Bushfires in Oz [Archive]

Sooz

17th October 2013, 07:13

Just watched the news. Not good. Fires ringing Sydney.

Blue Mountains/Lithgow where Cearna and Wolf are, is bad. Winds 90km ph and the wind keeps changing direction. 30 homes lost.

Reports that kids are being kept at school, but parents can't contact them. No-one knows for sure if they are safe.

Haven't heard from Cearna and Wolf....please keep them in your thoughts.

Edit: Forum shows Cearna has been private messaging for the last hour, so she must have seen my PM if she was on her comp....so hopefully they just packed up their belongings and got the hell out of there and left the comp on.

Sooz

17th October 2013, 07:22

More here...

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/bushfires-destroy-homes-in-blue-mountains-20131017-2voyu.html

Sooz

17th October 2013, 07:52

Spiral

17th October 2013, 08:28

At least they don't live on the edge of town or on a farm or house in the bush.

Lets hope & pray no one is hurt in this fire.

Cearna

17th October 2013, 08:31

Just heard from Cearna, via PM. Hasn't seen anything on TV.

Fires not near them ATM, but she's finding it difficult to breathe.

I asked that she pack the car to be ready to go at a moment's notice.

Those erratic winds can move real fast.

Hi everyone, I was answering PMs, and getting our meal ready. Until Sooz sent word, I only know of the smoke we have seen and the direction the helicopters go in. The water reservoir is very close and there are three helicopters going to it for the last three days, but at the moment they are turning in a circle to go over and back to the hill on the other side of the valley from us. We are at the top of our hill and the winds mostly go roaring up the hill a the back of us then turn around in a circle, however, at the moment there is no danger. We will keep a look out because at the side of us is part of the school land with trees abutting our house and at the back is reserve land. However the Fire Brigade went all along there a few months ago with controlled fires and have cleared away the high undergrowth, but left some burnt trees. We have never had a fire up the back in 15 years so I will hope like crazy.

We have no car, and no place to go to, but at the moment I'm trusting that all will be OK. We'll be OK . Thanks for any thoughts on our behalf, they are much appreciated. I'll go now to have a look at the links you've posted Sooz.
Love

Tribe

17th October 2013, 08:58

I pray you will not be affected and all those who are will be safe ! Blessings xx

Sooz

17th October 2013, 10:46

More updates here, getting worse.

http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=289811

sandy

18th October 2013, 03:08

Blessings for the safety of one and all.........:hug::hug:

Spiral

18th October 2013, 07:56

I saw it on the news just now with the sky turned black with smoke over Sydney, unbelievable !

Stay safe everyone down there !

Mark

18th October 2013, 08:28

As mentioned Cearna, be prepared and plan your evacuation routes, stay safe x

Tonz

18th October 2013, 09:00

I'm abit north in gladston,the place is dry as ,everywhere you look there is dry, one little fire and the whole area would turn in to another fire zone like n.s.w.seems hard to beilieve that in a few years the place has turned from massive floods to drought.
And comparing to the drive i did a week through n.s.w. it looked the same ,dry as a bone.

Cearna

19th October 2013, 07:19

Still hanging in here. the fires have not come as yet to our side of the Valley. My next door neighbour says she thinks the mine fire was started by the army, who are on the other side of the hill, having practice shooting and somehow started to mine fire off, which has spread about 30 k's towards the mountains. The wind has changed direction at different times, and either begins to stop the fire or starts it up again. this means the danger has not left us, but so far is not coming our way.

It was just before we came here 16 years ago that the last big fire did a lot of damage in Lithgow.
for the last few days we have gone outside very little because the smoke is very thick, and at night blends with fog of all things. I can't here any helicopters, so either it is getting better or the wind is too strong for them to fly in. Many of these mountains have no access into areas so helicopters are the only access with water bombing. So, so far, so good.

Sooz

19th October 2013, 08:48

Sooz

20th October 2013, 07:16

Hi All,

I have tried to remain restrained in my reporting of these fires, but this has gotten much, much worse.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/state-of-emergency-declared-as-bushfire-conditions-worsen-20131020-2vuqu.html

Just watched the news on TV, it's pretty grim.

Cearna and Wolf, please get yourself organised with transport out of there if you need to and have things packed up. (Cearna and Wolf don't have a vehicle). The wind can change so fast and the weather forecast is not good.

The fire-fighters are putting their lives on the line to save other lives first and secondly, homes. I have a client who is a volunteer fire-fighter and he would put his own life on the line for others.

Please take heed if they come knocking on your door, if you are that lucky.

Be pro-active and make other plans with your neighbours. Please.

Sooz

Cearna

20th October 2013, 07:18

Glad to hear you are OK Cearna and Wolf. Yes it looks like the Dept of Defence may be at fault here. See story below:

Keep your ears to the ground and keep safe.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/emergency-warning-for-blue-mountains-residents-as-nsw-bushfires-intensify-20131019-2vt3c.html

Hi Sooz, its been clearer today, we can see the other side of the valley again, still some smoke there, but towards the north east( and the copters are going down in that direction) it is still pretty dense a lot now is going to depend on the direction of the wind. At least Sookie got his walk today, because he doesn't understand he can't go out in the smoke.

Sooz

20th October 2013, 07:58

I hope the mods and Malc won't mind me posting this from PA.

Sooz

http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?64545-Blood-Red-Skies-and-glowing-blue-shadows

BabaRa

20th October 2013, 18:50

Thanks for all the great updates Sooz.

Having lived in California for many years, I'm well aware of how fast fires can change and move. (we actually have what we call a 'fire season' every year when we expect bad fires, just hope they're not too bad.) I had a friends lose everything 2 years ago, when a fire changed direction so fast that all he could do was throw his dog and himself in his pickup and get out. He lost everything else.

So Cearna and others in the area. Don't get too comfortable and think you're safe until it's out. I don't want to make you fearful, only aware of how quickly it can change.

Chickadee

21st October 2013, 04:20

Holy scary!! I had no idea. :(

Be safe Cearna and Wolf Khan.

Tribe

21st October 2013, 06:13

How's everyone holding up cearna ? :) x

Sooz

21st October 2013, 06:46

Another update, getting worse....I didn't think it was possible.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-bushfires-live-updates-20131021-2vvsv.html

Tribe

21st October 2013, 06:57

Those silly boys !!! It's awful , I thought it was a natural brushfire !

Cearna

21st October 2013, 07:38

Thanks Sooz and Tribe. We have pretty much clear blue skies above os except for some more recent chem trails??????????????? What the ? We still have no smoke near us, but down further the smoke has not abated since it all began, so wind direction is still the main worry. Across from us on the other side of the valley, the fire that was directly opposite us is not smoking but a new fire has moved over into another gully. I watched the helicopter heading towards that (I thought) but instead it moved even further over and around to the back of the ridge so there must be something there that is larger. This new one seems to be only recent, but if further down the hillside and is closer to houses. There is still a reasonable amount of light and the helicopters are still moving to bad spots.

I know Sydney has had high temperatures, but we have been blessed with lower temperature, nothing over about 20degrees C but today it is up to 27 degreesC, which does not bode well, although the weather channel is predicting scattered rains, only to about 3 - 5 mils, which will be hardly enough to wet the ground. Supposedly more rain to come after that but not much. Would you believe the night have been down to minus 1 and up to 7 degree, but tonight is supposed to go to 15 degrees or thereabouts.

We are hanging in there, I started of with sinus and toothache so through this whole time have continued with them, abscessed teeth are something I get often, because I have been on the list to wait to be seen at a Sydney Hospital for three years now and my name has still to get to even have someone look at them, for I have to get them all out, but no one would touch them unless I am anaethetised, because I can't sit still enough to do anything to fix them up, not to mention that we can't afford it. So aside from sinus and toothache pain, we are still OK. Bless you all.

Cearna

21st October 2013, 08:51

It has become worse, there is now fire from the top of that ridge working its way, down so now I ask for some prayers for all of us in the town please.

Cearna

21st October 2013, 09:24

I only saw part of it before, now looking out the bedroom window to the west is one complete line of fires , still out from Lithgow but coming this way.

Sooz

21st October 2013, 10:06

Cearna and Wolf, please, I hope you have made arrangements to go somewhere.

I know you don't like to switch the TV on, but this is an exception. Please turn it on.

Alternatively keep an eye on the updates with Sydney Morning Herald. (Another link in a minute).

Please be practical and make arrangements. Get important stuff near the front door, arrangements for your pets.

Sooz

21st October 2013, 10:09

Cearna and Wolf, keep on checking this link for updates on your computer.

Click on the bushfire map in the link below. Lithgow is the most dangerous area.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/nsw-bushfires-shifting-weather-offers-little-relief-to-firefighers-20131021-2vx0k.html

Wolf Khan

21st October 2013, 11:43

Thanks Sooz, we are still ok here, though Cearna is a little concerned atm, we can see the ridge across from us its heights are in flames so not good ..Still carp� diem.

777

21st October 2013, 13:18

Highland1

21st October 2013, 14:56

I hope you are all safe my aussie friends.
It might be a good idea to meditate and pray for heavy rain?

Be safe

Russ

Tribe

21st October 2013, 16:15

I will pray for you all , and yes I do hope you can make your way some where safe , may you be blessed through this worrying time xx

Calz

21st October 2013, 18:34

I cannot hope to be privy to the spiritual understandings you two have ... but Sooz is right.

Take the time and make the mental adjustment to prepare.

Spiral

21st October 2013, 18:58

To anyone who has the inclination, please pray for rain & protection for those effected, help & succour for those who have lost their homes, and strength for the fire fighters who are on the ragged edge, they have been going for nearly a week straight !

lookbeyond

21st October 2013, 21:58

Sooz

22nd October 2013, 01:05

Unfortunately no sign of things getting better. Tomorrow, Wednesday is going to be the worst.

Cearna and Wolf please watch and keep safe.

http://media.smh.com.au/news/national-news/twentyfour-hours-to-prepare-for-the-worst-4849425.html

Cearna

22nd October 2013, 01:33

My thoughts, love and prayers are with you both (and everyone else who is touched by this tragedy).

Sooz thanks for your tireless updates and the links you've provided for reports, very kind of you Mirror.

I couldn't tell you how much this information you have sought has been for us Sooz, no words can express, because these are what I have been using to keep up to date. For all of you we are at possibly the highest point on our side of the valley. The property just keeps going up and up, so from our backyard I can see right across to the west which at the moment is the direction of the wind, from the kitchen window I can see towards Bell and the hardest hit places, at least enough to see what the amount of smoke looks like and if it seems to advance towards us, and from the front we see right across the valley, and towards the west so unless there area is covered in smoke we can pretty much see in all directions. and should have warnings from all that.

We have made preparations, so don'5t worry on that behalf, the only problem is that the place to head for is a 20 minute walk down hill to it , that is, if we can't get a taxi. The biggest problem is Chelsea who is hopeless in a harness and keeps walking out of it. At least one in every two houses on our side of the street have pensioners, so not much help there, but as soon as we get away from our side of the street, it all becomes houses, but only a short way down is open ground where the old hospital used to be and the TAFE grounds also fairly open on the football fields so we should find somewhere safe if extreme.

However, last night about 4.00a.m. it rained, reasonably heavily and for at least an hour and signs of sprinkling now.There seems now to be no sign of actual fires where there were last night, some smoke, but the sky is clearing enough to see what it looks like. I am following all your links Sooz and keeping up with them.

Thank you all for your thoughts. Love xxxxxxx

Sooz

22nd October 2013, 02:09

A bit off topic, but now the UN is saying categorically that the bushfires here are the result of climate change.

Our New PM, Tony Abbott is famous for saying climate change is 'absolute crap' and is trying to repeal the carbon tax laws.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/clear-link-between-climate-change-and-bushfires-un-adviser-warns-tony-abbott-20131022-2vxs5.html

Wolf Khan

22nd October 2013, 03:06

Ther are voluinteer fire fighters coming up from victoria, and down from queensland too, there intent is to spell the exhausted firemen and too break the fire cycle. So thank you again spiral your a true gem.

Sooz

22nd October 2013, 05:07

Another update, more bad news I'm afraid:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-bushfires-live-updates-october-22-20131022-2vxsm.html

Sparky

22nd October 2013, 05:43

Dear Cearna and Wolf Khan

Oh I pray for becalmed wind with steady rains to quickly extinguish the fires and you two stay safe breathing fresh air soon. Thanks so much for Sooz for alerting us and for you two keeping us informed.

I just found this post about these horrible mega fires and shocked to learn the biggest battle lies ahead.

There are currently 62 fires burning across New South Wales, with 13 uncontained. There are four Watch and Act alerts in place, including the large State Mine fire in the Lithgow area, which was this morning downgraded from an Emergency alert.

Calm before the storm: NSW authorities continue to prepare for the biggest battle ahead
Yahoo!7, agencies October 22, 2013, 12:10 pm
http://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/19478934/bushfire-crisis-megafire-fears/

Many Videos on the link above with additional links....and one read:
15yo, 11yo boys charged over Port Stephens bushfires.

Sending you love and mega blessings Cearna and Wolf Khan to see you through these difficult times.

Sparky

22nd October 2013, 05:53

I just noticed the pages Sooz has been posted are far more valuable than I contributed as they update automatically.

Live

This page updates automatically
NSW bushfires: live updates October 22

The news on the page I posted was 13 hours old and that was the best I could find....as most pages were 3 or 4 days old.

Sooz

22nd October 2013, 06:30

Cearna and Wolf,

If it was me I'd be high-tailing my butt outta there quick smart. If it comes to crunch time, there will no taxis anywhere my Darlings.

Go as far north as you can. There must be evacuation centres somewhere. Google emergency services, there must be a hotline....

Sooz

22nd October 2013, 06:34

If you at least get to Lithgow Worker's Club, that would be good. It's an evacuation centre. And if things get hairy I'm sure things are in place to ferry people elsewhere if need be.

I am sure also, there would be financial compensation. Click below:

http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_more_info_latest.cfm?CON_ID=21525

Cearna

22nd October 2013, 07:51

still looking up the reports, which by the way say that Nimbim, Lismore and Kempsey have had fires, so are you too still safe?

Sky is clear and blue and only small amounts of smoke to be seen, maybe what I saw last night was a back-burning attempt to clear it for tomorrow

Spiral

22nd October 2013, 08:00

There must be a local radio station ? http://radiostationworld.com/locations/australia/radio_websites.asp?m=ns~bat

They would be far more up to the minute with feeds from people on the spot I would have thought. You are all in our thoughts & prayers down there :group hug:

Live bushfire feed here http://www.abc.net.au/radio/player/?station=itinerant_one

Cearna

22nd October 2013, 08:10

Yes we have a local Lithgow station, we are in a spot where this is really the only station capable of listening to, its not good for some of the mobile phone carriers, but the one we have gets us contact, and Wolf Khan keeps track of the news on that, especially just before we go to sleep and our next door neighbour is about as good as a radio station, she listens to it all the time and is a veritable mine of information. Her mother lives next door to us and is old, so she looks after the four houses in a row here as the one next to that again is also an oldie. She will make sure we all know what is happening.

Spiral

22nd October 2013, 08:17

I just edited this into my last post but may be lost on the last page, its a live radio feed on the bushfires (some music & stuff added in too) http://www.abc.net.au/radio/player/?station=itinerant_one

Like a lot of radio stations now, its over the internet, so you can have it running in the background on a computer if you have speakers.

Sooz

22nd October 2013, 08:31

Sooz

22nd October 2013, 08:41

Another update.

I will stop now with the updates. You know where to find them.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-bushfires-live-updates-october-22-20131022-2vxsm.html

Spiral

22nd October 2013, 08:45

Another update.

I will stop now with the updates. You know where to find them.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-bushfires-live-updates-october-22-20131022-2vxsm.html

The map is good, very detailed when you zoom in on it http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/NSW-bushfires-map

Cearna

22nd October 2013, 11:55

Glad to hear you are still OK thanks Spiral and yourself Sooz for the continued support, we should be Ok for news now. Lovexxxxx

Sooz

22nd October 2013, 22:39

I wasn't going to post more updates, but this is the most important of all.

Get out now.

Hopefully Cearna and Wolf are not reading this and have left already. If not? I urge you to go now. Please read the link below...

This is the worst day everyone. Can you all send your prayers to not only Cearna and Wolf, but to everyone in the Blue Mountains.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/nsw-bushfires-minister-urges-residents-to-leave-blue-mountains-20131023-2vzz3.html

Sooz

23rd October 2013, 09:06

So ****ed off about this, check out the headline below in the link, 'Defence linked to fires' or something like that.

And yet the story does not touch on that at all! The department of defence were doing testing before the fires! I need to do some more sleuthing.

There is another link I posted some days ago relating to this....will come back later.

http://www.smh.com.au/

Sooz

23rd October 2013, 09:13

Below is a copy of what was reported a few days ago. All buried now in mainstream media. Jesus this ****es me off!

Read the last line, 'not being treated as suspicious'!!!

'Explosives exercise may have started fires

As the Blue Mountains bushfire was upgraded to emergency status, the Department of Defence was forced to concede on Saturday that it might have been responsible for starting the blaze. Defence has confirmed it is exploring the circumstances of the State Mine Fire near Lithgow, which has destroyed more than 30,000 hectares.

The fire started on October 16, the same day Defence personnel held an explosive ordnance training activity at the Marangaroo Training Area. Defence said on Saturday it was investigating whether the two events were "linked".

"The primary concern at this stage is for the safety of the communities in the vicinity of the fire, then the ongoing investigation which will review both the incident and Defence procedures," the statement said. "Our thoughts are with those who have lost property or whose property is threatened by these devastating fires."

Defence said it will work with the NSW Rural Fire Service to investigate both the incident and its own procedures, once the fire is extinguished. Detective Superintendent Ian McNab, Commander of Strike Force Tronto, which investigates arson related incidents, said the fire was not being treated as suspicious.'

BabaRa

23rd October 2013, 18:54

I can understand your frustration Sooz, sadly, a good percentage of the wild fire disasters in California have been due to "control burns" that have gotten away from them.

And, not surprisingly, that admission always seems to get buried in MSN.

Tonz

24th October 2013, 09:10

It has gotten worse today as weather is getting hotter and the death of a pilot ,water bombing when his plane went down,also a town has been surrunded and told not to evacuate but take shelter where they can.please send best hopes to the people in the hunter region of the blue mountains as conditions have intensivefied. ?

Forgive the spelling as i am using an ipad and dont find spelling check op.

Spiral

26th October 2013, 08:09

http://www.jonrb.com/emoticons/bump.gif

Cearna & any other Aussies on here, what going on down there ?

I take it you didn't have to evacuate Cearna ?

Tonz

26th October 2013, 08:35

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-bushfires-live-updates-20131018-2vqag.html

From this address read the forum below gives a clear review of the curent situation ,still a tough road ahead.

Sooz

26th October 2013, 08:38

Well the Department of Defence has admitted now they were the cause of fires around Lithgow. And that's in mainstream news.

Meanwhile Al Gore is berating our PM Tony Abbot that the fires were the result of climate change. Abbot told them they were talking out of their arse....well he put it more politely....'talking out of their hat', he said.

No more news really re the fires, all seems to have died down....although they are still going. The emergency has passed and let's pray it stays that way.:victorious:

Looks like the mighty Spiral may have had some input....eh wot?

Cearna

26th October 2013, 08:45

http://www.jonrb.com/emoticons/bump.gif

Cearna & any other Aussies on here, what going on down there ?

I take it you didn't have to evacuate Cearna ?

Hi Spiral, no we stayed put all the smoke around us vanished, the gusts, here anyway, didn't get to be as bad as they thought they would. The helicopters are still working, so there is something still on the other side of the ridge opposite, but I have no idea what is over there. I would say for now at least, there is no worry about us, the rest of the state I don't know of, Sooz might be able to help you with that. It's strange as I look out to the west it all seems lovely and green.

If things work out OK I am going to a sort of Christmas lunch next Thursday, with some of the other carers, who are looked after by the Uniting church. We are going to Leura which is about another hour down from where we are. That is more or less with Katoomba, Blackheath, MT Victoria being the top of the Mountains and we are on the other side as you come down from the height of Mount Victoria which is the highest peak into the beginning of the central western plains, but still reasonably high up. To get to Leura we should have to go through the places that were worse hit than we were and I might have a better idea of just how much it was hit. The Hartley, Bilpin area is our apple growing area, and Bell which took a bad hit is where our tourist attraction the Zig Zag Railway resides. Many people give long hours of volunteer work to the reclamation of old steam engines and carriages that used to run on a different gauge than the one we use now. It used to do a weekly run on the old convict built railway line, long since replaced by much easier to traverse land, but I think a lot of it has been burnt. They will still be counting the cost for awhile to come, though Wolf Khan says the news on his mobile said that the worst of it was now gone in the Blue Mountains.

This land is still to a large extent virgin bushland as a great deal of it constitutes a water catchment area and Reserve, so much of the land is still in accessible and this is what makes it so dangerous to homes along the Bells Line of Road and the Great Western Highway.

Sorry I didn't get back to you. BUt we are still OK and not in danger.