Truly terrifying in Tasmania
#1
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Truly terrifying in Tasmania
We often have threads on here about the bushfires on the mainland, but the ones in Tassie this week seem ti have been overlooked. They reckon its the worst in 40 years down there as far as fire conditions go.
#2
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Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
#3
Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
Originally Posted by Pollyana
We often have threads on here about the bushfires on the mainland, but the ones in Tassie this week seem ti have been overlooked. They reckon its the worst in 40 years down there as far as fire conditions go.
I know, I saw on the news earlier.
Funny how you don't really think about these things when you are in the UK. But it certainly hits home when you are here, especially since a lot of the bush fires seem to be deliberately lit, really can't understand that.
Lets hope that everyone stays safe this summer
#5
Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
Puts the fear of god into you :scared: Hadn't heard that the Tassie one was so bad, Were those properties saved?
#6
Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
OMG We're thinking of going to Tasmania! :scared:
Suppose bushfires are a fact of life but it's just the severity of them that's alarming, especially in Tasmania which isn't supposed to get as hot! It's not even summer yet!
Suppose bushfires are a fact of life but it's just the severity of them that's alarming, especially in Tasmania which isn't supposed to get as hot! It's not even summer yet!
#7
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Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
It's not just the bush fires that are horrific but the drought that the farmers are experiencing that should be conserning all of us.
#8
Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
Originally Posted by Britishaussie
OMG We're thinking of going to Tasmania! :scared:
Suppose bushfires are a fact of life but it's just the severity of them that's alarming, especially in Tasmania which isn't supposed to get as hot! It's not even summer yet!
Suppose bushfires are a fact of life but it's just the severity of them that's alarming, especially in Tasmania which isn't supposed to get as hot! It's not even summer yet!
#9
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Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
Originally Posted by Pollyana
We often have threads on here about the bushfires on the mainland, but the ones in Tassie this week seem ti have been overlooked. They reckon its the worst in 40 years down there as far as fire conditions go.
#10
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Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
When I used to stay with a guy in Hobart we lived on the hills on one side of the main highway in from the north, facing Mount Wellington and its foothills. I will never forget one day in January watching the fires move down a gully between the foothills, towards the houses. None were list, but it was close. Also when you drive up the mountain you realise all the homes are new - because everything was burnt to the ground in the fires of 1967, and some have been burnt again since. There's one village south of Hobart called Snug - that was wiped out in the 1967 fires and had to be totally rebuilt.
Michael always said to me that you just needed to have a plan, be aware of the weather, and if you lived on the edge of the city, or in a rural area, decide - well in advance - at what point you would leave. He was a Brit, and in his first years there he nearly lost his home on Mt Wellington's foothills. He said it was the most terrifying thing you could imagine - just watching the flames leaping closer.
Tassie doesn't get the temps that we do in Qld, but it does get very dry; the drought is as bad there as anywhere in Aus. It also gets very strong winds, and if these blow from the north-west, which is quite common, they come from the deserts of South and West Australia, and are scorchingly hot and dry. A wind like that only lasts a couple of days, but I experienced one which sent the temps up to 42 degrees briefly. Very uncomfortable, everyone stays indoors and the hospitals struggle to cope. Many Tas homes have no air con either, as it is not needed so often down there.
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OK, I've stopped rambling now, not often Tassie gets an airing on here though, so I don't feel guilty about waffling
Michael always said to me that you just needed to have a plan, be aware of the weather, and if you lived on the edge of the city, or in a rural area, decide - well in advance - at what point you would leave. He was a Brit, and in his first years there he nearly lost his home on Mt Wellington's foothills. He said it was the most terrifying thing you could imagine - just watching the flames leaping closer.
Tassie doesn't get the temps that we do in Qld, but it does get very dry; the drought is as bad there as anywhere in Aus. It also gets very strong winds, and if these blow from the north-west, which is quite common, they come from the deserts of South and West Australia, and are scorchingly hot and dry. A wind like that only lasts a couple of days, but I experienced one which sent the temps up to 42 degrees briefly. Very uncomfortable, everyone stays indoors and the hospitals struggle to cope. Many Tas homes have no air con either, as it is not needed so often down there.
========
OK, I've stopped rambling now, not often Tassie gets an airing on here though, so I don't feel guilty about waffling
#11
Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
Originally Posted by Pollyana
When I used to stay with a guy in Hobart we lived on the hills on one side of the main highway in from the north, facing Mount Wellington and its foothills. I will never forget one day in January watching the fires move down a gully between the foothills, towards the houses. None were list, but it was close. Also when you drive up the mountain you realise all the homes are new - because everything was burnt to the ground in the fires of 1967, and some have been burnt again since. There's one village south of Hobart called Snug - that was wiped out in the 1967 fires and had to be totally rebuilt.
Michael always said to me that you just needed to have a plan, be aware of the weather, and if you lived on the edge of the city, or in a rural area, decide - well in advance - at what point you would leave. He was a Brit, and in his first years there he nearly lost his home on Mt Wellington's foothills. He said it was the most terrifying thing you could imagine - just watching the flames leaping closer.
Tassie doesn't get the temps that we do in Qld, but it does get very dry; the drought is as bad there as anywhere in Aus. It also gets very strong winds, and if these blow from the north-west, which is quite common, they come from the deserts of South and West Australia, and are scorchingly hot and dry. A wind like that only lasts a couple of days, but I experienced one which sent the temps up to 42 degrees briefly. Very uncomfortable, everyone stays indoors and the hospitals struggle to cope. Many Tas homes have no air con either, as it is not needed so often down there.
========
OK, I've stopped rambling now, not often Tassie gets an airing on here though, so I don't feel guilty about waffling
Michael always said to me that you just needed to have a plan, be aware of the weather, and if you lived on the edge of the city, or in a rural area, decide - well in advance - at what point you would leave. He was a Brit, and in his first years there he nearly lost his home on Mt Wellington's foothills. He said it was the most terrifying thing you could imagine - just watching the flames leaping closer.
Tassie doesn't get the temps that we do in Qld, but it does get very dry; the drought is as bad there as anywhere in Aus. It also gets very strong winds, and if these blow from the north-west, which is quite common, they come from the deserts of South and West Australia, and are scorchingly hot and dry. A wind like that only lasts a couple of days, but I experienced one which sent the temps up to 42 degrees briefly. Very uncomfortable, everyone stays indoors and the hospitals struggle to cope. Many Tas homes have no air con either, as it is not needed so often down there.
========
OK, I've stopped rambling now, not often Tassie gets an airing on here though, so I don't feel guilty about waffling
I do feel so awful, seeing all those fires in Tassie. It's not long ago that I was down that way!
#12
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Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
Originally Posted by Pollyana
We often have threads on here about the bushfires on the mainland, but the ones in Tassie this week seem ti have been overlooked. They reckon its the worst in 40 years down there as far as fire conditions go.
Good thing about piccys like this is they should make people think about their own bushfire escape plan and of course management of their property, overhanging trees, cleaning gutters etc.
As for the people who start them deliberately, 5 0f the latest fires in NSW were started by kids aged 5, 9 and 14, they got a caution , this always seems to be the case, dont know it the law allows them to do much else given their ages
#13
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
Originally Posted by Pollyana
When I used to stay with a guy in Hobart we lived on the hills on one side of the main highway in from the north, facing Mount Wellington and its foothills. I will never forget one day in January watching the fires move down a gully between the foothills, towards the houses. None were list, but it was close. Also when you drive up the mountain you realise all the homes are new - because everything was burnt to the ground in the fires of 1967, and some have been burnt again since. There's one village south of Hobart called Snug - that was wiped out in the 1967 fires and had to be totally rebuilt.
Michael always said to me that you just needed to have a plan, be aware of the weather, and if you lived on the edge of the city, or in a rural area, decide - well in advance - at what point you would leave. He was a Brit, and in his first years there he nearly lost his home on Mt Wellington's foothills. He said it was the most terrifying thing you could imagine - just watching the flames leaping closer.
Tassie doesn't get the temps that we do in Qld, but it does get very dry; the drought is as bad there as anywhere in Aus. It also gets very strong winds, and if these blow from the north-west, which is quite common, they come from the deserts of South and West Australia, and are scorchingly hot and dry. A wind like that only lasts a couple of days, but I experienced one which sent the temps up to 42 degrees briefly. Very uncomfortable, everyone stays indoors and the hospitals struggle to cope. Many Tas homes have no air con either, as it is not needed so often down there.
========
OK, I've stopped rambling now, not often Tassie gets an airing on here though, so I don't feel guilty about waffling
Michael always said to me that you just needed to have a plan, be aware of the weather, and if you lived on the edge of the city, or in a rural area, decide - well in advance - at what point you would leave. He was a Brit, and in his first years there he nearly lost his home on Mt Wellington's foothills. He said it was the most terrifying thing you could imagine - just watching the flames leaping closer.
Tassie doesn't get the temps that we do in Qld, but it does get very dry; the drought is as bad there as anywhere in Aus. It also gets very strong winds, and if these blow from the north-west, which is quite common, they come from the deserts of South and West Australia, and are scorchingly hot and dry. A wind like that only lasts a couple of days, but I experienced one which sent the temps up to 42 degrees briefly. Very uncomfortable, everyone stays indoors and the hospitals struggle to cope. Many Tas homes have no air con either, as it is not needed so often down there.
========
OK, I've stopped rambling now, not often Tassie gets an airing on here though, so I don't feel guilty about waffling
Supposed to be 37 in Sydney today but not sure about the wind direction. Think we will work on fill the gutters with water and leave early as house is insured.
The fire brigade actually say keep all your valuables in one main case etc. so invent of fire you can just grab the lot and go... don't know how i'll ever have room left for Hubby by the time I get all the valuables in.
#14
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Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
Originally Posted by moneypen20
Puts the fear of god into you :scared: Hadn't heard that the Tassie one was so bad, Were those properties saved?
#15
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Re: Truly terrifying in Tasmania
We had a knock on the door from a neighbour last summer telling us that our front lawn was on fire. I just looked at him as it took a while to sink in but some idiot had thrown a match or a cigarette but out of their car and it had set fire to the grass. Luckily we put it out pretty quickly but it really does beggar belief at times .
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