Bushfires in Australia

[hrpearce]

Most of Yaven Creek has been burnt out with some houses lost. The fire has raced past us one range of hills over and now has turned and heading back towards Batlow. Been on the dozer all morning hoping to protect the new house.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Most of Yaven Creek has been burnt out with some houses lost. The fire has raced past us one range of hills over and now has turned and heading back towards Batlow. Been on the dozer all morning hoping to protect the new house.

I've been thinking about you and your situation. Glad to hear the fight isn't over yet.

[Keith Webb]

Wow, that's really bad - I've been following Vicki's posts on Facebook, glad you and the boys are safe - and hope the firebreaks are effective. Have any of the apple orchards in the area been damaged?

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Most of Yaven Creek has been burnt out with some houses lost. The fire has raced past us one range of hills over and now has turned and heading back towards Batlow. Been on the dozer all morning hoping to protect the new house.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Watching the news, I see the Australian bush fires are all but under control

Here's hoping our MLU members and their families and friends come out of this alright and the damages are "only" material.

Hang in there and let us know if there's anything we can do.

Hanno

[Lynn Eades]

The headlines here say that they expect things to get worse this weekend.
In New Zealand, the Glaciers down south have gone brown and on Wednesday the sun was just a very red orb in the sky for the last 10 minutes before sun set. It was so dull it was easy to look directly at. Yesterday morning was dull and cool like a cold winters overcast day and any sunlight that came through was particularly yellow. We have an elevated view out to sea. It has been hazy for several weeks.
We are hoping the rest of you guys In Australia don't cop it like Tony has.

[hrpearce]

We have been evacuated they say Batlow will be undefendable tomorrow glad we are out of town and have a chance. Taking Mum to Canberra to sit it out.

[Ron King]

South Eastern coast of Australia has multiple large areas burning.
many towns cut of from supplies and many more under threat.
So many people have lost homes and sheds.
everyone is being affected in some way.
The other night at home it became hard to breath because of smoke out side and the fire were at least 5 km away.( how asthmatics get on I don't know)
Traffic and people on X mas holiday trying to get home back to the city after highways have been reopened and then closed again makes traveling difficult
These fires have been so extensive and hot the wild life is gone......they had no where to hide.
Burnt bird feathers rain down with the ash and embers of these fires.
Farmers stock in animals and any stored feed.....gone
In Nowra the other day here at 4.00pm in a summers day , it was pitch black , like night time , because of smoke blocking out the sun light.
I have had to keep a ember watch at my workshop at South Nowra for a few nights as live embers were getting in side though the roof vents.
Many houses lost near by.
I had to leave my home once in west Nowra......Ok now.
Tomorrow going to help a friend to defend his place as it will be most likely under threat.
Roads get closed by fallen trees.(40c plus heat doesn't help working out doors clearing trees or fighting fires)
These fires are making their own lightening storms and clouds which drop a light mist of moisture with embers and ash.
The fire storms also create their own air drafts and feed themselves and become unpredictable and on it goes.
I have seen this first hand
After many years in rural Fire service ( I am now not current) I have never seen any thing like this.
Its so dry, fire breaks are not working and aircraft only are able to stop or slow the fires near threatened homes and property.
Some fires are spotting 20kms away
Its not going to stop until we get a good dump of rain and that's not happening soon.

[Wayne Hingley]

The footage on the news and firsthand accounts told here are devastating. I hope the rain comes soon. Stay safe everyone.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Ron King

After many years in Rural Fire Service..., I have never seen any thing like this.

Almost universally up and down the Eastern States, our hats go off and our hearts go out to the thousands of volunteer firefighters who have been fighting these fires for over 3 months in conditions that are hot work just standing still, and Summer has only just begun.

The volunteers range in age from 18 to some in their 70's. For many of the younger volunteers, this is their first experience of catastrophic fire conditions, and they will be relying heavily on the guidance of more experienced firefighters. For many experienced volunteers, including those with several generations of family members being involved over many decades (you know who I am talking about, Ron ), that guidance can be limited as these fires are unprecedented in their ferocity and extent, and there is no learned knowledge in how to combat them.

It's been said often enough before, but after these fires are over there needs to be a comprehensive reassessment of land management practices in bushland and forested areas to reduce the extent and intensity of future outbreaks. It is hardly "best practice" Conservation strategies if all the native fauna for hundreds of kilometres are incinerated, taking decades to recover, if ever at all.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

The headlines here say that they expect things to get worse this weekend.
In New Zealand, the Glaciers down south have gone brown and on Wednesday the sun was just a very red orb in the sky for the last 10 minutes before sun set. It was so dull it was easy to look directly at. Yesterday morning was dull and cool like a cold winters overcast day and any sunlight that came through was particularly yellow. We have an elevated view out to sea. It has been hazy for several weeks.
We are hoping the rest of you guys In Australia don't cop it like Tony has.

In the 1980s Mount St Helens erupted on the northwestern tip of the Continental US. There was so much ash and particulate in the air that the weather that summer was frighteningly wet and cold. If you are downwind of the fires, expect changes to predictable patterns.

Fully sympathize with our fellow Rusty Old Trucker brothers and sisters in their time of peril.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Most of Yaven Creek has been burnt out with some houses lost. The fire has raced past us one range of hills over and now has turned and heading back towards Batlow. Been on the dozer all morning hoping to protect the new house.

https://www.tatimes.com.au/batlow-un...ergency-alert/ January 4, 2020, 1:24 pm

Gulp. Robert and Vicki have a brand new house near Batlow.

Batlow is once more under an emergency warning. It came into place at about 1.10pm when the fire jumped a containment line west of the town.

The RFS advises that if you are in Batlow and surrounding areas, it is now too late to take shelter as fire approaches.

Firefighters are continuing to work to slow the spread of the fire and protect properties.

The RFS said fire activity is increasing in the area.

[hrpearce]

Just confirmed we still have the house, tractor and dozed, all sheds burnt, don't know if anything is salvageable, no access for me some friends still in Batlow sent pictures, not pretty.

[jack neville]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Just confirmed we still have the house, tractor and dozed, all sheds burnt, don't know if anything is salvageable, no access for me some friends still in Batlow sent pictures, not pretty.

Have the fires in your area passed Robert?

[hrpearce]

Passed us but still burning out of control, Tumbarumba could be attacked from another direction tomorrow.

[Lynn Eades]

I knew a Lindsay Dunstan from Tumbarumba. He had a Kiwifruit orchard here in Tauranga (by that name) some years ago, but they retired back to there.
I believe he passed away.

[rob love]

Robert: Sorry to hear about the loss of your sheds, but happy to hear that your new house, as well as some of the heavy equipment was spared.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Just confirmed we still have the house, tractor and dozed, all sheds burnt, don't know if anything is salvageable, no access for me some friends still in Batlow sent pictures, not pretty.

Really sorry to hear that Robert, I assume the Blitz was in the shed. At least your new home survived and you are all safe.

best regards,
Richard

[lynx42]

30th December 2019 is not a day one would normally wants to remember, but it is one which I will never forget. Some time ago I had a very rare item donated by Hookways Airlines to our Museum. Hookways had purchased all of the Australian Navy's Grumman Tracker Sub-chasers when they were retired many years ago. As well as the planes there was the complete Link Trainer for the Grumman Trackers. It consisted of two 40 foot semi trailers. One had the fuselage of a Grumman Tracker and studio, the other the computer to operate it. Whilst we were preparing to establish it at the Museum it was stored at a mates place. Unfortunately the fires on the 30th. put paid to that dream and completely destroyed both trailers. Fortunately my mate and his wife survived the fire at Sarsfield Vic. as did all their animals. I am so, so glad that my mate Pete and his wife Jen were unhurt in what must have been a terrible experience. It is a bit disappointing that the trailers were destroyed but no one was hurt, so I will put the museums loss down to bad luck. Here are some photos taken today and some before of this unique and rare item which will now no longer be kept for prosperity.

First views.

IMG_8531a.JPG IMG_8473a.JPG IMG_8479a.JPG

Fuselage trailer

IMG_8515a.JPG

Computer trailer.

IMG_8510a.JPG

More to come.

[lynx42]

How hot did it get to soften the springs this much?

IMG_8484a.JPG

Looking at where the pilot sat.

IMG_8490a.JPG

Computer trailer.

IMG_8503a.JPG IMG_8511a.JPG

ID plate saved.

Grumman Trackers 022a.JPG

[lynx42]

This is what we lost. Photos from when I first saw them at West Sale.

Grumman Trackers 011a.JPG Grumman Trackers 055.JPG Grumman Trackers 057.JPG

Trackers at West Sale.

Grumman Trackers 207.JPG Grumman Trackers 092.JPG

Sad, but as no one was hurt, all is good.

Cheers Rick.