NSW Bush fires

[Betrisher]

It would be so good if you could all keep us in your prayers tonight. There are fires burning all over the State and most of them are out of control. I'm not in an immediate fire area, but I have family members who are and who have already been evacuated. This is the worst fire season we've had in over a decade and the bush is just choked with dry fuel and busting to burn!

Hundreds of homes are expected to be lost tonight and the weather patterns are working up to a massive conflagration that should peak tomorrow. Record heat and gusting winds aren't helping! If only it would rain!!!

Spare a thought, too, for our native wildlife. One of the bad fires is in the Port Stephens area, which happens to contain the largest population of koalas in NSW. Koalas simply can't run away, so this population is in terrible danger!

My niece lives close to one of the smaller grass fires. She's safe so long as the wind doesn't change. If it does, she has three horses and no float to load them on - and even if she did, there's nowhere to put them except, maybe, in my backyard.

The last time we had fires like this was in 1994 and the *whole* countryside for miles around was left blackened and smouldering for months. It's so frightening and disheartening for those who lose homes, but we're all praying that no lives will be lost in the days to come.

Thanks, everyone!

Trish

 

[JerseyWendy]

Trish, you, your family, relatives and native wildlife are in my thoughts and prayers.

This is so very sad and devastating.

 

[Bundiibird]

Trish, we have just completed the drive from Canberra to the Gold Coast and I could not believe the size of the fire front at Port Stephens. I have not ever seen anything quite like it. There were many areas all the way that were burning. There was aerial bombing around Lismore today.

For everyone in those under threat areas, my thoughts are with you all.

 

[Betrisher]

Thanks! Things are looking a bit better at the moment. My niece's place is OK for now but they're on watch until morning. Other family members have been evacuated from Medowie and have a horse (due to foal any day now) missing. Police won't let anyone into the area to search, so it's not looking good. Apparently, the winds are slowing down a bit and some of the ferocity of the fires has died down. If only it would rain!

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh no!!! I hope they find the horse!!! I hope she and the baby are all right.

 

[crimson]

oh god, they have to be the worst!...I always worry about people, their homes, their lives, and the wildlife. I'll keep you in my prayers Trish, stay safe, and I hope everything turns out ok.

 

[kc_y0]

Photos from my place yesterday: (Mind you they don't do it justice, they were just taken on my phone, the smoke clouds were thick and black!)

It's horrifying. And I know a few people who have lost their homes. Its so very sad. Hate this weather!! Hopefully with this cooler day the fireys can get on top of it!

 

[Kinny]

Oh my! You are certainly in my thoughts and prayers! Australian Bushfires have a tendency to be horrifying! *hugs for you and your family.. and friends too of course* Be safe!

I'm worried now for the horse too.. I hope she and her foal are/will be ok.

 

[Betrisher]

Yay! The mare is safe! Turns out Matt (the owner) sneaked past Police lines and found her tucked away in the far corner of her paddock. He led her out and back up the road, where he got yelled at by Police. He just kept on walking down to the highway (about three miles) and a bloke pulled over and offered him a lift on his horse truck. Matt said there was a continuous stream of horse trucks and floats heading toward Newcastle (and safety). So, the mare is in a paddock out at Minmi and there's been no sign of the foal arriving yet. Thanks, everyone for the prayers and good thoughts! They worked!

 

[Calace]

Such scary stuff. I am not in the immediate danger zone either but the smoke today is so thick. I just got off the phone with my friend who had been awake all night alongside the firefighters saving her parent's home at Lake Munmorah. She was across the road from the man who has now been reported as the first fatality. It was actually her brother that notified the ABC as they kept reporting that no one had died yet.
Keep up the prayers guys, it's not over yet.

 

[kc_y0]

Gosh such sad news. I am amazed at all the help the community is giving though, it was so nice of that man to offer him & his horse a lift! I even had notifications that our local shelters and police stations were saying please no more donations, as they had cars lining up to help out! Really brings back some faith in humanity

 

[Calace]

This will give you some idea of how bad these fires are. This is just one of over 100 fires around NSW yesterday.

http://media.theage.com.au/news/national-news/heading-into-the-heatherbrae-fire-front-4840206.html

 

[Mike17]

This will give you some idea of how bad these fires are. This is just one of over 100 fires around NSW yesterday.

Heatherbrae fire: Heading into the fire front: Video

Leaving aside the commercial channel hyperbole ("war zone") it looks really bad around Medowie. There are a lot of koalas in that bush. Back in the 90s I watched a bad bushfire get to the boundary of the air force base- between where I was watching from, and that boundary, were huge tanks full of aviation fuel. Scary! These fires look to be much worse in terms of numbers and area affected. There have been a couple of good summers with lots of rain, with a mild winter and little rain, so lots of dry fuel about.

I've been away from home, and sources of news, for a few days and it was a shock to hear of the extent of the fires affecting my home state.

 

[JerseyWendy]

That video is terrifying.

 

[Calace]

It's awful. The central coast (around Lake Munmorah) and the Blue Mountains have also been hit badly. 3000 firefighters and volunteers were fighting over 100 fires around the state yesterday. The conditions today were much better. Let's pray they stay that way so they can get these fires under control!