A Sunburnt Country

by ozziepost 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  ozziepost

  G'day all,

  Dorothea Mackellar's famous poem about Australia speaks of a land of droughts and floods; a land that for most of its days is burnt by sun and fire.

  It's been many months since there was rain on this great southern land and as Mrs Ozzie and I flew over it last week, we were saddened to see over the length and breadth, for hour upon hour, a dry burnt land. Such is our land this year.

  Tonight's news only repeats the familiar story:

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  21:53 AEST Thu 7 Nov 2002

  Fires rage across NSW 28-56k 100-300K Ninety-four bushfires continue to blaze their way across NSW, as firefighters gear up for adverse weather conditions on Friday. NSW Rural Fire Service spokeswoman Meeka Bailey said about 2,000 firefighters from NSW, Tasmania and South Australia were fighting the fires, with 32 blazes yet to be contained. "We have got 94 fires burning across the state, with our main focus on Cessnock, Gloucester and northern areas," she said. "But none are threatening homes. "(Friday) we have about 2,000 firefighters out there, and we are expecting some nasty weather." A fire burning in the Coonabarabran area closed the Newell Highway near Billy Creek, after it breached containment lines overnight. A spokesman for the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) said the highway remained closed this evening. "The highway is closed between Coonabarabran and Narrabri, with a detour via the Oxley Highway and the Kamilaroi Highway," he said. "It's expected to remain closed until at least (Friday) morning." A further assessment would be completed in the morning, he said. The fire, currently about 35km north of Coonabarabran, had increased to almost 9,000 hectares - four times its previous size - as unexpected easterly winds fanned the blaze. "It's one of our priorities with the coming weather over the next few days," Ms Bailey said. "We're expecting high temperatures into the mid-30s, with north-westerly winds." About 70 South Australian firefighters who were helping fight the blazes returned home on Thursday, but were relieved by another 70 from the same state. A 130-strong firefighting contingent from Tasmania, supported by 20 other personnel, also arrived in NSW to assist with fires in Cessnock and Gloucester. The interstate firefighters will form six task forces by integrating with RFS crews on 36 tankers gathered from the Kiama, Shellharbour, Wingecarribee, Evans and Lake Macquarie areas. The RTA spokesman said Putty Road north-west of Sydney also remained closed, with falling trees a danger in the area. "Putty Road remains closed at Colo Heights between the Colo River and Howells Valley also due to fires," he said. "It's expected to remain closed until at least Monday." A total fire ban remains in place across most of the state, including in the upper western, mid-north coast, Hunter, Riverina, central tablelands, metropolitan, lower western, southern tablelands, Illawarra, south-west slopes, and south coast areas. More than 600,000 hectares have been ravaged by fires in NSW since July 1 this year, with 250,000 currently affected. AAP 2002

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  Vivamus

  Ozzie, I'll give you some of my rain, if you'll give me some of your sunshine.
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  kelpie

  My parents live in Coonabarabran and Cessnock. they said it is bad the moment.
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  Prisca

  Kelpie,

  Yesterday I read that there were bushfires around Cessnock. I hope your folk are ok.
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  kelpie

  My dad's property at this stage is safe.. This time last year my Aunt lost her house in the fires they there.

  My other Aunts house is in the area closer to the fires. They are trying to keep it out of the town. We will just see how it goes.

  My mum lives in coonabarbran and the fires are just past a brothers house on the newell highway. But so far they are safe.
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  Beck_Melbourne

  I hope the kingdom hall is okay *insert smartass smiley here*

  ~Beck~

  ps...I hope your folks are safe Kelpie...these fires are scarey business.
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  Stephanus

  There's a fire just broken out south of my place, between Broker's Nose and Mt Keira - I wouldn't be surprised if they close Mt Ousley. I tried to take a picture, but my camera's broken down again!
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  ozziepost

  The latest report of another terrible fire scorched day:

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  	19:09 AEST Sat 9 Nov 2002
  Fire destroys up to 10 homes Up to 10 homes and several industrial properties were reduced to ashes as a bushfire, believed to be the work of an arsonist, wreaked havoc in the NSW Southern Highlands. Fire authorities had feared the worst with soaring temperatures and record low humidity this weekend. Their fears were realised when a suspicious blaze started near the F5 Freeway at Mittagong today and spread with such ferocity that resources were stretched to the limit. Both giant helitankers on lease from the United States were immediately deployed to the area but even their water dumping capabilities failed to save properties. Up to 10 homes were destroyed north of Mittagong in the Colo Vale and Willow Vale areas and an unknown number of industrial properties were razed. "We believe five, possibly up to 10 residential homes and an unknown amount of industrial property (were lost)," Rural Fire Service spokesman John Winter said. Thick black smoke hung over the towns as residents desperately hosed down their gutters and roofs to fend off the scorching flames for three frantic hours. Steve Smith, who lives in Biggera Street, Braemar, near the Old Hume Highway said the fire had come close to his home, burning out bushland across the road. A house further down the street was destroyed, he said. Mr Smith said he and neighbours had been out hosing down roofs and helping each other during the emergency. "It looks like a war zone," he said. The threat was far from over with residents of North Mittagong, Yerrinbool and Alpine placed on alert as the fire approaches homes there. The southern railway line, Hume Highway, Old Hume Highway and F5 freeways were all closed and were expected to remain shut for some time. Traffic gridlock was compounded by sightseers who have been asked to stay away. Authorities have ruled out natural causes and believe the fire was deliberately lit near the F5 freeway. The Mittagong RSL Club has become a place of refuge for those fleeing the fires. "We've got an evacuation centre set up at the RSL in Mittagong," a spokeswoman said. "We've probably got 25, 30 who've come in at the moment, it's only just starting really with people coming in." Elsewhere around the state, where a total fire ban remains in place for the weekend, property near Cessnock in the NSW Hunter Valley is likely to come under threat. In Wollongong, a coastal weather influence had so far halted the fire burning immediately west of the city from reaching homes. Almost 100 fires were burning across the state, 35 of them outside containment lines with 3,000 firefighters in the field. AAP 2002

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  Beck_Melbourne

  ~Beck~
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  refiners fire

  

  Incoming Duststorm up in Griffith last week.