[Howard]

Gday Phil,
I never realised you were in the Blue Mountains area ("sunny Australia" doesn't narrow it down much).
Good on you, and the rest of the volunteers, officials, police, 'townies' and your families for what has been an amazing effort.
With damage in the multiple tens of thousands of hectares, and home losses in the hundreds, the fact that only two lives have been lost is, to me, not a miracle, but testimony to the massive efforts of all concerned.
You and your colleagues can walk tall, my friend! Good luck as this tragedy continues to unfold.
Cheers,
Howard