piloting career in professionally fighting future fires as an aerial tanker pilot. Thank you for your reply!

[@elliotdebruyn4390]

I always get emotional when thinking about the situation in Australia, I used to have family who lives in Australia and it's one of my favourite places in the world. Watching the videos of the wildlife being so terribly affected really hurts. I hope you stay safe and lets hope the rain comes back soon, love from Shanghai! I'll be in Melbourne end of the month.

[@midlifeflyer]

Thank you for the personal update. :(

[@Pfsif]

Next video I'm going to need to see 2 rescued Koalas or on your shoulders.

[@rikspector]

Stefan, So sorry for what's happening to one of my favorite countries and it' so fortunate that you and your family are alright. Thank you for the update. Cheers, Rik Spector

[@Simon-wc2ne]

Hi Stef, thanks for your videos and this one especially! I'm a commercial pilot myself working for Switzerland's largest airline. I visited Australia in October just before all these fires started and it's terrible to see what's happening to the people we've talked to, the houses they lived in, the animals we've seen and the beautiful landscape we've been admiring. I'm wishing you guys all the best in repairing all of the damage. At the same time it's time to face the fact that climate change is the main contributing factor that leads to higher temperatures, lack of rain and consequently also these terrible wildfires. It's sad to see how the australian government refuses to change their course away from coal and fossil fuels towards renewable energy and synthetic fuels even in this situation. We all might have to rethink our style of living, travelling and consuming to fight this crisis, myself included. Otherwise the year will come where the bushfire season will be even more devestating than this one, even if this is hard to imagine... All the best to you in australia, keep up the great work ;)

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you Simon, and you’re right it’s events like this that should make us evaluate all of our actions. And as you say, that includes us pilots and travellers who could make decisions to benefit the planet whilst still enjoying our freedom choices. I really appreciate the comment, thanks mate.

[@novemberromeo2500]

Sorry Simon500. This has nothing to do with climate change. Fires have been ravaging the Australian bush for thousands of years. The original owners of this land used to deliberately set fire to the bush as a form of land and fauna management. Long before coal fired generators or auto-mobiles ever hit our roads. A large majority of these fires were started by dry lightening strikes. Lightening has also been hitting the earth for hundreds and thousands of years. This is nothing more than poor land management by people in control of local councils and are stopping back burning. Did you know that the fires here in Victoria (Kinglake) had 90 tonnes of dry fuel on the ground per one acre. With hundreds of hectares burnt, we had no chance of putting these fires out. It has nothing upon nothing to do with climate. See this facebook.com/SkyNewsAustralia/videos/840486402985097/?t=9 Some of these fires (not all) were started deliberately and some offenders have been caught and charged by Police. Most of these fires were started by mother nature herself. (Lightening) and that my friend has nothing to do with climate change. And hypothetically....if the average temperature of Australia was to decrease by say 2 degrees, we would still have bush fires. We've had them in the past including at the turn of the centenary before industrialisation. After all......we are a land of the following poem. I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains, of rugged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains. I love her far horizons, I love her jewel sea…….. Her beauty and her terror The wide brown land for me.

[@nicolewirsching8601]

November Romeo what a bullshit !!

[@나무넷]

Thank you for the video. I hope you're all safe.

[@PortCharlotteAlex]

Prayers to all life in Australia. Thank you for the update and I will make it a point to help donate and do what I can from here in New Jersey. Thanks for the update mate and please stay safe.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you so much, it’s incredibly humbling to know the world is thinking of Australia right now. Big thanks back to New Jersey, cheers Piper Pilot.

[@DennisBunnikTravels]

Really great video mate, well done.

[@earlystrings1]

Your idea of flying into the devastated areas and filming is excellent. Stay safe and best wishes for a speedy end to this awful season.

[@deeanna8448]

This is heartbreaking. I had the joy of visiting your beautiful country (Sydney, Melbourne, Hamilton Island, and Whitsunday Islands) back in November. It's horrible to see the death and destruction. My thoughts are with you, and I made a donation.

[@walterweigert8897]

Hi Stefan! Here in Argentina we can see the smoke from your bushfires (it`s a fact, not a critic). Glad you and your family ar good; sadly not the ones who died in the fire combat, both people and animals. My heart is with all of you. Hopefully it rains soon and extiguishes the fire. Be safe. Greetings from northern patagonia, Argentina.

[@StefanDrury]

Thanks Walter, it was scary when we learned the smoke clouds were affecting New Zealand. To know the smoke is making its way around the world just puts the scale of this into perspective. Thanks for the comment and your kind words, stef

[@TREVORDAWSONTHD]

It's awful of these bushfires. The biggest I've ever seen and the smoke is unbearable. I've never seen anything like it before. I'm safe here in the north east of Wangaratta but I fear of those in the Alpine areas where it's all affected. Good to know you're ok.

[@StefanDrury]

Thanks Trevor. Yes I have friends in Jindabyne who have had some really difficult and scary times recently. Glad to hear you’re doing ok as well, stay safe.

[@AppleManYT]

I'm on the direct other side of Victoria from the fires on the east coast, and the smoke is insane, even here

[@JeanLucCoulon]

This is really sad. We all have a thought to you guys.

[@mjotd8670]

Good one Stef, that was a message from the heart, glad to hear that you and yours are safe.

[@HWingsAviation]

It is moving.. stay safe and good luck 🇦🇺

[@OshryPilot]

Stay safe my friend. I hope the fire will be over real soon...

[@joshuanoble575]

My thoughts are with you all in Australia and I hope that we can just rebuild the community’s and the wild life population that we have lost. I’m so glad that your family is safe Stefan but I just hope that there’s a way to combat climate change. I do believe this is a huge issue that just needs to be recognised.

[@brilliantbutblue]

Thanks Stef appreciated this. 20yrs in Oz, how did you miss Black Saturday? Please to anyone watching be aware that every man and his Dog are "crowd funding" but many have self worth intentions!! If you do want to donate please stick to legit charities that Stef mentioned here. Done over in Ash Wednesday in 1983 and feeling all the feels. The hurt really begins once the cameras are off and people move on.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you, and yes it’s when the cameras turn off and people forget about the communities that I want to raise awareness again. Already in discussions with people about how I can do that through the channel. Cheers.

[@iolauspasanisi8075]

The nature all over the world is bleeding... stay safe and I hope that Australia recovers from this tragedy soon! 🇦🇺🇧🇷

[@MrJames_1]

Last week I watched a flight of two of the amphib scooping Air Tractor/Fire Bosses do run after run near me on the NSW South Coast to great effect, so I think if each of us subscribers learnt how to build just one part of a CL-415 and then got together to build about 20 of them, that would be totally totally awesome 🛬💦🔥

[@f-16guy30]

Keep the Cirrus safe too ! Best wishes in the worst of times ! Stay strong!!

[@navaho5430]

Hey Stef just found your channel thanks, yes it was off the chart here in Moruya for 3 months of hell, we lost 8 houses on our street words cannot describe it, anyway if your back in Moruya take us for a joy fight cheers.

[@trackthismotherfuckers9805]

Im in Merimbula. The Gippsland fire crossed the border and is now 22kms south of me. The south coast fire is still active andnis 34km north. WE ARE THE ONLY GREEN UNBURNT BUSH ON THE NSW GREAT DIVIDING RANGE. Only 2 years ago the WHOLE of Tatrha was wiped out, 200 homes. Support your local farmers by NOT BUYING coles amd woolies milk! Dairy farmers!

[@Soyayabb]

God save Australia 😢

[@ashsmitty2244]

Come visit Australia, we love visitors.

[@StreagleEagle]

Stay safe, everyone will donate!

[@flyinggamer9661]

Wow 😫😥 Stefan i wish I could help but I wish you, your family and everyone and all the animals best of luck. And it is really sad to see or hear animals die or suffer. To make things worse from what I heard about the koala is close to extinction Please correct me if I am wrong with that.

[@p4m209]

And I’ve heard people make fun of the fires Insult the people who were injured in the fire Say who cares when someone said that they hoped everyone was ok Thankfully it wasn’t by anyone in Australia though

[@spiro5327]

Getting up to a smoke haze almost every morning for quite some time, not healthy. Although i have seen footage of the damage done i feel that the situation for people living in these fire affected areas is far worse than i can imagine.

[@alexkoch8716]

Kangaroo island here in South Australia over a half has been burnt 😢. Kangaroo island has been running of its tourism industry and now is suffering. When the fires there are contained, would be a nice place to fly too. I haven yet though I am going to do the hop across one day.

[@umer90o7]

stay safe Stefan ♥️

[@p4m209]

Even though the fires are anywhere between 300-500kms away I’m not allowed outside because of my asthma Which just shows that the fires can effect everyone even if you live in a city or built up area

[@StefanDrury]

I’m sorry to hear that, stay safe mate.

[@p4m209]

Stefan Drury Thanks It’s been a lot better in the past few days but still can’t go outside which I hate

[@SheaTaru]

Oh no!Not the koalas!

[@SheaTaru]

Yeah Yeah!The KOALAS

[@tonymorris7377]

Just be careful in that smoke when VFR mate. It's not like cloud when you see it coming i.e. you're already in the smoke and predicting ahead an increasing smoke density is near impossible. In good news, there are 4 koalas (still) living on my aunt's property 30nm west of Brisbane, after a fire went through before Christmas.

[@daveyfromdownsouth7889]

I hope everything get taking care of down there

[@savgoulis2826]

Anyone say why the RFS 'Fires near me' shows increasing fires around Old Bar and Taree yet people posting have confirmed there are no fires there?? Why are there almost zero Aussies uploading videos ???

[@Dylan-xv3hp]

4:40 Maybe you could come visit too? We could all have some kind of event in a regional area! Areas like Lakes Entrance got absolutely smashed by losing all the tourist income over peak holiday season, they could really use it. FRRR could maybe be said as F triple R btw - similar to A triple C (ACCC)

[@johnfitzpatrick2469]

My employer has committed to raise money for WIRES in their effort to rescue and increase the koala 🐨 community.

[@johnthompson286]

Stay safe my friend

[@NickSteevs]

Imagine disliking this video.

[@Shelby--]

How your plane

[@kuanyingtong9428]

😢😢

[@jonathanirons231]

A very nice video Stef. But you need to address the elephant in the room here. Donating to animal charities won’t stop this happening again. Take care and be safe.

[@glennwatson]

That fire map at 1:53 has been criticised a bit online (the one with the pin for all the fires) since it indicates fires where there hasn't been any.

[@foxiedogitchypaws7141]

3 pilots down:( You keep your family safe!!!! Wear your face mask.

[@CipherVR]

I swear our whole country is in flames.

[@rylinwashere5896]

It is?

[@tazzie165]

I just want to say this to everyone who keeps blaming the fires on climate change. Yes climate change is playing a factor. However, we have bushfires every year and our government yet again is lazy and incompetent as they haven't done backburnings for years

[@limerickman8512]

I have very little sympathy for Australians, 1. These fires are deliberately caused by people. Second reason which is far more important to why I have zero sympathy. 2. The range the fires spread is caused by past governments laws. The laws that prevents "fire breaks" to be created, thus allows the fires to spread over a much larger area unnecessary, thus no land maintenance to reduce fire spread risks. It is like not putting on your seatbelt when you are in a moving vehicle, and government outlaw seatbelts because it is bad for x, y ,z stupid reasons People are heavily fined for creating "fire breaks" on their property. Fire breaks are a huge "seatbelt" safety systems. Those people whom did violate the stupid negligent green/environment/climate change laws, whom were heavily fined and punished, now feels vindicated as their homes/property survived the fires, while their neighbours homes/properties, national parks, and public infrastructure burned, because of government and environmentists negligence. Wild animals suffered the worse under the activists/government laws. Blaming "climate change" is a bullshit excuse, as it failed to blame the people whom is really responsible for this negligence.