Things are settling down. The little town of Hall's Gap in the middle of things was saved by fire fighters and a few brave residents who stayed on. The other small towns nearby are all safe too, although we have to remain watchful. My friend and her animals are safe although they are back-burning around her and it's still quite scary. I had to talk my way through a road-block to get to her. I picked up boxes of Blue-tongue lizards - in care from before the fire, and I'll take them to their new home next week. They were due to be released. In the next few days she and teams of people will start searching the burned areas for injured wildlife. They don't expect to find much left alive. A kind lady, from the Victoria Valley, phoned up while I was there to ask how to help the wallabies in her paddocks that had made it out. Good to hear about people who care. She's going to put out water and lucerne.

All the fires in Victoria are under some kind of control and the winds have dropped. Still hot but there's been rain in many areas. No towns were lost but about 30 homes were and many farm buildings like shearing sheds. The stock losses are high and nobody will ever know the extent of loss of life in the wild populations of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects and fish.

I've walked and climbed in these mountains for 50 years. Met Emus and Koalas, Goannas and beautiful Red-bellied Black Snakes, Rock Wallabies and Kangaroos. Echidnas and Bearded Dragons. Shared my lunch with a group of Skinks high up on a ridge once. Watched a platypus in a ferny river. So many birds it's impossible to remember them all but the Powerful Owl I came face to face with on a high track has been in my thoughts. He/she might be OK. The very tip of the range didn't burn.
I'm glad we humans are safe but my heart is heavy.
Thank you all for allowing me to share all this. And thank you so much for all the wonderful birthday greetings as well. Good to be alive with my True-Love by my side and my friends here at Mudcat around me.
Cheers, Joy - got to go and fill the bathroom with lizards.