Australia NSW - Fire alert!

[Dragonette]

In Australia, NSW.

I am surrounded by fires, the sky is dark with smoke, and the air smells of fire.
People have lost their homes, others evacuated.
Last count I heard was 150 homes destroyed.
Roads are closed and trains are stopped to certain areas.

The fire fighters have worked through Christmas, one lost his home fighting a fire elsewhere. The volunteer fire service has been called in and many have flown in from other states.

The winds have dropped at the moment, but it is a small respite as they are predicted to be back on Friday throughout the weekend.

Send your hopes and wishes to all the friends you know that live in NSW

One was started by a lightning bolt, (they say) but all the others were arsonists.
It rivals the fires of 1994 and looks to be worse.

 

[Debbie]

Good luck to those in Australia with the fires. I hope for the best. May a miracle happen and rain come pouring down from the skies.

Be careful Dragonette, stay safe.

 

[koalabear]

ACCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK......get the Koalas to safety......!!!!!

 

[Nobody Special]

don't forget the Roos as well!!!!!!

I do wish them all the best of luck with the fires and replacing all the Homes and to the new homless.... I wish them the best of luck in continuing on with their lives, as hard as it will be....

 

[Dragonette]

Thank you all

Melb is getting the rain and QLD is getting the mega heat.

It has been very dry here for quite a while, therefore the fires have plenty of dry fuel and the winds are making everything worse.
Luckily today is not so windy so the poor fireman make be able to fight some of them.

The roads that are open are all blocked with traffic, it's a nightmare.

No sign of rain.

 

[Dragonette]

Update

NSW BUSHFIRE EMERGENCY
Sydney's south appears to be the main trouble spot this morning as more than a hundred fires continue to burn across New South Wales
A fire front at Sutherland in Sydney is threatening property and homes. At Heathcote, the flames are expected to jump Heathcote Road and head north towards Engadine where residents are standing by to evacuate. Locals in the townships of Mainbar and Bundeena in the Royal national park have already been ordered to leave..fire fighters there are focussing on property protection. On the south coast, the town of Huskisson is still under threat but better weather is forecast for this afternoon. Power is being restored to homes already hit by the fires..but the restoration of electricity in parts of the lower Blue Mountains may take several days.

The New South Wales bushfire crisis worsened greatly today. Fires crossed into the Sydney metropolitan area, with flames jumping the Nepean River into Baulkham Hills Shire. More than 100 blazes are now burning throughout the state.

Authorities estimated well over 120 properties to have been destroyed, but some news reports have put the figure at 440.
About 12,000 homes remain without power.
Residents in some areas south of Sydney have been urged to boil their drinking water after the bushfires affected water filtration systems.

About 1,000 residents in Sydney's south have spent the night in evacuation centres after bushfires forced them to flee their homes overnight.
A smoke haze blanketed most of the Sydney metropolitan area this morning as up to 100 separate blazes burn across the state.
A change in wind overnight saw the focus of firefighting move from Sydney's north-west and the Blue Mountains to Sydney's south.
Rural Fire Service public affairs director John Winter said wind fluctuations around fires in the Sutherland area were causing concern, particularly near Heathcote.
Mr Winter said fire services had planned a backburn of the Royal National Park near Heathcote, to reduce the risk of flare-ups in the area.
But the plan was abandoned after strong winds hit the Sutherland Shire.

 

[Rick DeVille]

I got caught there in 94 (?) maybe later, can't remember. It was fucking sureal. Best of luck.

 

[Natalie Nessus]

Yes, it is bad, there is no doubt. Our vacation has been shortened and there is so much pain for many

 

[mistyc]

My wishes go out to those who have lost everything. Firefighters left for NSW yesterday from my town in Vic. One of them happens to be my kid's godfather.