Australia - NSW - Worst bushfire days in years.

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1500+ firefighters on the ground fighting the fires .... interstate fire crews on the road, heading there to help.
 
sleepinoz said:
The first fatality - RIP

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/10/17/02/04/firefighters-prepare-for-hot-dry-day

One person has died and more than 200 homes are feared destroyed in the most grave bushfire crisis to hit NSW in a decade.
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So sad - a heart attack while defending his home. :(

And how scary is this?

"An emergency warning is currently in place on the NSW Central Coast where the Wyong fire has now crossed Nords Wharf Road and is south of Cams Wharf Road. SMS and telephone warnings have been issued to residents in the area instructing them it was too late to leave."

It is certainly a case of get out quick and while you can.


Heard on the radio that firefighters are suffering with superficial burns to hands and face too, despite protective gear.

:cry:
 
I can't even imagine... very scary stuff. I have friends and family down that way, thankfully all are safe and out of harms way. Those pictures are surreal though, seeing that giant plume of smoke over the harbor is mind boggling. It just doesn't look right.

Prayers for all - the residents, the firefighters, family and friends of all, and the animals. A scary time indeed, hope everyone can stay safe.

Very scary that residents have been told it's too late to leave. I don't think people realize just how quickly fires like this can move. And on top of that, it's not necessarily the fire you need to worry about - the majority of fire deaths are due to smoke inhalation. You definitely wouldn't need to ask me twice to leave my home (with my darling pets in tow, of course), but I'm a little bit of a chicken when it comes to stuff like this. Things can be replaced, lives can't.
 
We just had some crazy heavy rain tear through here, wish I could send it down south.

sleepinoz - those pictures are scary! Thankfully I've never had to experience a situation as terrifying as that. Fire is so unpredictable.
 
My family is safe and their homes are no longer in danger. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. I'm so relieved.
 
That's good news, fruity. Glad you're all safe.

It really is early for this level of fires. But I'm thinking (even though it's horrible now) maybe better it's burning off while things are still a little green, than in high summer, when everything's just tinder. Mid summer fires scare the bejeezus out of me, especially when the wind gets up. I've been looking at the huge amount of growth happening down here with all the rain we've had over winter/spring.. and just dreading the summer.

Just a word on fire bugs - they should get auto-life in prison sentences IMO.. no exceptions, no excuses, and no parole at all. Few things make me angrier than deliberately set fires. The toll is just so enormous.

Hoping all our WS people and loved ones, and all NSW'ers stay safe.
 
We're so use to hearing about the USA and all the disasters we get here. We need to be reminded that the rest of the world has fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, mud slides, volcanoes ect. I'm sorry for what you are going through. It must be heart breaking to watch your neighbors homes as well as your own get closer and closer to being totally destroyed. I hope you are spared. Just in case, remember material things can be replaced but your lives cannot be given back. I'm sure your family would rather wake up to your face every morning instead of some jewelry or other material thing.So grab a few things get ready to leave and when it's time go. Nothing I mean nothing is more important than you and your family. Good luck and stay strong. Don't forget the animals.
 
Sydney didn't get alot of rain this winter - it was our warmest Winter on record, and the majority of rain fell in June, with a very dry end to winter. With the early high temps for Spring (35 yesterday here) and the extraordinary wind we have been getting over the last month or so, it was bound to happen. Hopefully it will settle down for summer.

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/season/nsw/sydney.shtml
 
Ausgirl said:
That's good news, fruity. Glad you're all safe.

It really is early for this level of fires. But I'm thinking (even though it's horrible now) maybe better it's burning off while things are still a little green, than in high summer, when everything's just tinder. Mid summer fires scare the bejeezus out of me, especially when the wind gets up. I've been looking at the huge amount of growth happening down here with all the rain we've had over winter/spring.. and just dreading the summer.

Just a word on fire bugs - they should get auto-life in prison sentences IMO.. no exceptions, no excuses, and no parole at all. Few things make me angrier than deliberately set fires. The toll is just so enormous.

Hoping all our WS people and loved ones, and all NSW'ers stay safe.
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Glad to hear about you fruity.

BBM

I totally agree. There was a fireman lighting fires several years ago in the San Diego area. He gained the reputation for being able to figure out how fires started and was promoted quickly up the ladder. (starting them yourself makes it easy to figure out.) He was caught and sent to prison. A couple of people died in one of his fires. He'll never see the light of day.

It was pointed out by one fireman that after he was caught the number of brush fires in San Diego went from 61ish the year before he was caught to one the next year.
 
Steely Dan said:
Glad to hear about you fruity.

BBM

I totally agree. There was a fireman lighting fires several years ago in the San Diego area. He gained the reputation for being able to figure out how fires started and was promoted quickly up the ladder. (starting them yourself makes it easy to figure out.) He was caught and sent to prison. A couple of people died in one of his fires. He'll never see the light of day.

It was pointed out by one fireman that after he was caught the number of brush fires in San Diego went from 61ish the year before he was caught to one the next year.
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Yes, we had one of those sick firefighters (a volunteer) here in South Australia, caught after lighting fires on New Year's Day this year.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-03/volunteer-firefighter-charged-with-arson/4451026


Also very glad to hear your family is safe, fruity!
 
Fruity, sorry I didnt get to post before, but Im so glad your family are safe. Its such an emotional and scary time for them and for you and other relatives and friends. Im glad all is OK and they are out of the danger zone now.

Today I got some things prepared a little more just in case something happens this Summer nearer to me. The sky has been clouded over with smoke all day - very surreal. This afternoon the temperature dropped, but the sky was grey so I couldn't tell if it was going to rain - it felt like it - but it hasn't :(. Red moon again tonight in the Mountains.

Prayers for those who have suffered losses and for those who are fighting the fires - be safe.

.
 
Heartbreaking watching tonight's late night news ... the smouldering homes, the weeping and shocked people, everything covered in white ash, the strangeness of the untouched houses sitting among the completely burned ones, the fire commissioner choking up with held-back tears.

Fires are still burning, but the emergencies have been downgraded apparently .. at least for now. Hot weather conditions expected on Sunday and Monday, and they don't think they'll have all the fires out by then.
 
This link shows how many fires are still burning, as at 8pm tonight (Sunday) .. with red the worst, yellow next, blue last. Bad conditions forecast for tomorrow .. danger not over yet.

http://goo.gl/5nsy8v


"Firefighters across Australia are being deployed to aid NSW in its state of emergency. With deteriorating weather conditions feared to return to the state on Monday, a 120-strong replacement crew will head from Victoria to NSW.

South Australia has also chipped in, sending a crew of 51, while Tasmania has sent a team of 20.

ACT Rural Fire Service has sent two teams to the Blue Mountains, where several ferocious fires are scorching the countryside.

A team of eight firefighters has also been sent from Queensland, with two more crews on standby.

New Zealand fire crews across the ocean are on the ready if NSW makes a call for help."


http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-bushfires-live-updates-20131020-2vumk.html#ixzz2iGPQgUU6
 
SouthAussie said:
This link shows how many fires are still burning, as at 8pm tonight (Sunday) .. with red the worst, yellow next, blue last. Bad conditions forecast for tomorrow .. danger not over yet.

http://goo.gl/5nsy8v


"Firefighters across Australia are being deployed to aid NSW in its state of emergency. With deteriorating weather conditions feared to return to the state on Monday, a 120-strong replacement crew will head from Victoria to NSW.

South Australia has also chipped in, sending a crew of 51, while Tasmania has sent a team of 20.

ACT Rural Fire Service has sent two teams to the Blue Mountains, where several ferocious fires are scorching the countryside.

A team of eight firefighters has also been sent from Queensland, with two more crews on standby.

New Zealand fire crews across the ocean are on the ready if NSW makes a call for help."


http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-bushfires-live-updates-20131020-2vumk.html#ixzz2iGPQgUU6
Click to expand...

Good God! I hope there's food left for the animals.
 
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