As predicted, yesterday's horrific heat, at the end of a 34 day dry spell, resulted in fires all over south-eastern Australia.

But the fires were very fast, and very furious, and in addition to widespread devastation have utterly destroyed at least two towns: Marysville and Kinglake. At least 84 people are reported dead, and that number is expected to rise.

I have been through Kinglake several times. I've stayed at a home near there (the inhabitants are fine), walked through the beautiful bush, helped clear the scrub. That's land I've worked, and now it's a sooty wasteland.

All those people; all those homes; all that life. It's one of the worst natural disasters in Australia's colonial recorded history.

Except that it's not entirely natural. Criminologists estimate that about half of Australia's fires are set by humans. Arsonists have been spotted helping the fires spread or relighting fires that have been controlled or extinguished. I would cheerfully strangle each one of those murderous assholes, but, you know, I can't, so rather than restrict myself to black curses, I thought I would do something more productive.

I'm hereby announcing the Fuck You Firebugs Donation Drive. I'm supposed to be getting an advance cheque in the very near future, so I'm in a position to do this: I'll match, dollar for dollar (up to five hundred dollars) every donation to the Australian Red Cross Victorian Bushfires Appeal that you make. Limit hit!

Because, seriously, fuck those guys.

How it works:

1) You go to the Victorian Bushfires Appeal website and make a donation.

2) You come back to this post and tell me how much you donated. (All comments are screened; I'm the only one who'll see your name and the donation amount, unless you request otherwise).

3) I announce donation totals as we go, and make my contribution.

4) BAM! Your donation just doubled.

5) Fuck you, firebugs!

Feel free to spread the word, even if you can't afford to make a contribution yourself. I have great faith in the power of dispersed communities to make a real difference. It's my view that the only answer to people being evil is people being good - compassionate, generous, and supportive in the face of atrocity beyond comprehension.

ETA: Seriously, don't apologise for smaller donations - every dollar counts. And is actually two dollars!

ETA 2: My five hundred matching limit was well and truly hit. I'm so impressed by you all!

I'm still taking paypal donations for the Red Cross on behalf of those who can't negotiate the weirdass credit-card hoops the Red Cross makes overseas donaters jump.



if you got to the party late and are looking for more Red Cross double donation action, minna is doing that at this post, here, also up to five hundred dollars.

If you're in Victoria, you can hit the nearest Myer store and give them your donation to the Myer Bushfire Appeal, and they will double it also, up to $500 000. That may look more impressive than my livejournal efforts, but secretly I love you guys more than Myer does.