Australia - NSW - Worst bushfire days in years.

  • #61
Watching the morning update .. 56 fires still burning, 12 of them uncontained. Temps of 38C (100.4F) today, breezy with winds increasing through Wednesday.

Horrendous for our beautiful animals, Steely Dan. Hopefully some kangaroos, emus and birds can get away - even sadder, though, for the smaller animals and tree-dwellers in those areas :(
 
  • #62
  • #63
RFS tells families to be ready to run as NSW's 300km wall of fire continues its destruction

http://www.news.com.au/national-new...-its-destruction/story-fnii5s3x-1226743469519

Holy cr*ppers!!!


Oh no ... and we have a whole bunch of WS friends there ... from Gary Tweddle's thread.


"IT'S going to be even worse than we thought - fire chiefs have warned families across Sydney's west to brace themselves as the massive 300km wall of fire sweeping through the Blue Mountains could see Leura, Katoomba and Blackheath evacuated today."

Please, please stay safe everyone ... get out early!
 
  • #64
They're saying some communities simply wont be able to be saved .. stupid Sky News is covering sport ..
 
  • #65
They're saying some communities simply wont be able to be saved .. stupid Sky News is covering sport ..


Well, I guess some things are just more important than a 300km wall of fire destroying everything in its path! :doh:
 
  • #66
I've been offline for days and am so out of touch with what's happening, but here in VIC we have the smoke from the fires.

I'll go and hunt for news now, it sounding so much worse now :(

Take care all of our WS'ers in the areas xo
 
  • #67
A 300km wall of fire? Holy moly. Is that what they predict will happen if the fires join together? I hope this is not Black Saturday repeated. It sounds like the authorities are more prepared than what they were here in Victoria.
 
  • #68
  • #69
News no-one wants to hear...

NSW bushfires: firefighters brace for Wednesday as forecast worsens

Firefighters battling the worst NSW fire disaster in nearly half a century have successfully prevented spot fires from jumping a major road in the Blue Mountains overnight, but they are now facing the prospect of stronger winds on Wednesday when conditions are expected to be their worst.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/w...ast-worsens-20131021-2vvje.html#ixzz2iKihaNgp
 
  • #70
  • #71
News no-one wants to hear...

NSW bushfires: firefighters brace for Wednesday as forecast worsens

Firefighters battling the worst NSW fire disaster in nearly half a century have successfully prevented spot fires from jumping a major road in the Blue Mountains overnight, but they are now facing the prospect of stronger winds on Wednesday when conditions are expected to be their worst.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/w...ast-worsens-20131021-2vvje.html#ixzz2iKihaNgp

As a NSWRFS member (Support Member - I don't fight fires) the emails comming through say that they are preparing for the worst on Wednesday.

Briefly - Strike teams (consisting of 5 crews from different stations) in my area (NSW Central Coast) will be on stand-by at Fire Control, usually crews are on stand-by at their station, and second strike teams on alert will be at their Stations.

Off duty FRNSW Central Coast, Newcastle and Wollongong are being asked to advise availablilty for Wednesday and to be on alert.

This is all Coastal - I imagine there are bigger plans for the Mountains, with crews comming from other area's and states.

IMO they are doing all they can. Thank you to all involved.

:australia: :yourock:
 
  • #72
  • #73
  • #74
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...in-hunter-valley/story-fni0cx12-1226743228726

Police in Port Stephens have confirmed they are questioning a young boy as part of their investigation into the Heatherbrae fire last week.

This just makes me sad. Its not like a teen or a man. Young boys don't really understand how quickly a cute bonfire can take off. or the destruction tossing lit matches into grass can cause.

The hardest punishment for him will be living with what he has wraught
 
  • #75
  • #76
We've had drizzle today and a storm is due tonight. I keep hoping the rain will head off to the Blue Mountains.


I also heard about the following on the radio on the weekend ....


"Investigations continue amid fears Defence started worst of NSW bushfires in training exercise.

ARMY explosives training may have been responsible for igniting one of the fires that have destroyed hundreds of homes across NSW.

A joint Defence Department and NSW Rural Fire Service investigation has been launched into the State Mine Fire near Lithgow, which destroyed three homes and was last night threatening another 100."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...raining-exercise/story-fni0cx12-1226743149284


There is a short video at this link which gives a bit of the terrfiying experience from a firefighters perspective, with his command trying to keep him safe.

ETA: They also suggest that strong winds bringing down power lines caused one of the worst fires where 200 homes were lost.
 
  • #77
Please say a prayer for us Sydney siders experiencing the fires. I have friends who have lost everything. One let the insurance lapse due to a tough couple of months. Why can't the firies do winter back burning any more? We had a long dry winter and the locals knew we were going to cop it hard but OMG no one imagined this. Three huge fires may join together to form a mega fire. Unthinkable.

When we run away, the fire brigade and the police run in. These boys are incredible angels on Earth.
Not just a job. They are heroes. THANK-YOU!
On the other side of the coin other scum are looting the vacant houses. How could you .........pink prison uniforms should look really good on those looters.
 
  • #78
  • #79
800304-51a8fad4-39ef-11e3-9bcd-10262b6f8853.jpg


Blacksmiths Beach, looking South to Swansea and Nords Wharf , which RFS described as a "volatile" environment

More incredible photos on following link...

http://www.news.com.au/national-new...shfire-emergency/story-fncynjr2-1226743195585
 
  • #80
There is some very, very light rain falling in Katoomba - it juts touch - but it's rain. The temp has dropped a bit.

Spoke too soon - its gone now. :(
What was that about.
)h, its back again ...

Rain is good - but we don't need a storm with lightning.
Hope the rain lasts a bit longer.
 

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