Ceri

Is anyone down the Gold Coast? And have they been affected by those fires yesterday?

Yesterday ( I'm in North Brisbane) We had a few small spot fires ( we're living right next to the bush) the "firies" apparently had been there most of the day putting them out left right and centre.
Last night about 11pm . I notice a spot of fire in the bush behind me.. (my windows face over the bush) the fire crew were there until 12pm putting it out. I'm really surprised this has happened again what with all the rain we've had.. The ones by me is probably deliberately lit by kids.. but it makes you wonder twice about buying next to bushland. Don't get me wrong although Australia is not for me... I love where we've bought.. but it's sure is a price to pay for living next to nature.

Anyway wondering if anyone has been affected by the bad Gold coast fires? A few people lost their homes down there apparently.

It's going to be a b*gger of a summer I reckon this year. And what about that dust yesterday. It was blowing a gale with us yesterday... what a time to light a fire! argh I'd personally like to get my hands on them... hubby scares me when he says this, he reckons if he catches one of these blighters next to us .. he's going to grab them by the throat (he means it!)


cheers

dotty

I've been a bit worried about this summer too, it got hot so early and yesterday was a bit off (38 in the shade according to our thermometer) for just october. We're really worried about going away and leaving the house empty, so have got a couple from Brisbane to House sit, they get free holiday and we get someone there in case of storms, fires etc. Dont know why but I just have a really bad feeling about it. (Gosh imagine if I got a bloody bushfire, I couldn't post that here I'd be lying again )

Ceri

Glad I'm not the only one. I'm worried about it when I'm in work.. pets in the house.

Apparently the weather bureau have said it may be a terrible year for storms. I personally have a bad feeling too, it's been so dry for months, then with this "freakish" weather we have been having.. We have a huge tree next to our house (when I mean huge it's twice as tall as the house at least) I keep nagging hubby that we need it cut down... (if it fell it would crush the house) ... hubby says "she'll be right"... he's been here too long!!.

Don't know I have a bad feeling too .. I hope I'm wrong

Cheers

Bed Of Roses

Ceris, Hi to you, thanks for your info earlier this week.

I was watching news and fires in california and wondering if it was a problem in more remote areas of north brissy well you have answered my hunch
I the worst happend God forbid for anyone house insurance must cover you

Mind your Avatar doesnt start breathing it with 38 in the shade.... phew... Hot thinking about it, just going to scrape the frost from thewindscreen... bye

Ceri

The bad fires yesterday were down in The gold coast.. where I'm living (Pine shire region... north Brisbane) Our property is backing onto bush (ie our garden runs into the bush... beautiful... it's just the location we are living, not all houses are like this in Brisbane, North or south.. most houses are nowhere near bush, so don't be put off.. where we are living is in the minority to most Australians, most people have no fear where they live) . We had a fire a couple months back at the end of our street.. a few homes were threatened, yesterday there were spot fires. at the back of my house (my house is backing onto a reserve).

One thing I must say the fire service here is excellent... really!! They come out in a matter of minutes.

This morning when I woke up... there's a still a strong taste of burnt wood.

Ours were only spot fires here (and the fire service was there until 12 last night putting it out) the bad fires yesterday wer down the Gold coast region ... but I'm worried about what this summer willl bring.

cheers

P.s have a plan if your living right next to bush... me personally , I have a cupboard before I enter the garage (next to the garage) .. where my photo albums are stored in cases and my important documents... things I can not replace. I can load up the car in less than a minute.

What scares me is if I'm not there.... as I have cats who are in the house.. life comes first.

Those ones in .California.. we've never had anything like that (brisbane is too built up to be like that) ... now that is bad!!!

PeteY

Heard on the news it was 14000 acres, with 3500 having to evacuate!

Does normal house insurance cover bushfire? Or is it a seperate type of insurance? Does such a thing exist?

Ceri

My one does (As far as I can tell it does anyway.. you know what insurance companies are like) . The only thing that it does not cover (and I think all insurance is like this) is a civil riot and an act of terrorism (probably due to 9/11) .
It covers acts of nature.. ie floods , fires, earthquakes etc Plus the usual stuff of getting robbed. I'm also covered for if the electric goes off or there's a surge.. and the appliances get damaged, or the food in the fridge spoils .. I'm covered for that too.

I took the next level of insurance out because quite recently (not my town, but near by.. in the same council area) A car hit one of the electric polls and apparently there was a surge, a lot of homes and businesses had computers, fridges etc blowing up (damaged in the surge). The people who this happened to are trying to sue energex, but they won't admit it was their fault.. they are trying to blame it on a car, but witnesses have said this happened before the car actually hit the pole.

A couple of years ago the Aus government pulled the insurance companies up on their policies. When we had the floods here in parts of aus, a lot of people lost everything (farms). In their insurance cover, the very fine print.. it said they were not covered for flood (it was a flood prone area) .. the people didn't know this, the insurance company had sneekily put it in the small print. John Howard pulled the insurance companies up on this when they refused to pay out.. changed the laws I think.
cheers