Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Fran
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 |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
ping Fran | Australia | |||
little birds eating black bamboo leaves here in san fran | Bamboo | |||
Favour for Fran | Permaculture |