Bushfires

[Rosalie]

We were feeling a little sad that we couldn't have our Australia Day picnic in the country today. However after a conversation with a friend realized how lucky we are here.
My best friend Wendy, lives to the east of Kinglake and are threatened by one of the out of control fires. The fires can be seen from their loungeroom but they have decided to stay and fight it if need be. I spoke to her about an hour ago and the power is out and they are expecting the wind to change to the west which will set the fire directly at them.
They haven't slept for two nights and with more of the same weather to come, it is going to be a very worrying time for them.
With fires all over the state some of you may be in the same situation with family or friends.

:pray:

[creatingkarma]

I hope the fire avoids your friends. How scary!

[deviation72]

We could smell the bushfires the opther day and it reminded me of Ash Wednesday in 1983 when several of our close family friends were caught up in that. I'll never forget the constant phone calls to see if they were OK, and feeling useless here in Melbourne. I hate this hot weather and even more so because of the devastation it can bring with it. I feel so much for the poor people in those areas the fires have taken hold this time around....

[ICNDonna]

That is so scary. I hope your friends are able to save their home --- and that they are okay.

Donna

[andcohen]

This is the down side to our horrid hot wheather here in Australia. We have so much open space & bush land that fire just eats through it in a matter of moments. 3 lives have been lost, thousands of cattle & sheep & goodness knows how many thousdands of widelife. Homes & properteis all destroyed. We are hoping for a change in the weather to bring some releif to these areas. Please keep these people in your thoughts & hope that no more lives will be lost during these fires. Please let there be some rain to help the hundredes of people out there fighting these fires.
Thanks
Andrea

Rosalie I hope your friend is ok.

[Rosalie]

I spoke to Wendy this afternoon and there had been a little rain, not enough to contain the fires but slow them down a bit.
The sad thing for her is that five of her husband's relatives are on their way from England to stay at their property arriving on Sunday. She just can't get her head around how to deal with them. They can't possibly stay with them while under the threat of fire.
And she is just one of so many people facing this horrible danger.David has been caught in fire situations on a couple of occassions and said that is it one of the most terrifying things he has been through. I am still praying for more rain not just at the Kinglake fire but at the 85 other fires destroying our bush and animals.

[MarthaB]

:) Rosalie, I only just saw this thread, I posted something where you posted your pine apple recipe, how terrible for your friend, I hope everything is going to be allright, you must feel so useless, you want to help a friend, but really there isn't much you can do except be her friend, nature is so unpredictable, beautiful one day, cruel and devastating the next.
Martha :pray:

[Rosalie]

Thanks Martha, as I told Wendy today, my instinct is to race up there to be with her even if its just to make her a cup of tea. However, the last thing she needs is someone else to worry about. And I would be useless in a fire situation...I am a city girl through and through! Whereas she has grown up in the bushy areas on the outskirts on Melbourne and knows exactly what to do.
Fire is the reason I could not live outside the city. I would be terrified all summer long.

[SharonA]

I am saying prayers for your friends and that part of your country. :pray:

We are experiencing our own fires here in the states. Texas and Oklahoma have been having these kinds of fires, also. This has been a very dry season for us, too.

Rain, rain, come again
We need you to begin.

[dminton]

I read about bushfires in Bill Bryson's book "A Sunburned Country" or something like that. Marvelous book, very entertaining, a travel essay. I'm sorry you are going through that.

Diana.

[Rosalie]

The Kinglake fire is contained at last. With the drop in temperature and wind and some rain the main fire threat has passed for the time being.We just hope now that the fires in the Grampians can be contained as well.

[MarthaB]

:) Diana, this is definately '' the sunburned country'' and this summer has been extremely hot.
Martha