He's bottling rain water, but not just any rain water. Clarkman, being an innovative sort, built a series of collection panels that he can flip up at will to gather rain. Clarkman says the best water comes from the southeast since it can't be generated from cyclones or storms. His company, Rain Farm, is producing about 250,000 litres of bottled water each week. With fire season barely underway, Australia has already seen 3,000 fires over the past three weeks in Queensland's southeast region.
Volunteer firefighters are none too happy about the seeming lack of cooperation from residents.
Bush and grass fires have threatened residents' homes but firefighters say owners aren't even taking simple measures to protect their houses expecting volunteer firefighters to do it all. To keep up with the blazes, firefighters are working 12 hour stretches and some even 30 straight hours. More volunteers are desperately needed. People aren't the only ones suffering with literally thousands of animals left homeless. Wildcare says it is receiving around 70 calls a day from people who are coming across wildlife that have lost their habitat, particularly wallabies, possums and echidnas.