LIVE BUSHFIRE MAPS: follow the fires online

Dan Warne
08 February 2009, 4:17 PM


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If you or your friends/family are in Victoria, you can now check an up-to-the-minute live map of the bushfires created by Google employees.


In the 70s, vans with loudhalers on the roof warned of fire situations; in the 80s, radio and TV were the way to get updates in emergency situations; in the 90s, websites became the most readily-accessed source of information, and today, Google has released live-updating maps of the bushfires in Victoria.

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) has asked people not to access its websites unless they think they are in immediate threat of bushfire, as its webservers are currently unable to cope with the surge in public interest. Google's bushfire map is a good place to start to assess your risk.

You can view the map here.

Google explains more about how the map is being made at its Official Google Australia blog, which is credited to Alan Noble, Raul Vera and Pamela Fox, Google Engineering. Good work folks.


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MiCCAS (New user):

The google blog link is invalid - links to http://apcmag.com/%20http://google-au.blogspot.com/2009/02/mapping-victorian-fires.html

Good on google for helping out.

08 February 2009, 5:53 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Dan Warne (Regular user):

Thanks -- fixed now!

08 February 2009, 7:44 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (New user):

This is great stuff, and only a touch of what is possible. The cost of a nation-wide real time fire alert, information and warning system would be a pittance compared with what the government is about to give away in hand-outs.

Good work and thanks to all concerned with our emergency services, without them the tragedy and loss of life would be very much larger. And many thanks to the all concerned with making these maps possible.

08 February 2009, 8:26 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Truckasauras (New user):

Quoting Raindog:
information and warning system would be a pittance compared with what the government is about to give away in hand-outs.

They could probably get a good system up and going for less then what it cost them for their waste-of-money grocery choice website. Good idea Raindog, I like it.

09 February 2009, 9:05 AM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Me In Oz (User):

Quoting Raindog:
information and warning system would be a pittance ......

For once (and just this once) I agree with Raindog ;-)

And to all involve in this tragedy, best wishes and God bless !




09 February 2009, 3:10 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Halcon (User):

The Alert technology is a good measure to prevent the loss of lives.
The vandals that create the fires should be classified as terrorists, the justice system should show no mercy for this kind of criminals.
Lets hope this situation does not get any worse.

08 February 2009, 9:33 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Ryan4778 (New user):

This map hasn't got any of the fires currently burning in our area.... I think we need the vans with sirens. I live in Narbethong near Marysville. There's a fire 5 miles away from Buxton, a sawmill fire in Healsville and a fire near Matlock that all arn't listed on the map.
Clearly the fire authorities have learnt nothing from Black Saturday.

16 December 2009, 3:14 PM (3 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Ryan4778 (New user):

-

16 December 2009, 3:14 PM (3 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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