Hi Rikki...every time I watch the news in my neck of the woods they're doing full time coverage of the "great Australian fire." I'm looking at the statistics of those who lost their lives already, 500,000 animals perished, homes destroyed, koala bears approaching extinction. I'm always watching and thinking...are YOU alright? It's my understanding that most of built-up Australia is on the East Coast. Are the fires in a desolate area then?

You sound pretty relaxed in your posts so I'm guessing you don't live near the danger zone? Yes? No?

Hi Mark,
Thank you for asking.
Personally we are ok at this stage. We’ve only had smoke for the last month or so. We don’t live near bush land, though we do have 100’s of acres of very dry grassland backing onto our back fence. The kangaroos we used to have grazing there are slowly disappearing , I think more to do with lack of food. It hasn’t rained in months.

We moved from the east coast to the country last year.

The fires are unbelievable, never been anything quite like it, a combination of drought, fuel on the ground ie dead leaves , branches fallen trees etc in our National Parks recipe for disaster. Total inferno.

People are missing, the animals killed doesn’t bear thinking, both farm animals and our native animals.

We used to live in a coastal town called Port Macquarie. Huge population of koalas . Half of them got wiped out in a day or so. The poor little creatures don’t run, they just sit in the gum trees and burn to death.

A lot of the coastal towns are surrounded by the national parks , thousands of acres of forests, one in particular they had to get the navy in to evacuate the town, 1,000 plus people. The road was cut off they had no food or electricity, and temperatures of over 100 deg.

Found out this afternoon my brother and family are caught up in the fires.
He sent his wife and daughter into town where they should be safe, he and his son are staying back to fight the fire if their property gets affected. We’re just praying there isn’t a wind change , which will bring the fires towards them.

I’ve sort of been posting a lot , keeps my mind off things.

Hi Mark, thanks for your concern for "Downunder", comforting to know that the rest of the world recognises the drama.
California suffers from similar fires at times.
Following news reports, Unless you are there, you cannot imagine the intensity of these fires, and they are expected to burn for weeks/months as there are no barriers to stop them because of the fuel load which has built up over a number of years.
Not the time to put the blame, just hope we/they can stop them from doing anymore harm.
The world is full of tragic events, floods in other places !!!
I live in Sydney and the water supply is a worry. we are on water restrictions which are about to get more severe.
It never rains when/where you want it !!

Ray

According to the song, it never rains in southern California - well, not when they need it most, either.

I can't imagine the scale of these fires in Oz. I can only hope things start improving for you really soon. Take care.

This broke my heart this morning. Wishing you the best Rikki.

Rikki
You come to mind every time the fires come on the news....which is very often. The devastation and anguish is almost beyond belief. Here is wishing you, your family, your brother and his family stay out of harms way. Your recent postings have been most informative. I didn't realize they were also helping you cope with the fire situation.
Ed

Rikki, let me join the others in wishing you and your family a safe outcome in this horrific ordeal. Your uplifting spirit in these trying times is an inspiration to us all.

chas

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/03/world/australia/fires.html


Rikki & Nigels family I have been reading about this horrible disaster in your country...
Prayers to you and your family & friends, please stay safe.

We were discussing this at breakfast this morning ...
Stay safe, Rikki ...
Praying for an immediate conclusion and rapid recovery ...

Rikki, sorry to hear what's happened in Oz. It has been many years since I last was in Woomera and Perth, but as I recall from back then, the outback was tinder dry and extremely hot, ideal for brush fires. I guess not much has changed with these conditions.

Stay safe,

Gary

Rikki and all my Aussie friends, I really want all that fire stuff to stop. PLEASE!!! Take care, and let us not forget our leader Nigel is from Australia. Most likely he has friends and family still living there. We are thinking of you all and want you to get through this safely.

Thank you everyone.

Waiting to hear how my brother and family fared last night. They live in an alpine region, with a pine tree plantation just across the way.

Bit too early to get in touch with his wife, who is staying in a shelter in town along with her daughter and pets. I certainly don’t want to distract him.

Finally daylight, not looking forward to catching up with the news as to what happened during the night. They were predicting a horrendous day and night.

We’re still fairly safe our closest fire is 20 miles away.

Our town is the little blue dot about third of the way up the page.

Rikki, years ago when Florida was having heavy fires I was caught, with my motorhome, in a Smoke Fog, it was frightening. Could only see a few feet ahead of us. A short time later the horizon was filled with flames, I had never seen anything like that. I wrote his just to say that I can feel some of what you are being forced to endure. It is times like this when we begin to realize how small we are; how unimportant our everyday problems are.

Rikki, I just learned about the fires today, I wish you and your family safety.

I would be interested in hearing if this very difficult period has taught you something.
John C.

Plus one!

Rikki wishing you the best during this awful time.

Thank you Stephen .

Sadly a place called Kangaroo Island went up in flames last night, 2 people killed , a beautiful holiday resort up in flames, thousands of farm animals and half the islands koala population. 25,000 of the poor little things gone.

It is just so heartbreaking.

Hi John,
That sounds horrendous.

Basically feel reasonably safe where we are. We don’t have forests and bushland near us, only the dry grasslands. I think grass fires are easier to control than the fires in the forests.

About the only thing one can learn is, if the firefighters knock on your door and tell you to leave, you do it. Not worth risking ones life for house and possessions.

Grab the pets, important papers, my USB stick, a couple of bits and pieces and go.
Just hope for the best.

Thanks all for your concern. Fortunately family and friends there are out of danger and are praying they stay safe. It is all very tragic.

Hi Rikki....howzzzz it going now? The media finally giving us some decent coverage on what's happening down there. And....it made the front page of our state newspaper.

At one point when I lived in London, I was living in an apartment house (they call them "flats") with maybe 20 other groups from various countries. One day a group of male Aussies moved in....big guys...look like they could (and would) snap a tree in half on a bet. Also...very rowdy, and I thought "there goes the neighborhood!" They would "party" every night...drinking, joking, singing. Turns out, as I got to know them (through their partying), they were the nicest people you ever want to meet. I ended up speaking to them and, upon inquiring why they spent every night drinking and partying, they told me (true or untrue?)....most Aussies save up their money and go to London in groups for one big and final fling. They then proceed to have the wildest time they could 'cause after they go home it's back to the "grind for the rest of their lives." I never forgot that. But they were such great guys and good, decent people I never forgot them.

I was leading up to....I've had a fondness for the Australian people ever since. New Zealanders too. Having said that it's really disturbing me what's going on there.

Now...back to you. I Googled where the fires were but I still can't get a handle on it. I CAN see that they're all around Australia coastlines, and mostly in New South Wales, I think.

Has it changed at all now? Any present danger to you and Ray (post above) and hubby and "Rikki's bears? Are you guys becoming more concerned at this point?

The teller at my bank is Aussie. She tells me a lot about Australia when we talk. Today was about the Koalas. Cute as kittens but I understand they'll scratch the heck out of you if you get too aggressive with them. Kind of like the giant Panda bears in China....only the Pandas don't scratch you...they EAT you!

They're reporting that Australia will never be the same again after this is over....too much terrain burned up...too many natural animals killed (heading for extinction?).

I hope what I wrote is not depressing you 'cause last time you wrote you sounded "optimistic."

So....howzzzz it going now???

Your friend

Mark

Hi Mark, your thoughts, and the thoughts of others are appreciated.
I think Rikki is reasonably safe where she is, I live in Sydney N/W suburban area which is reasonably safe.
I played golf today and the smoke haze was quite intense, even though the fires are mostly 100 km or more away.
Recently we were concerned with the drought to a point I was getting depressed just listening,watching news reports when there was nothing of significance that I could do to make things any better for the farmers. The loss of breeding stock is horrendous, and will take so long to get back to productive stock numbers.
Now the fires have killed thousands of sheep and cattle, destroyed 1800 homes just in NSW alone, residents and firefighters lost their lives.
Kangaroo island lost 25000 koalas who were free of clamidea (spelling), one third of the island burnt.
It is still very hard to imagine the intensity of these fires, and we can only pray that those affected get some assistance and relief.
It is humbling to see the amount of support being offered from around the rest of the world.
Thanks to all for your concern.

Ray

It is heart breaking even here in Tasmania, but please stay safe guys in the rest of OZ, the fires here in Tasmania are now where near as bad as on the mainland. The skies here in Devonport and Launceston went red then dark grey with smoke from the Victorian fires over 200 miles away, across Bass Straight.

Some have been deliberately lite by some idiots - fortunately they have caught one of them, a 35 year man.

Here in Tas in the east in Fingal blazes started on December 29 and have burnt about 14630 hectares. Destroyed countless animals and property.

Keep praying that is ends soon please.

To date, ( January 1 st) 18 people have tragically lose their lives due to the bushfires since September while at least 17 others remain missing – and with high temperatures and strong winds predicted over the next few days, authorities have warned of “widespread extreme fire danger”.
Here was where the main fires are/ where :- The fires this week alone have destroyed 381 homes in NSW and an additional 43 in Victoria, with numbers expected to rise.

We are still counting the numbers stay safe Rikki and The Saint and others up there.

Hi Mark,
we’re still fine. As long as some firebug nut job doesn’t set fire to the farmland behind us.
They’ve got over 180 people in NSW facing legal action . For stupid things like throwing lit cigarettes out of windows while driving, Not obeying rules on Total fire ban days. Etc etc
So far 24 have been charged for deliberately setting the fires. Unbelievable people could be so stupid and heartless.
12 million acres have burnt so far around the country.
What’s happened to our animals and wildlife, doesn’t bear thinking.
Some people have lost everything. So horrible.

Yes , the young Aussies love going to London. Our son went as soon as he had enough money saved to go. Finished school, worked for a year or so, Off he went.
Went for well over a year. Worked on the Millennium Dome back in 2000? I beleive.
Became a travel bug, and hasn’t stopped travelling since ( except for coming home, works for a year, then off he goes again).
Yes, they can be a rowdy lot, but they know how to have a good time, and generally they are a great bunch.

The koalas can scratch , I suppose any little critter will fight back if threatened.
I had no idea they did that ,
Last house, the couple across the road used to look after injured koalas. We had a koala population in our area. They’d get hit by cars, or injured in dog attacks.
Takes dedication, they used to travel for miles collecting the correct type of gum leaves , koalas eat. They have a very specialised diet. I always though, a gum tree was a gum tree, but apparently not so for koalas.
They brought a little baby over one day, to show us. Think mum may have been killed.
Dear little thing had it’s little blanket and a stuffed toy for it to cling to, instead of mum.
So cute. Took the risk , gave it a cuddle, got away without a scratch. Haha .
Only kidding about the possibility of being scratched , by the baby, it was being used to being handled.

Anyway they’re predicting our temperatures may start dropping, which may help the poor firefighters. Just hoping we get some rain one day.

Thank you Tassie,
Our son and family just got home from a Tasmanian holiday. Loved the place.
Hadn’t realised you have fires too.

Saw on the news today that more than 100 US firefighters traveled to Oz to aid in fighting the blazes, and that more than 200 arsonists were charged with setting fires throughout the area. Same problem in southern California - firebugs, often volunteer firemen.

Stay safe, Rikki,

Gary