BS: Bush Fires around Sydney

Subject: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: nutty
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 03:23 AM

I've been watching the progress of this year's bushfires on the news. They are said to be the worst ever and have already reached the outskirts of Sydney.
I know there are mudcatters living in the Sydney area ...... Has anyone heard from them? Are they OK??

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: BlueJay
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 06:08 AM

It's beyond me why Bush would fire at Sydney. I thought the Australians were allies of the US. Not to question our president, you understand. I'm not going to sign this letter.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 07:32 AM

cute, Bluejay...but not 'every' post needs a cute remark...

I hope everyone..including Mudcatters... is safe. Smoke & discomfort are affecting everyone in th Sydney area, and this is getting too common. The drought is taking a terrible toll.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 07:53 AM

Blues Mike was on Mudchat a couple of nights ago, and even though he lives on an island, it sounded like he was in same danger. At that time he said the fires were two suburbs away, but there was smoke from the fires where he lives. Alison and Bob Bolton both live in that area. There was also a report on the fires at Tweedsblues from someone who lives there. I'll pop over there and see if there's an update.

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 07:55 AM

G'day Nutty,

I was thinking of reviving my thread from last year ... but you have mentioned it.

Fires have been dangerously close to the area where "Roo" lives - at Mt Riverview ... but the area burnt out last year will not have regrown any significant fuel load ... because there has been precious little rain over this last year.

As far as I know, the northern fires are still somewhat north of Alison's area (but Alison would know much better than I). The Hunter Valley fires should be well west of where Helen lives ... I hope!

Others - like myself, Sandra in Sydney, JennieG and Callie are inner city types (well ... maybe not JennieG!) and we're well in from the bush areas that are burning.

The Rural Fire Service is trying to use the cooler days and lower winds of this weekend to close off bad areas before scorching temperatures expected Monday. The large fire ... between Sydney and Newcastle got the comment, from the RFS head "It'll burn until it runs out of fuel - or it rains!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 08:10 AM

Glad to get the news update, Bob. If you go to Tweedsblues.net (Tweed is a Catter), click Tweedboard, and scroll down to "Just in case you've heard about the latest fires," click the second posting down by Beachehad and you'll find a blue clicky to the 12/5 Sydney Morning Herald. It gives a better picture of the situation as it was then.

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: allanwill
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 08:41 AM

This is an update of the situation.

I'm about 250 miles south-west of the northern fires and 100 miles west of the southern fires and we are getting the smell (stink) and the smoke haze; a miserable complaint compared to what those in the thick of it are going through.

I truly hope that the one bastard who has been arrested for starting at least one of the fires, and anyone else found responsible, is strung up by their genitallia and have extremely horrible things done to the rest of their bodies.

Allan



41 homes feared lost in NSW fires
December 8 2002





At least 41 homes are now feared lost during four days of raging bushfires as NSW firefighters brace for horror weather a day earlier than expected.

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) said today 4,500 firefighters had no hope of mopping up more than 80 fires burning throughout the state before winds picked up tomorrow and temperatures rose.

Humidity was also expected to drop to less than 15 per cent tomorrow.

NSW Premier Bob Carr, touring fire-affected areas in Sydney's south today, said arsonists' "acts of bastardry" during one of Australia's worst-ever droughts had endangered lives and destroyed property.

While no homes have been lost during the past 24 hours, the RFS was today forced to double its estimate of the number of houses destroyed as firefighters made their way into previously inaccessible regions.

At least 36 homes were incinerated by a massive blaze stretching from Cattai, in Sydney's north-west, right through to Brooklyn, in the north, the RFS said.

That blaze today cut the major roads linking Sydney and Newcastle for the third day running, and rail services on the northern line were not expected to be restored until at least Monday, CityRail said.

Since the fires started on Wednesday, the NSW Department of Community Services (DOCS) has operated 17 evacuation centres and received aid requests from more than 2,000 people, many of them stranded commuters.

Firefighters were working hard in preparation for tomorrow's predicted high temperatures and a troublesome wind change, RFS chief Phil Koperberg said today.

"All of the incident controllers are very conscious of the fact that they don't have a lot of time to consolidate their efforts of the last 72 hours," Mr Koperberg told Sky News.

"Northerly winds (are) being predicted for tomorrow and temperatures, at least around Sydney, in the low to mid-30s and very, very low humidity are going to be very troublesome.

"The emphasis is going to be on containing as much of the southern sides of the 80 or so fires we've got around the state before the onset of less-than-helpful conditions tomorrow."

The main concern today remained to the north of Sydney, where a fire continued its run down the face of an escarpment behind homes in the township of Brooklyn.

Waterbombing helitankers and more than 200 firefighters from the RFS, NSW Fire Brigades and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) were battling the blaze that had already blackened 35,000 hectares of land.

Mr Koperberg told Sky News defensive firefighting work continued in the Eurobodalla and Shoalhaven areas of the NSW south coast.

In the Sutherland Shire, where three homes have been destroyed, good progress had been made toward containing fires around Illawong and Menai, he said.

"The position there is to the point where the fires are about 70 per cent contained but not quite there yet."

In the Blue Mountains, where at least one home was destroyed earlier this week, firefighters used today's milder conditions to continue backburning operations between north Katoomba and Wentworth Falls after a blaze that began at the Shipley Plateau on Wednesday was brought under control.

Further north, in the Hunter Valley, where at least one home was razed, there were many fires still burning and it was unlikely they would be contained within the short-term, Mr Koperberg said.

There was likely to be relief mid-Monday, with the Bureau of Meteorology downgrading it's earlier predictions of blistering temperatures and strong winds.

-AAP

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Amos
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 12:10 PM

Jesus!! Sounds as bad as anything we've had in our California droughts.

Got my fingers crossed for all of you.

Some little punk bastard is sweating in his sleep.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: GUEST,Darwin
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 02:12 PM

Perhaps it would be better to live in areas where such natural phenomenons don't occur. Build cities wher is a history of bush fires, earthquakes, floods, etc and you'll get these "disasters. Build them elsewhere and you won't

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: nutty
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 02:15 PM

There are some amazingly frightening photos here

FIRES

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: GUEST,JennyO
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 10:26 PM

If you check the threads "5 objects you would take..." and and "10 obscure facts about you" you will find some of my posts about bushfires. I live in East Ryde which is a very suburban part of Sydney, but on Thursday a fire in a reserve 2 streets away came uncomfortably close to the point where I had a bag packed and had made a list of things to take if I had to evacuate. That fire is out now, but there are still about 80 fires burning in and around Sydney. The trouble is we have had the worst drought in a long time and everything is very dry, and the gum trees are full of eucalyptus oil. Sydney has trees all over, except for the innermost inner suburbs, and it's too expensive for a lot of us, so we don't have a lot of choice about where to live ( in answer to what Darwin said). Yesterday, I drove up to the Central Coast to visit my son and his wife, past some of the most serious fires, along the F3 freeway which has been under threat and closed a few times, but it was all right, apart from being very smoky, and I got back all right, too. They are worried about today because temperatures are getting very hot and strong westerly winds are expected. Keep our fingers crossed, eh. As far as I know, all the Sydney mudcatters are all right!

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: GUEST,Bobert
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 10:40 PM

Well, danged, this is one of them situations that is gonna take some concerted prayer and that's exactly what I'm gonna spend some time doing before I go to bed tonight. God will step in if enough folks of FAITH ask Him so I'm asking anyone of FAITH to spend those extra few minutes in prayer tonight.

Like Jerry said, we have friends in the midst of these fires...

Beachehad and his wife Shirley, Pejamo and his brother Wayne.

Bobert




Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 11:16 PM

My wife and I have been praying for our friends around Sydney ever since we heard about it, Bobert.... It's very frightening to be so far removed that you have no way of knowing how people are doing. I really appreciate this thread and the one at Tweedsblues..

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Helen
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 11:31 PM

The Hunter Valley fires are not near where I live, in Newcastle. The last round of fires up there damaged a lot of vineyards a few weeks ago and the current fires are in much the same area. The Hunter Valley wine industry is world renowned. This area is about 30 kms from Newcastle, and so far we haven't had many problems, although there are some suburbs which are usually vulnerable.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: allanwill
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 02:46 PM

Just to keep you up-to-date, this is an edited article from this mornings on-line news abot the fires.

Allan



Fire chief banks on southerly change
December 9 2002
By Brigid Delaney, Stephanie Peatling,
Sydney





After dire predictions that New South Wales would "burn until there's nothing left", a cautious state Fire Commissioner Phil Koperberg yesterday predicted the worst would soon be over.

"These particular fires are approaching an end," he said. "It's 36 hours away."

Last night, Mr Koperberg confirmed that at least one building had been destroyed and another had been badly damaged at Medlow Bath, in the Blue Mountains, yesterday.

Last night the Rural Fire Service revised the number of homes lost in the bushfire crisis to 48.

A spokesman said the figure included homes destroyed since last Tuesday.

One person has died in the fires that have ringed Sydney for days.

The weather bureau predicts a southerly wind will move through Sydney this morning, bringing low temperatures and higher humidity.

The bureau is confident of showers across all the areas affected by fires, some time before tomorrow.

This is the best news we have had for weeks," a relieved Commissioner Koperberg said.

"All of that is predicated on the forecast being right. If we get up tomorrow and it's warm and sunny all bets are off."

More than 4500 firefighters were on the ground yesterday, battling 70 fires around the state.

But the weather was a foe, not a friend, yesterday afternoon.

Strong winds up to 50 kmh caused havoc in the Blue Mountains, while a wind change in the Shoalhaven increased the strength of the long-running Touga fire.

The fire was well away from homes but it kept consuming bushland, with 100,000 hectares devastated so far.



More firefighters arrived from the Country Fire Authority in Victoria to help their NSW colleagues, tiring after a five-day battle. A contingent of South Australia firefighters will arrive in Sydney tomorrow.

Yesterday, there were 94 aircraft dousing flames, including two helitankers

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: NicoleC
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 03:53 PM

When the fires get bad in CA, it seems like we always have an Aussie contingent show up and help. It's the slow season for fires here in CA, so I hope that we are reciprocating.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Bluesmike
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 05:08 PM

Hi guys

Well that was quite a weekend. I live about 500 metres from Brooklyn which was saved last friday night by the dedicated actions of several hundred firefighters. However the fires burned to literally inches from most of the houses through town. Also there were two Ericson Skycrane Tanker helicopters working frantically- not just here but throughout the Sydney Metro area. These giant choppers , known as Elvis and The Incredible Hulk have saved thousands of homes during the last few weeks. I watched them filling up just by the island yesterday and they can fill their 9 tonne tanks in 35 seconds. These guys flying them are just heroes.
Access to Brooklyn has been cut off for all but locals since friday and it took me several hours to get home on friday night.
Our power dropped out on friday but was restored last night- we have all had to throw perishable food out which must be hard for the local restaurants. Also, all the local shops have lost the contents of their freezers and fridges- icecreams, frozen food, vetgetables and meat - all gone.
The volunteer State Emergency Service turned up on a barge yesterday with two pickup trucks full of Ice so at least we kept the beer cold otherwise it would have been a complete disaster.
This morning, Monday, apparently there has ben some easing although the Ku-ring-gai National Park across the river still has a couple of very large fires burning in inaccessable places and these will once again be a problem when the weather heats up again later in the week. I can't see Brookly through the smoke this morning and this is a bit of a problem for me as I only have one lung and smoke definitely does not agree with me.
Nobody killed amazingly and a miracle that not more than 49 houses lost.
Thak you for all your concern
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: alison
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 07:10 PM

glad you're OK Michael....

I'm in Baulkham Hills..... loads of smoke in the air but no fires close... weekend before last my music club had a party at one of our members houses at Glenorie (one of the really badly hit places).... we haven't heard from them since Friday... but we're hoping they are safe.......

last year on the way back from Nariel Creek we could see the smoke hanging in the sky over sydney from as far away as Goulburn (maybe 200km)....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Bluesmike
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 07:24 PM

Glad to hear it Alison and I do hope your friends in Glenorie are OK. I would love to get in touch sometime- I work stupid hours and try to avoid going to Sydney and that makes meeting other musos a bit problematic- not to mention that I am a grumpy old hermit these days.If you like, drop me a line at [e-mail]. I hear on the radio that the Blue Mountains are flaring up again so I hope they manage OK- My son lives at Katoomba so I still have some worries there.
Kind regards
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: GUEST,JennyO
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 08:18 PM

Apart from a flare up in the Blue Mountains, the fires seem to be more under control today, and there is the possibility of rain. Thanks all who have sent positive energy/prayers and other good stuff. I'm sure it will help. I have several friends in the Blue Mountains, and it is always a fire prone area, so I hope it will be all right there.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 09:59 PM

G'day,

JennyO is right - we have been saved from the high temperatures and adverse winds expected for today - we are now getting a WSW wind bringing slight rain (by the latest radar image) into the southern fire areas and Koperberg's remarks (in the article quoted by Alinact) seem to be holding.

Sydney is still under a pall of smoke, but there is high cloud above it and we no longer have that orange-brown fire haze. I guess I can now enjoy all those bushfire photos that feature the partial (around here) solar eclipse through smoke haze.

I missed it ... at 6.30 on Wednesday I swallowed a slice of a lamb chop ... and realised it had a fine (sharp bone sliver in the edge ... and it would not come back. Over the next 18 hours off fighting through: find a doctor's surgery open - referral ro emergency at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital - 3 hours later the ENT doctor says it has worked too far down for emergency ... go home and come back at 7.00 am for operation to remove it.

Then, (post x-rays, cardiogram, blood tests, &c ... scrubbed and gowned and on the trolley outside the theatre) ... the anaesthetist wants to spray yet more local anaesthetic down the throat instead of the nose, this time) for yet another peer with the endoscope ... yuk ... just keep breathing deeply ... I'll be back when that lot takes effect ... cough .. gag ... heave ... pop! ... no need for the op! One bloody (literally), sharp bone fragment lands in my hand.

Almost as much relief as our friends nearer the fires ... I'd like to think it was a collateral effect of Jerry and Bobert's prayers ... !

Regards,

Bob Bolton (quietly recovering ... and chewing assiduously!)

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: JennieG
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 11:26 PM

I read in the SMH (newspaper) this morning that the Jamison Valley in the Blue Mountains hasn't burnt for 50 years, and the Megalong Valley hasn't burnt for 100 years....just imagine the fuel out there. Much as I like the mountains I suppose there is something to be said for living in beautiful downtown Sefton after all; if our backyard goes up in flames then Australia has a real problem! It is good to be able to breathe again today.
Jeez Bob you will have to become a vegetarian won't you! Dangerous things those chops.
Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Helen
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 12:34 AM

Bob,

Scary story, but happy ending. I'm glad to hear that you are okay. Powerful all-encompassing stuff, this praying business.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: GUEST,JennyO
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 10:27 AM

Things are definitely looking up now. Most of the fires have been contained, the weather is cooler and the smoke haze is not as bad as yesterday. They have even lifted the total fire ban - a little early if you ask me! Summer is only just starting and there's a lot of dry bush out there. I'd say it's far from over for this season. They are blaming a lot of the fires on people chucking cigarettes carelessly out of cars and they want to make it a criminal offence. Some people are complaining that they weren't allowed to do enough hazard reduction to keep the trees and scrub further away from their homes, because the trees are in a National Park. I just heard there is a blaze in Perth(Western Australia) that is threatening homes. Much too soon to get complacent yet!
And fancy, while all this was going on, our Bob was doing battle with a chop bone! I'd say his body made an almighty effort to reject the bone when it saw the O.R. looming. I know mine would. Hospitals - hate the places. Unfortunately I have to spend a short time in one on Thursday. I broke my wrist a few months ago and they have to take the metal plates out, YUK!

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: KathWestra
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 12:12 PM

Oh my. Just tuned in and between the fires and Bob's alarming story of his not-so-gentle lamb, you all have been through a lot these last few days. Know you're all in my thoughts. Alison, so glad you're okay and hope your friends are, too. And Bob, for heaven's sake, chew carefully and take care of that injured throat. It's a different season here. After a drought-ridden summer, we had a surprise 6-8 inches of snow here in Maryland last week. Would send some your way if I could. Lord knows we shoveled enough! All best to you all, Kathy.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: GUEST,JennyO
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 08:33 PM

Woke up this morning and it was RAINING! - proper rain. If this keeps up for the rest of the day, this particular campaign will be as good as over. Thanks again to Daylia, Bobert, and all who sent cool wet energy our way.

                            Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 09 Dec 02 - 09:56 PM

G'day JennyO,

Whoopee! The radar shows a bit more on the way for Sydney and the Illawarra - there should be light rain, at least, until tonight. There is another fairly good cell of rain activity in the Hunter Valley ... and I think we've got the present fires quenched ... for the moment.

I can get back to expecting a good weekend up at Lithgow at The Concertina Gathering. Richard Evans, the organiser, has being saying all along: "Of course, if I'm out fighting fires all weekend ... it's off!". As it is, we should have a good get-together of people with funny little 6-, 8-, 10 and 12-sided squeezeboxes ... and no fire drills.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Mudlark
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 03:03 AM

So glad that Mom Nature has kicked in with some rain...just reading about these fires makes my hair stand on end. I live in an area of Calif. that gets a munificent 7 inches of rain yearly...last year it was 4...and have lived through some very scary fires. There is nothing worse than seeing the sky turn that peculiar, destinctive color...except actually seeing the flames.

My thoughts are with all those in range...and I hope the worst is over.

And Bob...all's well that end's well...just dont do it again!

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Helen
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 04:05 AM

Mudlark, over here in Oz that's spelled Mum Nature.

In Newcastle today, and hopefully in the rest of the Hunter Valley, it has been raining steadily and reasonably heavily for most of the day, so I have crossed my fingers and toes that this will put a stop to the local fires. Teh volunteer fire brigade people all deserve a medal. They definitely deserve to be paid for their efforts because the last few months have been heavy going for them.

Hats off to the firies, especially the volunteers.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: nager
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 09:17 PM

This is the second day of heavy rain over here now at least in the Newcastle and Hunter Valley area and the fires are well and truly out! Just days before the Sydney fires the Westlakes area of Lake Macquarie, 20km south of Newcastle where I live, was badly burned - 4000ha of bushland - but we only lost one house, which was 100 metres from my place, and a factory. It was a miracle and very scary. I am spending Xmas in the Blue Mountains with my daughters... fingers crossed that it keeps raining!!
Paul

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 10:01 PM

G'day Helen,

I'm not sure about US or Oz styles for the good Lady ... since she persuaded El Niño to stop sending us drought conditions ... it should probably be Mama!

Any way ... we are very grateful. The rain has cleared during the morning ... and my weekend in the Blue Mountains promises to be very pleasant - and uninterupted by fire.

BTW: In the past, I have run several Fireshed Hops up at Bell and Clarence, above Lithgow, as social dances to raise funds for the Rural Fire Service (the old Bush Fire Brigade). A lot of my friends live in beautiful, but fire-prone, areas of the Muontains.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: CapriUni
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 10:14 PM

Yay for the rain! And thanks to Mama!

Subject: RE: BS: Bush Fires around Sydney
From: GUEST,daylia
Date: 10 Dec 02 - 10:28 PM