Wendy

He posted earlier and he said something about being on the night watch. I'll see if I can find the post hang on

Here you go http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...6&postcount=47

Fleaflyfloflum

Thanks Wendy. Hope he is ok

Wendy

Me too. I think Martin Luther is out there with him, so my thoughts with him too.

moneypenny20

They were smart Apart from anything else, why would you do something that hot and sweaty when the temps are over 40

Stay safe hon, hope the house is ok and you get some rain

Stitch

Its been a full on day with over a 1000 fires reported and our hottest temp ever recorded

Hi Hevs (and everyone else affected) hope you are safe and well. If we can do anything to help please just shout x

BadgeIsBack

Bollocks to it all. I was ready to volunteer for the night shift when a mate turned up to the station. Whilst I was talking to him, the allocation of crew was made inside and I missed out - having said that they were picking people who have not yet gone out to day and I've been out already. Some of the new blood are still in school - 2 are barely 16.

I did chat to the returning crew and they were very excited - they saw a few houses in Narre Warren North go up in flames - one just caught in seconds.

Hevs - I was thinking of you and L. Initially, I thought it would head from your joint across the valley to my joint then thought you guys might be a fraction south for the fire as I thought it was more north, and now it seems to be heading NE. I am looking over to the NW and can't see anything.

Unless you are directly impacted it's hard to know. I read the above alert and wasn't sure how seriously to take it.

Everyone has gone home apart from that one crew out there and I am listening out on the local channel - at the station - it's very quiet. My family have activated their plan and are down in the burbs and I don't want to go home. (We don't have a stay and defend policy because I can't be guaranteed to be there). I'm going to go for a drive and have a look.

BadgeIsBack

That crew were back quite quick - the Narrre Warren N/Harkaway fires were under control by 2.30am and crews were returning.

I found Harkaway closed from the south and I couldn't see fire damage.

Just been out to a false alarm in area. Just got back 0330am.

livinginreality

I have been keeping up with the news of the bush fires via the internet,and am feeling pretty sad today!My ex husband is a CFS volunteer and when we were married often got called out (we were in SA)to attend bush fires.Thoughts are will you all,and not forgetting of course the Queenslanders who are dealing with horrific floods.Will say a prayer for you all tonight (I'm in the UK)xxxxx

Fleaflyfloflum

Death toll now 25. One poor poor family of 6 died in their car trying to escape. I feel sick to the stomach, especially as they have just said a guy in his 30s has been arrested for deliberately setting one of the fires.

jad n rich

The scale of this is enormous, I guess it would be hard for many to comprehend, especially if you havent experienced those temps/winds/low humidity, frankly like a blowtorch.

NSW is now facing a similar danger.

Day of horror the Age is calling it. ( I have to admit I could never live in bushland in Victoria, it would scare the hell out of me. )

http://www.news.com.au/gallery/0,236...006020,00.html

Many of those pics are areas we camped in and around in December ( temps were not in the 40's then) but you could see the potential danger.

Hope everyone is OK and same for the far north of the Country where they have received up to 350 mm of rain a day for a month.

This is one nasty climate.

jad n rich

Sky news last night said many of them were man made fires:curse:, having lived down there, seen the terrain, felt those temps, I think these people know bloody well they are playing with potential Murder.

Fleaflyfloflum

Yes, I agree. We have spent a lot of time driving around those areas plus in and around NSW. But what the hell can you do about these nutters? Not much you can do to prevent it.

But what amazes me even more is just how many of these arsonists there are out there!! It's not as if they are isolated incidences. These fires are lit every single year! So there must be plenty of warped minds in Australia to have it happen so often.

quoll

B*st*rds whoever they are. I did once see a horrific suggestion that anyone with a "Terrorist" inclination could take the easy option to terrify Australians just by lighting a few fires. So in some ways I hope that this lot are just warped minded b*st*rds and not the others with a much more systematic intent.

Our local cops do round up a few known firebugs when it gets to total fireban days but you never know until they go out there and do it. I think it makes recovery harder if you know it was arson rather than a lightning strike but what the hell was that bloke with an angle grinder thinking? Was he thinking at all? Tw*t!

Merseygirl

Unfortunately, what is happening now in Victoria is the very serious downside to Australia's 'sunny outdoor lifestyle' - something a lot of Brits who say they would gladly swap the snow for the heat don't realise!!!
Unfortunately, part of this lifestyle involves nutters starting fires knowing full well what the consequences of their actions must be.
Makes me so angry:curse:. We have to catch these people then find a way to make them suffer for their actions...(easier said than done sometimes)

To all those affected or at risk - please stay safe!!!!

hevs

Hope everyone is ok.

our whole village is cordoned off still not allowed in. I drove out along the back road and theres fires still burning, houses are gone, fence posts and trees are still burning....its a bit freaky to say the least!
I can't get to my son who is at friends at Narre East, (Boundry rd) but they say they are safe....

My cousin picked her kids up from Healsville yesterday morning, thank God! Her X hid in the cellar as the fire came through. When he came out he had no house or car!

BADGE The bit between Welly Rd and Harkaway is black and trees, fences, bales etc are still on fire. A fire engine just hammered past! We can't get in to Harkaway and now there thunder and lightning directly overhead! NO RAIN! We can use the fire track if we need to! But not ideal for the move we were supposed to be doing today!
L is down in Berwick and is fine. Over the hill to Narre North is also black and thats where they lost properties. 2 on Hallieur Rd and one on King. We don't stay to defend either. Its not worth it with kids here and hubby working across a major fire risk aras (Lysterfield/ FTG)

Apparently Marysville has been lost...