Saturday, January 19, 2013

hot right now...



Yesterday was the hottest day for NSW in recorded history

almost 45C here - 46C in Sydney
(that's 113F and 115F old school measurements)

it felt even hotter with a SW wind that sucked every drop of moisture from body and land

this is the sight repeated all around my yard...


birds dropped dead and fell from the sky mid-flight

it was awful


Boots plonked himself in front of the fridge - hoping that the door would be opened



A fire flared in Millingandi (near Merimbula - approx 60kms to my south)

unfortunately 2 families lost their homes and sheds


and over the border there are news reports that an elderly man lost his life
in fires around Seaton

Fire is a fact of life in many parts of Australia - like heat, drought, and flies...
this season is a particularly nasty one -
and I fear that we are going to experience more and more nasty fires seasons....

I'm not sure if there's much merit in debating the extent to which climate change is to blame
(but you might like to read this report: 'what's causing Australia's heat wave')

There's a very real sense that Australia is the canary in the coal mine...




...



15 comments:

  1. Was thinking of you all day and checking fire maps online. So glad to hear you are safe. xx

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    Replies
    1. thanks amanda - its been a very trying time for so many folk....

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  2. I think of you every time I see a news report ronnie, and I don't know how you survived that hottest day of 45-46 degrees. Hope you can stay safe and cool.

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    1. thanks helen - its much cooler today -- really very pleasant actually... the cool change moved through our region around 3pm - but as the change started moving up the coast, conditions on the fireground became intense... we (the Bega Valley) has had 3 lucky reprieves in the last 2 weeks... thanks to weather and the astonishing efforts of RFS volunteers

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  3. i spent some time on my bicycle in 117 degree heat once, nothing i want to repeat. ronnie, i wish you a cool breeze, even if only a little bit.

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    Replies
    1. good grief... I don't know if you should be awarded a medal or be given a padded cell ;)

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  4. I have been worrying about you, this season has been awful and after 42 on Thursday, it is about 21 today, we so far have been lucky, only one fire near us, but there is a lot of summer to go.
    On another note received your lovely little journal, thank you.

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    Replies
    1. welllllll at least aust post hasn't been knocked about by the weather... hope the fire near you stays nice and quiet.... and there's RAIN soon

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  5. Goodness, those cracks in the earth look like they run deep. Stay safe, and cool...and may the worst be past...

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    Replies
    1. the cracks just break my heart... where's the rain?

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    2. After a day of 46 yesterday we had some rain and much cooler weather today. I don't know how people put up with those temperatures day after day. I check your area for fires each day on my phone, while I'm checking my own area. Such a worrying time. Stay safe, Ronnie.

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  6. we may well be the canary
    but we are still mining coal and giving it away. crazy.

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  7. Been thinking about you all week...wondering about the fires and now the heat. Looks like the cat had the right idea. Stay safe.

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  8. Hi Ronnie, like others we have been monitoring your fires from afar, ears pricking up each time we hear Bega or Merimbula or Bournda. So glad that things have settled but as you say where is the rain? We had our closest fire yet today - just below in the valley; but the wind was heading away from us; still an anxious watch and wait for many. Stay safe.

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thanks for all your lovely comments - your words are greatly appreciated xx