thanks, Janie

Here's a Letter to the Editor the Sydney Morning Herald published today - Spirited, even in a stew

When Kim Bartush loses everything in the devastating blaze in Winmalee but a single Pyrex dish, her response is 'I suppose I'll be cooking casseroles' ('Back on parade: Firestorm families ready to rebuild their homes and lives', October 23). It makes you proud to be Australian.

(Pyrex is toughened glass, in case the brand is unfamiliar)
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NSW bushfires: pilot killed in fire-fighting plane crash

Death toll from the fires is now 3 - a home-owner who died of a heart attack in the early days of eh fire, & 2 pilots, one bringing parts to fire fighters & this man who was fighting the fires. There have been more than 250 homes destroyed.

I was looking for the number of homes destroyed & found this very informative Wikipedia article updated Wed 23rd Oct - scroll down to the pics of the Port Stephens fire - caption: Heat from burning trees on the opposite side of Richardson Road seared leaves on trees and foliage on the fence of Campvale properties but caused little other damage. Even the grass remained green.

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RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has also confirmed the exploded ordnance at an Army live firing range caused the Lithgow blaze.

"Investigations by NSW RFS fire investigators have determined the State Mine fire near Lithgow was started as a result of the live ordnance exercises on Marangaroo Army Range. The fire started on
Wednesday October 2013. There were no total fire bans at the time."
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