RANDOM comments

[Skyon Archer]

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologized Sunday for taking a family vacation in Hawaii as deadly bushfires raged across several states.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center — the government agency that is coordinating the deployment of firefighters from the U.S. — roughly 100 firefighters have been been sent to Australia over the last four weeks, with 50 to 60 more planned to be dispatched Monday.  Canada is also sending firefighters to Australia for the first time. Stephen Tulle, duty officer with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center, told CBC that a group of about 36 is assisting.

Groups began 30-day deployments on Dec. 5. The second group left Dec. 19 and a third left Monday. A fourth group will leave Saturday, and another this Monday.

The (Australian) national government on Saturday began calling up 3,000 army reservists to conduct evacuations and help people in remote areas affected by the wildfire emergency.

I surely hope these fires can be gotten under control soon, especially since it seems some action is starting to happen!