Fires

[Guest guest]

The news is not good here. Massive fires, spotting all over the city. We

occasionally pay for our image as 'bush capital'. You can only build up to a

certain height on Canberra hills....the tops are all national park, and are

ideal for spot fires.

I had a call from a chorus member who had been evacuated from her home, and

was concerned that she had left her cat behind. She and her sister were

going to come and stay the night with me, but then all the roads in and out

of my area of Canberra are cut off, so she had to make other arrangements.

Her brother got through to check out their houses. Hers is standing, and the

cat is safe (phew!) however, her sisters fibro home is completely

gone...there is nothing left but a chimney and a mess. Every house in the

street is the same.

Another chorus member was off retrieving her elderly mother from her house

in an evacuation area. I haven't heard any news, but I'm sure she is fine or

there would have been news.

36 homes have been confirmed lost, but the estimate is closer to 100 homes,

several businesses, a petrol (gas) station (that was scary), lots of

community facilities...all up in smoke.

We have one man dead from smoke inhalation in his house, and some very

serious burns victims. An elderly couple were badly injured...they were up

on their roof trying to save the house when it collapsed under them. Several

other people have been admitted to hospital with injuries from minor burns

and falling off roofs. It frustrates me that people don't understand that

things are things but people are not replaceable.

We had a very nasty afternoon. I had to go and collect my mother's cat from

a cattery in an endangered area as she is out of town. It was really

scary...I had the kids in the car, and it was absolutely pitch black, like

midnight, even though it was 2.30 in the afternoon. Traffic was busy and

visibility sometimes poor. I actually got lost, in a city I have lived in

for all but 6 years of my life.

When we got home, it was also quite awful...very dark, and my husband and

father were making fire preparations. Our bathtub is full, there are buckets

of water around the house and in each room, towels out ready to soak to put

out spot fires, everything moved away from the house, and we have been

watering the walls, garden and roof. All the neighbours have been out doing

the same. The power keeps coming and going, and my youngest daughter (Allie,

7 years old) has been clutching a torch like a talisman. I have packed a

couple of changes of clothes, the photos, and I'm ready to grab the kids,

three cats and my computer hard drive (priorities!) and go.

I really feel for the people in the evacuation centres tonight. One

evacuation centre had to be evacuated, which must just add to the stress. My

brother in law is one of the senior St s Ambulance volunteers in our

area, and is off to begin ambulance training in two weeks...he's been called

out to deal with minor injuries and coordinate an evacuation centre...the

one that was evacuated, of course!

The wind has finally changed directions, and we are thinking we might get

some sleep tonight. Our neighbours have promised to wake us if things change

again for the worse. Of course, this means that other areas of the city are

in danger now. I'm abit frightened of what I might wake up to in the

morning.

Off to get some sleep now,

Glenda

Canberra Australia