WTF: 24 People Arrested For Intentionally Setting Fires In Australia
From ABC News:
Two dozen Australians in the state of New South Wales have been arrested since early November for intentionally setting fires as record-large blazes continue to burn across the country.
There have been 24 people charged with deliberately setting fires among 183 facing legal action in the state, according to the New South Wales Police Force.
In addition to those facing the most serious charges of starting fires intentionally, authorities said another 53 people are facing legal action for not complying with the state's fire ban and 47 people have faced legal action for discarding a lit cigarette or match on land.
24 people caught so far (allegedly) starting fires on purpose in the midst of all that chaos... Who the F*******CK would do something like that? Is this the 'copy cat' effect happening? Was there a pyromaniac gathering? And one of the craziest parts to me is that the max punishment is only 21 years in prison.
It doesn't seem like enough knowing that since the post on Sunday from New South Wales PD, the death toll has risen from 18 to 24 (with two others listed as 'missing'), and that nearly HALF A BILLION animals have perished. I'll spare you besides the one below, but the photos coming out of there are heart shattering.
Looking at the comments on multiple stories about this, it was no surprise to see morons celebrating that people were setting these fires because to them that 'proves climate change isn't real', etc. etc.
Very classy. Also, yes, there are complete psychopaths out there setting some of these fires, but extreme heat, a terrible & prolonged drought and wind are overwhelmingly the factors.
Every Australian summer, the country undergoes a fire season, where it’s easy for bushfires to start and spread. Natural causes are to blame most of the time, like lightning strikes in drought-affected forests. But recent hotter, drier conditions are making the country’s fire season longer and harder to contain.
The country is in the grip of a heatwave, with record-breaking temperatures over the last three months. A heatwave in mid-December broke the record for the hottest day in history — the country’s Bureau of Meteorology said the average temperature nationwide was 40.9 C. (105.6 F)
The AVERAGE temp nationwide was 105.6 F… I don't have any wine right now but sheesh.
Huge shoutout to the at least 2,700 firefighters battling these blazes as nearly 136 continue to burn, all the medical personnel & veterinarians dealing with smoke inhalation/burn victims, and much love to the over 1,300 families who have lost their homes so far. Terrible stuff.