Saturday, February 7, 2009

Finally home to a State on fire.

Finally got out of Sydney at 6.40pm, not bad for a 4.15pm flight, got me home about 9pm.

Cool change has been through, so I completely missed the hottest day on record in melbourne. It was so hot we were able to watch a possum drink out of the dogs water bowl, the good Lady Naut wouldn't let me drown the bugger! I bet she regrets it when the little mongrel runs across the roof a 3am.

Coming home from the airport I was shocked to hear about the fires in Victoria. I could tell from the reports it was serious and the plume of smoke in the sky to the near north and east was confirmation.

Strangely my parents that live in the country an hour and a half north of Melb have no real fires around them, while places a 15-20 drive north of my place such as Kinglake, Whittlesea and Yarra Glen have been devastated and lives have been lost. I was actually mildly concerned about my place if the northly winds had continued particularly at the strength they were. Mind you if my place went up then the losses would already be in the thousands.

I know a couple of people that live in badly effected areas and am listening to local ABC radio trying and failing to imagine the devastation that is going on not too far away from here.

So a tip of the hat to all the emergency services folk (professional and volunteer) who have and will continue to perform unheralded heroic acts and best wishes to those that are and have been in the fires path.

10 comments:

  1. Good luck!

    You all have the big firefighting helos, I take it?

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  2. Yeah, I think the east coast gets about 3 over from you guys each year and we have lots of improvised less efficient types. Problem is they have a huge area to cover.

    The types of fires we have, with the type of winds we have had today, it really doesn't matter what you do. If you are in their path your need to be lucky or really well prepared to save your life let alone your house.

    Those trees around your house that are so pretty to look at, become deadly in these situations.

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  3. My wifes family live out at Hoddles Creek and they evacuated down to Lilydale with all the horses yesterday. My brother in law decided to stay to see how it goes first before getting out as it now looks as if the winds are not forcing it towards him and to battle any ember attack on the property as they live in the bush.

    Good luck to you all

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  4. Yeah, sounds like the fires they get in California every year. The state crews there are good but sometimes the best they can do is hope to contain until the weather changes.

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  5. I'd freak out more about our animals than myself. Be a huge stress that one.

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  6. I used to live in Beechworth and I heard they had fires between Beechworth and Myrtleford. Then this morning I checked the CFA website and it has a map of the affected area - basically this enormous area between Beechworth and Myrtleford has been burned.

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  7. yes sympathies to all who have suffered in the worst bushfires on record.

    However as someone who was here all day on the Saturday may I just say with all due regard and respect regarding your comment

    "so I completely missed the hottest day on record in melbourne...."

    BASTARD!

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  8. Glad that your family and your parents are ok. A really terrible weekend for so many.

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  9. Mr Stu - hope all went well for your family.

    YD - these ones are a rare event, like California we get some bad ones each year but this one is exceptionally bad, kind of like the Cali ones last year. The firefighters form strike teams and try to either direct the fire or just protect individual assets. They are forced to watch hundreds of properties just burn.

    Moko - Yeah the animals are a worry but at the end of the day I would always put people first.

    Abe - Glad you don't live there any more!

    Barnesm - Yep I am a bastard, although it was a bit scary to be stuck at Sydney airport and know the fires were in Kinglake and heading North West which is the direction of my house. Also we know people in Kinglake/Whittlesea area.

    Bangar - worst ever.

    Lerm - True mate, very true.

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