Tuesday, January 8, 2013

today...

dawn
the start of what we knew would be a tense day
many areas in our state have severe, extreme or catastrophic fire conditions
even at 6am it was hot....


by lunch time its terribly hot (around 40C) and windy with very low humidity
the very worst conditions for fire

yesterday we talked about our fire plan
our home is an old weatherboard and cannot be safely defended 
so we have always understood that in the event of an emergency we will evacuate early

we got the kidlets to identify what their most precious items are
 and to practice how to pack these quickly and without fuss


midday

fire flares in the distance...



warrigal range road brogo - approx 20kms away

friends have been evacuated or have hunkered down
and we all wait nervously


its an eerie sight 

but I write this post to reassure friends from afar
who have started to phone or email
(the fire is being reported on national news)

ALL IS OK HERE AT THE CREEK

and I sense a change in the weather is coming

it can't come soon enough


keep your bits crossed for those in the impact zone


and please - if you have some spare dollars - 
you might like to donate to the Red Cross Tasmania Fire appeal
(so many people lost so much there this week)

...

** update 8.30pm

 
sunset

a cool change has eased conditions here - and the change is heading up the coast
fingers crossed for communities to our north also experiencing very hard times


(just before I snapped this pic a water bombing plane flew over our house -
heading into the brogo fire - no doubt picking up a load from
wallaga lake before heading into the sunset and the fire...)


this is the first of many tense days ahead


(there's a big mother of a fire to our west that is far scarier that this puppy)

thanks for note and calls

its going to be a long summer - until there's RAIN


...

12 comments:

  1. how frightening. the colors tell it all. thank you for letting us know you are safe and hopefully you are right in the feeling that the weather shifts! thoughts and prayers and love.

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  2. I was only thinking of you as I listened to the ABC midday news, Ronnie. I imagine you are feeling pretty nervous, its certainly nerve wracking smelling/seeing the smoke and seeing that fire glow in the air. I hope you and all around you are ok and the cool change they predict for midnight eventuates for you. It sounds like you've got a good evacuation strategy in place, I solemnly hope you don't have to use it.

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  3. do hope all stays well. We are for the moment over the worst and it is cooler but worryingly still windy here in South Oz.

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  4. Ronnie, having been in Melbourne when Black Saturday happened I feel anxious for you, but feel you will know exactly whether to stay and defend or leave. Thinking of you x

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  5. I feel terrified for you ronnie, and hope that the weather changes before the fires get too close. Thanks for letting us know you are okay for the time being and know that there are so many of us thinking of you at this time. xx

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  6. Stay safe Ronnie - it's heartbreaking to watch from afar; and scary to be facing the reality. Go well FaB

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  7. Thanks for the update Ronnie
    Hang in there.

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  8. Thanks for the update. Australia was the top news story on the BBC and elsewhere. Very scary! You're close in my thoughts.

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  9. Thanks so much for the update Ronnie, stay safe.

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  10. I'm a bit late but hope you get through the next few hot days. There seems to be no end in sight so stay safe, get out in plenty of time if you need to go, and know that you are in my thoughts and those of many others.

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  11. What a scary time...here's hoping & praying that the weather changes soon & the fires are soon contained and extinguished.

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  12. Yep, it's a bad season so far. Very glad to hear you have your plan. Thinking of you.

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