Victorian Bushfires

[Moi]

Hate this time of year, with my tree-hugging daughter living surrounded by bush in the Dandenongs.
Can't believe how dry everything is and what's happening in the north of the state.
All those animals up there 
With nearly empty dams, doesn't help either.
I know what I'd do with anyone caught lighting any this summer 

Good luck to our great firefighters 

[mightytiges]

The CFA and DES people are as brave as anything fighting fires virtually one on one. Bloody dangerous up there with it so dry and the weather warming up in the next few days. Hate to think what could happen if the wind picks up and fans the flames. The situation is serious enough as it is.

Ch 2 said the fires are so severe they are even threatening water catchment areas for Melbourne's water supply  .

I remember the sun being red in the sky on the day of the Ash Wednesday fires and then travelling not long afterwards through Macedon with everything black and not a living thing in sight. Just hits home how large these bushfires can get. 

[WilliamPowell]

Good luck to our great firefighters 

Couldn't agree more Moi - they do a sensational job!

I think it's going to be a very scary weekend - I know everyone is preparing for the worse (allthe fires joining up and becoming one big fire) but I reckon it's to bloody hard to predict what "mother nature" has in store.

[julzqld]

Do you still have the firebugs hanging around Sherbrook Forest?  I remember going there for a school excursion and there was a weird guy hanging around - suspected firebug.

[Fishfinger]

Do you still have the firebugs hanging around Sherbrook Forest?  I remember going there for a school excursion and there was a weird guy hanging around - suspected firebug.

Maybe he got lost on his way to banjo lessons.
Heaps of residents in the hills could qualify as firebugs. They burn everything they can.  ??? Raking up piles of leaves and setting them on fire out the front seems to be the norm. Good thing they move there for the fresh air.

Very smokey and hazy up my way today (Upper Yarra Valley - speaking of banjoes). Not due to pyromaniacs burning leaves in the gutter today though.   

[2JD]

I got the biggest fright when I stepped outside my front door  yesterday morning for the first time in a week, and saw the smoke haze.  Ive been staying with my mother-in-law in Mitcham for a week after my father-in-law passed away and we havent been allowed to turn the tv or the radio on so I had no idea the state was burning. Its feels like ive been off planet for a week! I know a lot of country towns are threatened including Bright, I hate to think of that beautiful place being burnt, has it reached it yet, does anyone know?

[Moi]

According to this map, Bright looks okay, 2JD
But it's the change in conditions they're expecting in the next couple of days that has probably everyone not knowing where it's going to go.
Here's a map of the hot spots :-(
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenfoe.nsf/LinkView/90FCAC74BB9A4F2ECA257090001E6F22E2ACC26BB87D6BFC4A2567CB000DB12D

[one-eyed]

I know a lot of country towns are threatened including Bright, I hate to think of that beautiful place being burnt, has it reached it yet, does anyone know?

This is from the Herald-Sun 2JD:

In the biggest blaze, the North East Alpine Fire, in the Ovens Valley southwest of Bright, more than 72,000ha of forest has been destroyed.

Firefighters were working fast to try to keep the blaze from moving into the Mt Buffalo national park.

Embers threatened homes in Tolmie, Jamieson, Kevington and Knockwood.

The full article about all the fires is here:  http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20897615-661,00.html

ps. Condolences to you and your family 2JD.

[julzqld]

Bright is a beautiful place.  My dad lived there for a time when he was a kid as his father was the State Bank Manager at Bright. 

[Moi]

Sorry 2JD, I thought a DSE map would be accurate.
Beautiful area up there and such a densely treed and beautiful area, Bright, Porpunkah 

Waking up this morning and Melbourne is blanketed with smoke.  If there is a bright part of the morning, it doesn't seem windy.  Hope the firefighters can get a bit of control before wind changes

[Ramps]

Woke up this morning the south eastern suburbs of melbourne reak of smoke.

[Moi]

Woke up this morning the south eastern suburbs of melbourne reak of smoke.

Gee, do you live close to me, Ramps lol 

[mightytiges]

Ch 10 news is saying tomorrow when the Northerly winds as expected to pick up could make things very nasty.

Woke up this morning the south eastern suburbs of melbourne reak of smoke.

Gee, do you live close to me, Ramps lol 

S/E suburbs is Tiger heartland  .

[Fishfinger]

Good luck and best wishes to anyone in danger of copping the fires. Trying not to think too much about the wildlife tally. 

[Stephanie]

Woke up this morning the south eastern suburbs of melbourne reak of smoke.

Gee, do you live close to me, Ramps lol 

S/E suburbs is Tiger heartland  .

Yup!