Bush Fires Melb, Victoria | Arthritis Information

Hi everyone,

I have been getting Pm's from people who know we live in Victoria asking if we are OK so thought I would just post on the site to let you know yes we are OK – although the Gippsland fires (Churchill & Bunyip State Forest) are only about 40 min drive away – there is a lot of suburbia in the way before they would get to us.

On Sat we got up really early and when we looked outside just knew it was going to be bad .  My husband turned the bore on and started soaking our property at about 5.30am, we had it running all day. (it reached 47degC by our thermometer that is in the BBQ area under roof). We have 80 acres of scrub land behind our house so wanted a barrier between it and us.

The official temperature climbed in the old scale 117degF & apart from anything else, it was the winds that did it, they reached over 100 miles an hour.

On our property we have some huge sprinklers feeding from the 65ml bore lines – they reach a 20ft circle each and we have 15 of them in-ground.  Because we live in a semi rural area and I have lived in a bush fire prone area most of my life we have our own list of priorities & a bush fire plan should a fire breakout:
1   grandson & any children, into the car
2   dogs & cat, into the car
3   open the aviaries and let the birds go
4   turn on the bore (which is only a light switch)
5   get in the car and go

If I had time I would get my jewellery and any photo’s that I could see, toothpaste etc and makeup & perfume (which is all in one place) and a change of clothes for everyone and jammies for my grandson & some toys (he is only 3-1/2).

In my view houses and property is just that - you can always rebuild - and memories are carried in your heart - you can't rebuild if you are not here.

What happened at KingLake is that it is 'scrub bush land' – and the fires were running out of control on one side of the mountain with reports of a 25 kilometer front, then the winds changed direction and blew it back on itself and it became a 50 kilometer front racing up the other side of the mountain. With 100 mile an hour winds, sadly they had no hope.

The story is the same for Marysville & all the other areas decimated by the fires.

Currently the fire that is still out of control through the Bunyip state forest is running at an 80 kilometer front.... this is the one that needs to be brought under control because if they don't it will get into deer country and then nothing will stop it.

Many people chose to stay & try to save their homes and got caught . But there again there are some good stories coming out as well, for instance there was one older couple who had 100 dogs (breeders) and 250 head of cattle, and they moved all their dogs & stock all through the night Frid night packed the trailer & car and left their farm Sat morning, just in case.  They were right to get out, there is absolutely nothing left of their property/farm. There was another young family of 4 who were in their car trying to outrun the fire, and bravely sat screaming in their car as the fire ran over the top of them, they are alive and OK..

The news this morning is that 178 are confirmed dead – but I have no doubt that will climb to over 200.  There are some areas and towns that are now only a name on the map; everything is gone.  The other problem is that the emergency services and fire-fighters (CFA, which stands for Country Fire Authority, are all volunteers); they still can’t get in to some areas to check to find survivers.

As to how bad it is here, don’t forget that almost every burnt and crashed car you see on your news has bodies – they tried to outrun the fire and got caught .... it is a horrendous scene, the enormity of this disaster is yet to come.

From our point of view to try to help; my husband's funeral was yesterday and as next of kin he is contacting the Executor of his brother's will this morning to suggest she calls the Red Cross so they can send a truck and pick up all the furniture, blankets, sheets, bedding, towels etc a full kitchen of appliances, plates cutlery and everything to give it to the Bush Fire Appeal.......  he lived alone and there is a houseful of stuff they could have.....

The first Bush Fire Appeal that started Sun night has reached AUS million by 8.30am this morning.

People from all over the State are sending clothes, shoes, bedding, toys, and hundred's of people are opening their homes to those left homeless as well as others offering to look after pets that have been found alive.

My thoughts are with those who have been affected in any way by this disaster.

My heart also goes out to the people in the far north who are trying to cope with torrential rains & floods.

Australia is such a diverse and vast nation, it must be difficult for people who have never been here to realise how we can have torrential rains in the north and yet the southern States are being destroyed by bush fires at the same time. Though having said all that it never fails to amaze me just how generous the Australian people are, it really makes you proud.

Maz

Maz...it is good to hear you are OK and that those fires are a reasonable distance from you, but I can imagine how hard it must be to watch what is happening nearly on your doorstep. Just terrible.

Its great to see you have a plan if you need to leave, very sensible. Its times like this that Kiwis really feel like we are part of Australia and there is heaps of fundraising going on all over the country.

You and the family take care, I hold all the Aussies here in my thoughts, it affects you all.

xxxxxx Lyn

( and my city is flooding right now....go figure. Maz,

Glad u are safe; those fires were more like fire-storms and from videos and pics on TV I've seen, were far worse than some of the ordinary bush fires and they are bad enuf. Usually folk have time to get into cars and flee to safety but not this time for many of them. Thanks to our Kiwi cousins for sending some firefighters over and I understand California has offered to assist also. We appreciate your concern. Unfortunately summer is monsoon time in north Australia and dry season down south. Pity that Innisfail can't send some of its excess water to Victoria and perhaps a stray crocodile or 2 to gobble up any "firebugs"; it is suspected that some fires were deliberately lit

Lorraine

Maz, thank-you so much for your update. It gave me a better sense of what is happening there. Thank goodness you and yours are safe. My thoughts are for the beautiful people of Australia and that all will be well sooner rather than later and no more lives are to be lost.

Waddie
Prayers and thoughts are with the whole country on the loss and devastation.Thanks for update. Glad you are safe.Good morning to all of you,

I am sure I can say for all of us who live here that your words of encouragement at what is now the worst catastrophe Australia has ever seen & the saddest of times for those who have lost loved ones, friends & everything they own - thankyou!

The update is that the Red Cross Bush Fire Appeal has this morning reached AUSmillion and 100% of it is going to those who need it.

The Australian public have donated not only items of clothing, bedding, etc but there are tradesmen from all over the country registering with the authorities their pledge to donate 1day, 1wk, 2wks or whatever of their time to help rebuild.

The worst news I woke up to is there are now 181 confirmed deaths and with the weather conditions changing the emergency services are expecting it to climb dramatically today when they get into the worst hit areas. Whole towns & communities are gone, there just isn't anything left.

The fires are now spreading to the north across the State through bushland & farmland where small country towns and communities reside; major roads that were open at 7.00am this morning are now closed.

We did not have a bush fire we had "fire storms" travelling at 160K+/hr and if we had 1,000,000 firefighters on the ground they wouldn't have been able to stop it - this is when you realise the power of mother nature!

Thank you again for your concern and kind words,
Maz-Aust

edited to pop this in

ps - yes the fires in Gippsland, Churchill area were started by an arsonist/s ... and when caught they should burn in hell for what they did. The other fires although under suspicion by authorities have not yet been proven to be started by humans thank heavens....

Not forgetting that NSW has it's own share of bush fires burning as well ----

Maz-aust2009-02-10 17:13:55To those of you who realise that although Victoria is the worst hit with fire storms & bush fires; up north they are dealing with some of the worst floods in recent years ...

Not only are people cleaning up the residue of mud, slush and dirty stinking water they are trying to find staple foods because the supermarkets are running out and the trucks cant get through -- and yes you are right, croc's dengy fever and the like are the current dangers up there.

My best wishes to all who live in Northern Australia -- I do hope you come out of this in one piece.

Maz

Maz- I am so glad you and your family is safe. My thoughts are with you and everyone affected!! Hugs to you and your family.Just heard that another two fires were deliberately lit over night. Hi Stephen,

I am at work today so haven't heard the news -- God help them when they find them!!

Just noticed you are from Somerville, hi neighbour we live in Devon Meadows --- so glad we are nowhere near the fires.

I just do not understand how someone can deliberately light a fire on a 47degC day in 160+kilometer winds .... parrticularly when there is so much undergrowth, (lots of fuel). The idiot that started the Narre North fire was using an angle grinder outside in the open on Sat avo, 6 homes destroyed after that little handyman thing.

Keep me posted,
Maz