Have just seen the news reports on bush fires in your area and hope you and
yours are safe. Thoughts are with you and others there.

AM

"AM" wrote in message

Have just seen the news reports on bush fires in your area and hope you
and
yours are safe. Thoughts are with you and others there.

Thanks AM. We are safe but friends have been evacuated and we have advised
them to come here if they need shelter, although given the way the winds,
and other weather conditions were yesterday, I don't think anywhere round
here is overly safe until there is a real change in both the humidity levels
and the tinder dry nature of the countryside.

The situation yesterday was bloody diabolical and that is probably an
understatement.

I've long wondered how effective our civil defence strategies would be in an
emergency and now I know that the advice and information offered through
local (ABC) radio cannot be beaten. If the local blokes and blokettes don't
get an award for their coverage then something is truly rotten in the state
of Denmark.

From about midday they started reporting and the story just got worse and
worse. About 388 houses were lost and at least 2 lives - possibly now up to
a total of 5. All sorts of infrastructure was lost and/or damaged. The
sewerage treatment works, possibly the whole of Mt Stromlo Observatory, the
entire softwood forest ( a huge area), a lot of the medical research
establishments, a large part of the police complex (like the firing range -
with amo going off just to add to the excitement), water header tanks
feeding into many suburbs were damaged and also a number of fire tankers
were lost. I can't remember any fire in this country where so much
infrastructure has been lost or damaged.

Every single suburb on the western side of the city nearest the mountains
had fires and although 1 suburb was more affected than most, all lost houses
as far was we can tell. Major roads in and out or the city were closed and
there were accidents all over the place.

The winds were hot and gale force all day but with the advent of the fire
the heat caused even further fire related weather extremes. Fire balls were
hitting houses and gardens well in front of the fire front and this set off
more spot fires. In additions ash and burning leaves were all a long way
ahead of the fire front. We would be at least 70-80 kms from the fire front
but I have a whole bowl of burnt leaves sitting in the kitchen and I
collected these in a 1 minute walk to the shed to bring back bolt cutters as
a part of our own fire preparations. This morning our front deck is covered
in ash. On my walk to the shed, I looked at the sun and the expression that
the sun was "blood red" was sooo acurate I was stunned. It was the colour
of bright venous blood rich in oxygen rather than the sort of older bluish
blood on its way back to the heart.

I've seen a lot of bushfire skys in my time but yesterday's was the most
amazing. The sun gave off that surreal orange light that is like fog
lights. The smoke was very pungent and the sky to the south was simply
black like major storm clouds. Very spooky and made one feel dead calm but
ready to hit the ground running at any time.

We did all the usual things like filling the bath with water and having
towels around ready to shove under doors and we made sure the tanks were
full and the fire pump was primed and switched through to run straight
throught the garden hoses. We put a hose on every tap and watered as much
as we could around the house. I distributed buckets all around the interior
of the house and I made sure that I had everything ready in case of
blackouts - we got surges and cutins but surprisingly no blackouts.

We are lucky that although we have a drought we are never short of water on
this place - it is just the delivery systems to the garden that are not as
good as they could be.

I have in mind exactly what is to go in the bags if we do need to do a
runner as having been evacuated before in different circs gave us a very
good idea of how long it takes and what we need to grab. (5 mins to be in
the driveway opening the front gate).

One thing that did horrify me last night as I watched the local news (and
which always horrifys me in similar cases) was how ill prepared most
residents seemed to be. Many were fighting fires in the most flimsy of
clothes and wearing sandals. None seemed to be even wearing gloves and hats
were only evident on the fire fighters.

I have had a major operation recently and yesterday was the first time in
over a month that I have put my work boots on, but I can no more imagine
going outside to do any serious work without those boots and that applies to
something as simple as gardening (given our snake proneness). God knows
what goes through the minds of people who try to fight fires in rubber
thongs and singlet tops. The conditions were so bad that many peolpe were
treated in hospitals for burns and for smoke inhalation probs - apparently
the busiest day ever for one of the major hospitals that has been operating
for about 40 years now.

What has been absolutley impressive has been the reaction of residents
trying to help. There has been one report of looting (so far unconfirmed)
but the number or people who have come out of the woodwork to give aid and
assistance across all sorts af areas is simply astonishing. I've always
known that the bush capital is a generous place (contrary to all the rubbish
one hears from non residents who do no more than drive thorugh the place and
only look at the national monuments) but even I'm astounded at the range of
help put forward - it ranges from a cat and dog minding centre (with cat and
dog food supplied by donation), to wildlife assitance, to diabetes/asthma
supplies and medications, sandwich and meal making on a huge scale with
supplies again donated and reportedly just as an individual ingredient being
about to run out more arriving. (This has been so huge that they have now
asked for eskies and ice and no more volunteers as they are inundated).
Doctors are turning up at the hospitals to lend a hand event hough they are
in general practice or specialists. All sorts of sporting and social clubs
have swung into action and each is doing a most sterling job in whatever
area they've chosen to help in. Imprsseive but from the sounds of it, it is
such a bloody mess that it will take months if not years to put right.

I would hate to think that Mt Stromlo has gone as it has a special place in
my heart, but given it's location right in the centre of softwood forest at
the top of a mountain, it's probably history.

I'll report more later if there is anything substantial to say. I suppose
that we should have a thread on permaculture planting to prevent fire
damage, but I also think that there are lessons to be learned here in how to
prepare a property and oneself for fighting a fire. Reports indicate that
people are out today buying up batteries and camping equipment. I may be a
bit odd but I consider this sort of stuff is simply stuff one has on hand
all the time as a "just in case": but then I also carry insurance on
everything too.

Take care and stay safe.

Fran

"AM" wrote in message

Have just seen the news reports on bush fires in your area and hope you
and
yours are safe. Thoughts are with you and others there.

Thanks AM. We are safe but friends have been evacuated and we have advised
them to come here if they need shelter, although given the way the winds,
and other weather conditions were yesterday, I don't think anywhere round
here is overly safe until there is a real change in both the humidity levels
and the tinder dry nature of the countryside.

The situation yesterday was bloody diabolical and that is probably an
understatement.

I've long wondered how effective our civil defence strategies would be in an
emergency and now I know that the advice and information offered through
local (ABC) radio cannot be beaten. If the local blokes and blokettes don't
get an award for their coverage then something is truly rotten in the state
of Denmark.

From about midday they started reporting and the story just got worse and
worse. About 388 houses were lost and at least 2 lives - possibly now up to
a total of 5. All sorts of infrastructure was lost and/or damaged. The
sewerage treatment works, possibly the whole of Mt Stromlo Observatory, the
entire softwood forest ( a huge area), a lot of the medical research
establishments, a large part of the police complex (like the firing range -
with amo going off just to add to the excitement), water header tanks
feeding into many suburbs were damaged and also a number of fire tankers
were lost. I can't remember any fire in this country where so much
infrastructure has been lost or damaged.

Every single suburb on the western side of the city nearest the mountains
had fires and although 1 suburb was more affected than most, all lost houses
as far was we can tell. Major roads in and out or the city were closed and
there were accidents all over the place.

The winds were hot and gale force all day but with the advent of the fire
the heat caused even further fire related weather extremes. Fire balls were
hitting houses and gardens well in front of the fire front and this set off
more spot fires. In additions ash and burning leaves were all a long way
ahead of the fire front. We would be at least 70-80 kms from the fire front
but I have a whole bowl of burnt leaves sitting in the kitchen and I
collected these in a 1 minute walk to the shed to bring back bolt cutters as
a part of our own fire preparations. This morning our front deck is covered
in ash. On my walk to the shed, I looked at the sun and the expression that
the sun was "blood red" was sooo acurate I was stunned. It was the colour
of bright venous blood rich in oxygen rather than the sort of older bluish
blood on its way back to the heart.

I've seen a lot of bushfire skys in my time but yesterday's was the most
amazing. The sun gave off that surreal orange light that is like fog
lights. The smoke was very pungent and the sky to the south was simply
black like major storm clouds. Very spooky and made one feel dead calm but
ready to hit the ground running at any time.

We did all the usual things like filling the bath with water and having
towels around ready to shove under doors and we made sure the tanks were
full and the fire pump was primed and switched through to run straight
throught the garden hoses. We put a hose on every tap and watered as much
as we could around the house. I distributed buckets all around the interior
of the house and I made sure that I had everything ready in case of
blackouts - we got surges and cutins but surprisingly no blackouts.

We are lucky that although we have a drought we are never short of water on
this place - it is just the delivery systems to the garden that are not as
good as they could be.

I have in mind exactly what is to go in the bags if we do need to do a
runner as having been evacuated before in different circs gave us a very
good idea of how long it takes and what we need to grab. (5 mins to be in
the driveway opening the front gate).

One thing that did horrify me last night as I watched the local news (and
which always horrifys me in similar cases) was how ill prepared most
residents seemed to be. Many were fighting fires in the most flimsy of
clothes and wearing sandals. None seemed to be even wearing gloves and hats
were only evident on the fire fighters.

I have had a major operation recently and yesterday was the first time in
over a month that I have put my work boots on, but I can no more imagine
going outside to do any serious work without those boots and that applies to
something as simple as gardening (given our snake proneness). God knows
what goes through the minds of people who try to fight fires in rubber
thongs and singlet tops. The conditions were so bad that many peolpe were
treated in hospitals for burns and for smoke inhalation probs - apparently
the busiest day ever for one of the major hospitals that has been operating
for about 40 years now.

What has been absolutley impressive has been the reaction of residents
trying to help. There has been one report of looting (so far unconfirmed)
but the number or people who have come out of the woodwork to give aid and
assistance across all sorts af areas is simply astonishing. I've always
known that the bush capital is a generous place (contrary to all the rubbish
one hears from non residents who do no more than drive thorugh the place and
only look at the national monuments) but even I'm astounded at the range of
help put forward - it ranges from a cat and dog minding centre (with cat and
dog food supplied by donation), to wildlife assitance, to diabetes/asthma
supplies and medications, sandwich and meal making on a huge scale with
supplies again donated and reportedly just as an individual ingredient being
about to run out more arriving. (This has been so huge that they have now
asked for eskies and ice and no more volunteers as they are inundated).
Doctors are turning up at the hospitals to lend a hand event hough they are
in general practice or specialists. All sorts of sporting and social clubs
have swung into action and each is doing a most sterling job in whatever
area they've chosen to help in. Imprsseive but from the sounds of it, it is
such a bloody mess that it will take months if not years to put right.

I would hate to think that Mt Stromlo has gone as it has a special place in
my heart, but given it's location right in the centre of softwood forest at
the top of a mountain, it's probably history.

I'll report more later if there is anything substantial to say. I suppose
that we should have a thread on permaculture planting to prevent fire
damage, but I also think that there are lessons to be learned here in how to
prepare a property and oneself for fighting a fire. Reports indicate that
people are out today buying up batteries and camping equipment. I may be a
bit odd but I consider this sort of stuff is simply stuff one has on hand
all the time as a "just in case": but then I also carry insurance on
everything too.

Take care and stay safe.

Fran