New Year's Eve
It's gently raining! What a treat. It'll only be a mm or two, but the grass is wet and there's mist over the mountains instead of smoke. Great! Whatever we end up getting it's got to boost the miserable 4.4mms rain for December. So what a nice thing to herald in the new year.
Speaking of the new year - we're all geared up for the new year's celebrations Buckland style..... a nice cuppa and cake on the verandah. Ha ha. Should be a very quiet affair.
Tomorrow I'll post some pics from Xmas to celebrate the new year.
Happy New Year all you bloggers - and all the nice folk who have followed this blog over the last month.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Still smoky
Xmas has come and gone - the time in Melbourne with family was extra good. It rained (remember that stuff??), it was cold (remember that feeling??) and there was no smoke. I had a lovely time.
Back home. Still no rain. Still smoky. There are still numerous fires burning, but the only one close to us is the Buffalo fire, burning on both east and west sides and the top. Most of the smoke in the pic is from backburning, generated by helicopter incendary drops - intended to meet up with the fire further up the mountain. The weather's been calm so all's fine. Our road (from where the pic is taken) is still closed - quite nice - like a huge private driveway.
This is definitely the last 'fire' pic for a while.
Xmas has come and gone - the time in Melbourne with family was extra good. It rained (remember that stuff??), it was cold (remember that feeling??) and there was no smoke. I had a lovely time.
Back home. Still no rain. Still smoky. There are still numerous fires burning, but the only one close to us is the Buffalo fire, burning on both east and west sides and the top. Most of the smoke in the pic is from backburning, generated by helicopter incendary drops - intended to meet up with the fire further up the mountain. The weather's been calm so all's fine. Our road (from where the pic is taken) is still closed - quite nice - like a huge private driveway.
This is definitely the last 'fire' pic for a while.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Xmas
The wind has moved to the south at last bringing some coolness. The fire situation won't be over till we get proper rain, but it's certainly eased dramatically. I'm off down to Melbourne to have Xmas with the Briedis Gang, so no blog updates for a few days.
Thanks to all the people who phoned and rang and sent nice words of encouragement during the last few weeks. It's been tougher than we thought it was going to be, and all those nice vibes really helped. Made us feel not so far away. And it was really great to have such enthusiastic feedback about the blog - it's made it all the more fun to do.
Here's the last of the 'fire' pics for a while. Some more babies next I think.....
A bit of the spotfire burn just up the lane a couple of days ago.
Burnt bark
Tanker tracks
The wind has moved to the south at last bringing some coolness. The fire situation won't be over till we get proper rain, but it's certainly eased dramatically. I'm off down to Melbourne to have Xmas with the Briedis Gang, so no blog updates for a few days.
Thanks to all the people who phoned and rang and sent nice words of encouragement during the last few weeks. It's been tougher than we thought it was going to be, and all those nice vibes really helped. Made us feel not so far away. And it was really great to have such enthusiastic feedback about the blog - it's made it all the more fun to do.
Here's the last of the 'fire' pics for a while. Some more babies next I think.....
A bit of the spotfire burn just up the lane a couple of days ago.
Burnt bark
Tanker tracks
Well....
Well I'd like to say that it rained all night and that all the fires are gone and normal life can be resumed...... but I can't. We had only about 2mm here (a little more in some other areas), so the grass is wet, but the ground is still nearly bone dry, there's still smoke in the air and columns of smoke still rising in various directions. Very frustrating.
Certainly it has dampened things and it will slow the fires down, but also make backburning more difficult, so it's a mixed blessing. Certainly however it should reduce the danger of spot fires (especially since there's no wind again - even though it's supposed to be blowing a gale??!), so that's a really good thing. The Buffalo fires are still burning strongly on two sides and so the Buckland Road is still closed to traffic. Just as I was writing this 5 firetrucks rumbled past, so........ so we need more rain!
Nonetheless, we'll unpack the emergency trailer today as a gesture of optimism - and put back the welcome doormat. However the elegant roof sprinkler will stay.
Yesterday
The day before yesterday
Well I'd like to say that it rained all night and that all the fires are gone and normal life can be resumed...... but I can't. We had only about 2mm here (a little more in some other areas), so the grass is wet, but the ground is still nearly bone dry, there's still smoke in the air and columns of smoke still rising in various directions. Very frustrating.
Certainly it has dampened things and it will slow the fires down, but also make backburning more difficult, so it's a mixed blessing. Certainly however it should reduce the danger of spot fires (especially since there's no wind again - even though it's supposed to be blowing a gale??!), so that's a really good thing. The Buffalo fires are still burning strongly on two sides and so the Buckland Road is still closed to traffic. Just as I was writing this 5 firetrucks rumbled past, so........ so we need more rain!
Nonetheless, we'll unpack the emergency trailer today as a gesture of optimism - and put back the welcome doormat. However the elegant roof sprinkler will stay.
Yesterday
The day before yesterday
Friday, December 22, 2006
We can see clouds!
This mightn't sound much, but we realised this morning that we haven't seen them for nearly a month - just smoke. So clouds are looking pretty good. Especially since they just might be bringing some rain tonight. We had about 12 drops this morning just as a teaser.
We had a nasty large spot fire only 100mtrs away yesterday. Burnt out several hectares and a heavily wooded gully. Burnt right down to the firebreak around our place but luckily didn't cross it. We were lucky once again to have very little wind, even though it was predicted to be gusty. Even more fortunately, within minutes, five (FIVE!!) firetrucks and several support vehicles magically appeared and held it at bay, even using foam in places on burning tree trunks. So we can't totally relax yet. Still hanging out for rain tonight.
Am having problems uploading images at the moment. I'll post some when it's fixed.
This mightn't sound much, but we realised this morning that we haven't seen them for nearly a month - just smoke. So clouds are looking pretty good. Especially since they just might be bringing some rain tonight. We had about 12 drops this morning just as a teaser.
We had a nasty large spot fire only 100mtrs away yesterday. Burnt out several hectares and a heavily wooded gully. Burnt right down to the firebreak around our place but luckily didn't cross it. We were lucky once again to have very little wind, even though it was predicted to be gusty. Even more fortunately, within minutes, five (FIVE!!) firetrucks and several support vehicles magically appeared and held it at bay, even using foam in places on burning tree trunks. So we can't totally relax yet. Still hanging out for rain tonight.
Am having problems uploading images at the moment. I'll post some when it's fixed.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Tuesday night
Southerly has continued bringing thick smoke. Hoping for a northerly change tonight to take some of it away. Driving today was like in thick fog with headlights. We now only have one fire to worry about - that burning across Buffalo which will come this way with a north wind. We'll just have to wait and see. A northerly is predicted for tomorrow and thursday. Other than that all is blissfully calm with lovely twinkling lights all over the mountains from the countless little fires burning. Very Xmas. This Xmassy feeling is tempered by the crash of a falling tree in the burnt forest every few minutes - the vibrations of some of them can be felt through the ground. I watched one of them fall this arvo close by - first a huge CRACK and then it dropped, shaking the ground under my feet.
The fires moving away to the nth/east towards Wandiligong and Bright.
Our own version of Xmas fairy lights on the western slopes above us.
Southerly has continued bringing thick smoke. Hoping for a northerly change tonight to take some of it away. Driving today was like in thick fog with headlights. We now only have one fire to worry about - that burning across Buffalo which will come this way with a north wind. We'll just have to wait and see. A northerly is predicted for tomorrow and thursday. Other than that all is blissfully calm with lovely twinkling lights all over the mountains from the countless little fires burning. Very Xmas. This Xmassy feeling is tempered by the crash of a falling tree in the burnt forest every few minutes - the vibrations of some of them can be felt through the ground. I watched one of them fall this arvo close by - first a huge CRACK and then it dropped, shaking the ground under my feet.
The fires moving away to the nth/east towards Wandiligong and Bright.
Our own version of Xmas fairy lights on the western slopes above us.
Tuesday morning
Worst is over - we hope. The fire finally arrived above us and the cfa backburned into it as is came down to the containment line (sorry - they're not called firebreaks any more - they're containment lines). This morning the smoke is horribly thick, but there's no fires anywhere close, it's all burnt (still smoldering and burning in patches of course, as it will be for a week or two). The dangerous patch along the road has burnt right along between the river and the road and shouldn't present any more problems. The entire mountain above us to the east has burnt, as have the slopes above us to the west, and Mt Mary to the south. So there's generally a feeling of relief all round that even if we do get bad weather we're fairly well protected now. There's still the problem of spotting in high winds and that'll go on for a week or two, but that feeling of impending danger seems to have passed for our immediate area. And a good thing too!
4am. The fire finally reaches the containment line about 100mtrs above the house. You can just see the CFA truck against the flames.
A detail from the latest map. We're at the end of the little blue arrow.
Worst is over - we hope. The fire finally arrived above us and the cfa backburned into it as is came down to the containment line (sorry - they're not called firebreaks any more - they're containment lines). This morning the smoke is horribly thick, but there's no fires anywhere close, it's all burnt (still smoldering and burning in patches of course, as it will be for a week or two). The dangerous patch along the road has burnt right along between the river and the road and shouldn't present any more problems. The entire mountain above us to the east has burnt, as have the slopes above us to the west, and Mt Mary to the south. So there's generally a feeling of relief all round that even if we do get bad weather we're fairly well protected now. There's still the problem of spotting in high winds and that'll go on for a week or two, but that feeling of impending danger seems to have passed for our immediate area. And a good thing too!
4am. The fire finally reaches the containment line about 100mtrs above the house. You can just see the CFA truck against the flames.
A detail from the latest map. We're at the end of the little blue arrow.
1am
Fire down at the road seems to be under control now. Fire above house burning strongly, but without wind is moving only very slowly our way - is now about 200mtres from house. Should reach the firebreak just above the house sometime during the night. Don't expect embers to be a problem. Smoke thick so can't see much else.
Earlier this afternoon facing towards the road - before the wind moved back from the south and thick smoke obscured everything once again. That's the house bottom right.
The fire down at the road a short while ago.
The fire to the west finally shows itself just above the house after threatening for more than a week.
The fire above the house close up - I wasn't there for long!
Fire down at the road seems to be under control now. Fire above house burning strongly, but without wind is moving only very slowly our way - is now about 200mtres from house. Should reach the firebreak just above the house sometime during the night. Don't expect embers to be a problem. Smoke thick so can't see much else.
Earlier this afternoon facing towards the road - before the wind moved back from the south and thick smoke obscured everything once again. That's the house bottom right.
The fire down at the road a short while ago.
The fire to the west finally shows itself just above the house after threatening for more than a week.
The fire above the house close up - I wasn't there for long!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Monday night
Big fire on the hill to the east, coming down to the road about 500mtrs away and burning along the river. Another to the south about 1km away. The fire above us to the west is only about 500 mtrs away now. They are attempting a big backburn tonight just up from us, to try to finally stop this one which has been threatening for a week. To the north a new blaze around the bridge is about 4kms away and cut the access road to Porepunkah today - but we don't think this one will threaten us. The fire that's burning all round Mt Buffalo a few kms to the north is still causing continual problems. The next two days will be hot and winds will increase, so the more backburning that happens tonight the better. It's anticipated that the next two days will be difficult. Hopefully Thursday night will bring some rain.
Sorry no photos - too much smoke to see anything.
Big fire on the hill to the east, coming down to the road about 500mtrs away and burning along the river. Another to the south about 1km away. The fire above us to the west is only about 500 mtrs away now. They are attempting a big backburn tonight just up from us, to try to finally stop this one which has been threatening for a week. To the north a new blaze around the bridge is about 4kms away and cut the access road to Porepunkah today - but we don't think this one will threaten us. The fire that's burning all round Mt Buffalo a few kms to the north is still causing continual problems. The next two days will be hot and winds will increase, so the more backburning that happens tonight the better. It's anticipated that the next two days will be difficult. Hopefully Thursday night will bring some rain.
Sorry no photos - too much smoke to see anything.
The hills are alive....
Didn't get a chance to report yesterday. Had a big fire down at the road a few hundred metres away last night between the river and the road to the east. It's still going strongly. The fire above us to the west is finally getting close and has been spotting into the fields to the south during the day. The fire a short way up Dumphy's creek to the nth/west is going steadily but isn't threatening at the moment. Another bad outbreak has started about 4 kms to the north near the bridge and seems out of control at the moment. We definitely are feeling a bit besieged.
We can now see fire over the road directly below us. I'm going check it out.
Didn't get a chance to report yesterday. Had a big fire down at the road a few hundred metres away last night between the river and the road to the east. It's still going strongly. The fire above us to the west is finally getting close and has been spotting into the fields to the south during the day. The fire a short way up Dumphy's creek to the nth/west is going steadily but isn't threatening at the moment. Another bad outbreak has started about 4 kms to the north near the bridge and seems out of control at the moment. We definitely are feeling a bit besieged.
We can now see fire over the road directly below us. I'm going check it out.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Smoky but calm
We slept about 12 hours last night. The CFA were around all night. Backburning is going on at various places up on the ridges. The fires are all burning quietly in calm weather along the ridges and slopes above us south, east and nth/west and west. Until we get rain (none forecast) they'll just keep going and we have to keep on alert which is staggeringly boring. But for the moment, the smoke is not too thick (even some stars last night!) and we're moving out of emergency mode. A nice cuppa in Bright scheduled for this morning.
A small section of the satellite map from last night. The orange line is the firefront (burning steadily but quietly) and the blue arrow points to us - somewhat surrounded.
CFA trucks coming back from the Mt Mary firefront last night
The Mt Mary fire above us. That's our little house (in the busy metropolis of Buckland) just visible below the fire.
We slept about 12 hours last night. The CFA were around all night. Backburning is going on at various places up on the ridges. The fires are all burning quietly in calm weather along the ridges and slopes above us south, east and nth/west and west. Until we get rain (none forecast) they'll just keep going and we have to keep on alert which is staggeringly boring. But for the moment, the smoke is not too thick (even some stars last night!) and we're moving out of emergency mode. A nice cuppa in Bright scheduled for this morning.
A small section of the satellite map from last night. The orange line is the firefront (burning steadily but quietly) and the blue arrow points to us - somewhat surrounded.
CFA trucks coming back from the Mt Mary firefront last night
The Mt Mary fire above us. That's our little house (in the busy metropolis of Buckland) just visible below the fire.
Friday, December 15, 2006
All's calm again....sort of...
We had about .5mm of rain last night - not enough to put douse the fires, but certainly enough to slow them down, despite the strong southerly wind which came up early this morning. Within 15 minutes af the gentle rain starting last night, the whole firefront on the ridge to the south subsided. I was very surprised, so maybe the rain was heavier there. With such variable terrain here, every valley and mountain seems to have it's own micro-climate.
But one way or another, things calmed down dramatically and all the tankers and CFA personnel vanished into the night. Even thicker smoke blanketed the valley. I walked down to the road to see what I could see - which was nothing - not even my hand in front of my face. Only a short time earlier, I could walk outside easily without a torch. So I returned and a bit nervously went to bed.
This morning, the southerly is blowing quite strongly, and the smoke is thick, but there's no sign of active fire - and no CFA crews, which under the circumstances has got to be a good thing. Even though the fires are all still burning quietly a short distance away, I'm hoping for a quiet, uneventful day (apart from the cricket which I expect will be very eventful!).
We had about .5mm of rain last night - not enough to put douse the fires, but certainly enough to slow them down, despite the strong southerly wind which came up early this morning. Within 15 minutes af the gentle rain starting last night, the whole firefront on the ridge to the south subsided. I was very surprised, so maybe the rain was heavier there. With such variable terrain here, every valley and mountain seems to have it's own micro-climate.
But one way or another, things calmed down dramatically and all the tankers and CFA personnel vanished into the night. Even thicker smoke blanketed the valley. I walked down to the road to see what I could see - which was nothing - not even my hand in front of my face. Only a short time earlier, I could walk outside easily without a torch. So I returned and a bit nervously went to bed.
This morning, the southerly is blowing quite strongly, and the smoke is thick, but there's no sign of active fire - and no CFA crews, which under the circumstances has got to be a good thing. Even though the fires are all still burning quietly a short distance away, I'm hoping for a quiet, uneventful day (apart from the cricket which I expect will be very eventful!).
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Rain! - well a tiny bit....
11.30pm. It's just started raining very gently. Probably won't go on for long, but it sounds awful nice on the roof. Even if it dampens the ground a little bit that will help a lot. The predicted violent wind change hasn't happened - all is calm with the fires burning slowly up on the ridges. I can maybe feel some sleep coming on.....
11.30pm. It's just started raining very gently. Probably won't go on for long, but it sounds awful nice on the roof. Even if it dampens the ground a little bit that will help a lot. The predicted violent wind change hasn't happened - all is calm with the fires burning slowly up on the ridges. I can maybe feel some sleep coming on.....
A sleepless night ahead
This is what they've been hoping wouldn't happen. The fire's broken away from the Mt Mary fire and jumped the river, heading up the escarpment towards Wandiligong and Harrietville. To the right of this, and above the house it looks similar, so the impending sth/west change isn't looking good. As one CFA guy said as I went back to the house, 'it's going to be a sleepless night...'
The CFA encampment down at the road, with the fire on the ridge above, about 2kms away.
This is what they've been hoping wouldn't happen. The fire's broken away from the Mt Mary fire and jumped the river, heading up the escarpment towards Wandiligong and Harrietville. To the right of this, and above the house it looks similar, so the impending sth/west change isn't looking good. As one CFA guy said as I went back to the house, 'it's going to be a sleepless night...'
The CFA encampment down at the road, with the fire on the ridge above, about 2kms away.
Thursday 12.45pm (now 4.40pm)
'Crews are working to contain the fire to the Buckland Road on the western side of the Buckland Valley. The spot-over that occurred on Tuesday has been contained. The terrain is unsafe for ground crews due to old mining works. There has been some backburning in the southern end of the Buckland Valley Sector between private property and the fire edge.'
The last para is us. Here's me thinking it was going to be a quiet day! No sooner had I written that last entry than it all took off. The CFA arrived in strength, three firetrucks, about 20 guys (and one gal), umpteen 4WD's etc - went through the house and property checking things off, where things were, what they'd do in an emergency etc etc... Very impressive. A real military operation. They expect the fire now about kilometre to the nth/west to come through soon - but it all depends on what the wind does when the change happens. There's another fire only barely in control about a kilometre to the south which they're desperately trying to keep from getting over the river and up the next steep slope. That's the Mt Mary fire that started a few days ago. There's another fire directly north (the very bad fire that's moved up and across MtBuffalo) that's come down the south slopes of Buffalo towards the Buckland bridge.
They have asked for air support but everyone knows they won't get it - we're just not important enough - we don't rate the news. So it's really a waiting game - very stressful. Julia and Adam have left with the trailer to stay in Bright for the night. That's a relief.
We've done all we can here, so now we just wait. The southerly change should arrive about 8pm tonight - it'll be the most dangerous time till then as the winds gust in every direction.
But on the plus side - the phone is back on!! And it's not too smoky either.
My elegant sprinkler system on the roof (and no laughter please). Looks weird, but wets the whole roof and fills all the gutters. I'm not planning to patent it.
'Crews are working to contain the fire to the Buckland Road on the western side of the Buckland Valley. The spot-over that occurred on Tuesday has been contained. The terrain is unsafe for ground crews due to old mining works. There has been some backburning in the southern end of the Buckland Valley Sector between private property and the fire edge.'
The last para is us. Here's me thinking it was going to be a quiet day! No sooner had I written that last entry than it all took off. The CFA arrived in strength, three firetrucks, about 20 guys (and one gal), umpteen 4WD's etc - went through the house and property checking things off, where things were, what they'd do in an emergency etc etc... Very impressive. A real military operation. They expect the fire now about kilometre to the nth/west to come through soon - but it all depends on what the wind does when the change happens. There's another fire only barely in control about a kilometre to the south which they're desperately trying to keep from getting over the river and up the next steep slope. That's the Mt Mary fire that started a few days ago. There's another fire directly north (the very bad fire that's moved up and across MtBuffalo) that's come down the south slopes of Buffalo towards the Buckland bridge.
They have asked for air support but everyone knows they won't get it - we're just not important enough - we don't rate the news. So it's really a waiting game - very stressful. Julia and Adam have left with the trailer to stay in Bright for the night. That's a relief.
We've done all we can here, so now we just wait. The southerly change should arrive about 8pm tonight - it'll be the most dangerous time till then as the winds gust in every direction.
But on the plus side - the phone is back on!! And it's not too smoky either.
My elegant sprinkler system on the roof (and no laughter please). Looks weird, but wets the whole roof and fills all the gutters. I'm not planning to patent it.
Thursday
Well we had a lovely smoke-free day (well smoke-free-ish) yesterday. Even did a load of washing to hang out in clean air. No such luck - overnight the smoke returned and the washing smells like bushfire. Air's smoky today, but fires are quiet around here - still burning close by south and west, but no dramas. Much containment work done yesterday in calm conditions have definitely improved things all round. Hardly any wind today, and not too hot. Maybe some rain tomorrow......
Well we had a lovely smoke-free day (well smoke-free-ish) yesterday. Even did a load of washing to hang out in clean air. No such luck - overnight the smoke returned and the washing smells like bushfire. Air's smoky today, but fires are quiet around here - still burning close by south and west, but no dramas. Much containment work done yesterday in calm conditions have definitely improved things all round. Hardly any wind today, and not too hot. Maybe some rain tomorrow......
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Not quite....
The last update on wind change was a bit out. The fire from Mt Mary has indeed slowed, but the fire above us (on Goldie's Ridge) is now coming down with the change towards us - though very slowly at this stage. This is the fire that has been simmering for a week and that ripped through Mt Buffalo yesterday. The firebreak is in fact above us all the way along the forest line to the bridge. No-one has any idea when it will arrive here, just gotta wait.
Inevitably, a short while ago the dozer took out the phoneline to the valley, and the Mt Beauty fire 20kms to the nth/east has taken out the mobile tower - so thank heavens for my satellite dish!!
The dozer above our place starting the long firebreak, 4kms to the bridge (just before taking out the phoneline).
The last update on wind change was a bit out. The fire from Mt Mary has indeed slowed, but the fire above us (on Goldie's Ridge) is now coming down with the change towards us - though very slowly at this stage. This is the fire that has been simmering for a week and that ripped through Mt Buffalo yesterday. The firebreak is in fact above us all the way along the forest line to the bridge. No-one has any idea when it will arrive here, just gotta wait.
Inevitably, a short while ago the dozer took out the phoneline to the valley, and the Mt Beauty fire 20kms to the nth/east has taken out the mobile tower - so thank heavens for my satellite dish!!
The dozer above our place starting the long firebreak, 4kms to the bridge (just before taking out the phoneline).
Wind change
The wind has changed from sth/east to nth/west, blowing back towards Mt Mary. This is a good thing - it should take the fire back away from us. A large 4km firebreak is being bulldozed through the bush below us, from our place back to the bridge towards Bright. They will then try to backburn right up to the top of the ridge above us.
The fire on the other side, to the west, which has burnt halfway through Mt Buffalo and destroyed the ski lodge complex yesterday, is moving very slowly towards us. This change should also hopefully move it back the other way. And if we do get some rain on Friday we can relax for a bit.
The wind has changed from sth/east to nth/west, blowing back towards Mt Mary. This is a good thing - it should take the fire back away from us. A large 4km firebreak is being bulldozed through the bush below us, from our place back to the bridge towards Bright. They will then try to backburn right up to the top of the ridge above us.
The fire on the other side, to the west, which has burnt halfway through Mt Buffalo and destroyed the ski lodge complex yesterday, is moving very slowly towards us. This change should also hopefully move it back the other way. And if we do get some rain on Friday we can relax for a bit.
Wednesday morning....
Yesterday the fire at Mt Mary moved up towards us and reached to the neighbours below us, resulting in much house hosing etc. The air was peasoup and really nasty. The fire broke across the river (very bad - very inaccessible) and has again skirted us and the neighbours. This morning the air is slightly better. We have no idea where the fire is at this stage but will find out soon. There is a predicted nth/west change today that should take the fire back the other way - we hope.
Part of a CFA map of the fire area, showing Buckland up near the top (we think it's pretty cute that we actually get to be on the map, since Buckland is only us and our neighbour!). The red dots are current fires 0-12 hours old, the yellow, 12-24 hours old.
Yesterday the fire at Mt Mary moved up towards us and reached to the neighbours below us, resulting in much house hosing etc. The air was peasoup and really nasty. The fire broke across the river (very bad - very inaccessible) and has again skirted us and the neighbours. This morning the air is slightly better. We have no idea where the fire is at this stage but will find out soon. There is a predicted nth/west change today that should take the fire back the other way - we hope.
Part of a CFA map of the fire area, showing Buckland up near the top (we think it's pretty cute that we actually get to be on the map, since Buckland is only us and our neighbour!). The red dots are current fires 0-12 hours old, the yellow, 12-24 hours old.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Tuesday
The sth/west change arrived last night. Cooler at last. High winds and expectation of fires from Mt Mary heading back this way. But another happy anticlimax - just endless thick smoke, but no flames. The backburning has been successful.
Afternoon now. Still coolish, but the wind has dropped and the smoke thickened to an acrid peasoup. Nowhere to go to escape it - just close up the house. It will be hot tomorrow, so more waiting to see what happens next....
The sth/west change arrived last night. Cooler at last. High winds and expectation of fires from Mt Mary heading back this way. But another happy anticlimax - just endless thick smoke, but no flames. The backburning has been successful.
Afternoon now. Still coolish, but the wind has dropped and the smoke thickened to an acrid peasoup. Nowhere to go to escape it - just close up the house. It will be hot tomorrow, so more waiting to see what happens next....
Monday, December 11, 2006
In the evening
Above us to the south a bit - with another blaze further south behind Mt Mary. From the road below there was a solid wall of flame stretching right along the ridge above us - but I was without camera at the time dammit.
Directly above us. Leaving for Bright to have a nice cuppa seemed a really good option at this point.
Above us to the south a bit - with another blaze further south behind Mt Mary. From the road below there was a solid wall of flame stretching right along the ridge above us - but I was without camera at the time dammit.
Directly above us. Leaving for Bright to have a nice cuppa seemed a really good option at this point.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Evacuation
Well that got your attention!
Well no it didn't really happen - false alarm luckily. But we had the cars packed. So a bit of late night drama to keep things interesting. All's calm today - but everyone a bit edgy because the weather's bad and the fires still not contained in our area. Very much worse further sth/west poor things.
The morning after. Smoke cleared. No wind. Quiet brekky. The reason the locals are so twitchy (and several have moved out for the time being) is that if the fire does arrive, access out of the valley will be cut off and there's no getting out - or emergency vehicles getting in. So leaving early seems a good option.
Those very observant might notice the red UOW parking sticker still on the car windscreen from last year.
Well that got your attention!
Well no it didn't really happen - false alarm luckily. But we had the cars packed. So a bit of late night drama to keep things interesting. All's calm today - but everyone a bit edgy because the weather's bad and the fires still not contained in our area. Very much worse further sth/west poor things.
The morning after. Smoke cleared. No wind. Quiet brekky. The reason the locals are so twitchy (and several have moved out for the time being) is that if the fire does arrive, access out of the valley will be cut off and there's no getting out - or emergency vehicles getting in. So leaving early seems a good option.
Those very observant might notice the red UOW parking sticker still on the car windscreen from last year.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Thursday, December 07, 2006
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