BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.

Subject: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 01:29 AM

We've got a bushfire 20 miles to the North of us. Another to the West about the same distance. The areas most affected are the only wild places left out here where Native birds and animals are allowed to live. Everything else has been turned over to Humans and their domestic animals - especially sheep. The whole Grampians mountain range is ablaze. I can't get the images of the Rock Wallabies and the birds and lizards out of my head.
The grasslands and towns are under threat too though, and people like us on isolated properties. Everything is so dry even the short grass burns at a fearsome rate. Two days ago 40,000 sheep burned to death on a bare field.
We'll be ok. We're staying put. Tape the windows fill the buckets with our precious tank water. Hope for a miracle when the wind blows hard from the North tomorrow and the temperature soars over a hundred again.
I love a sunburt county.... Cheers and wish us luck, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Peace
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 01:46 AM

You both be ready to leave at a moments notice. Please keep a good watch.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 02:00 AM

Thanks for thinking of us Peace. Thing is if we keep calm and shut down tight we'll have more chance of survival than if we try to run. Smoke and radiant heat are the big killers. Trick is to overcome the urge to make a break for it. We'll huddle together under wet blankets with the Gibson and a baby Magpie if it comes to that. It's eerie outside. Air's still and hot and thick with smoke.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 02:40 AM

Oh dear, all my best to you and those about you, Joybell, take care, eh.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: MBSLynne
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 02:44 AM

Oh dear. My Mum was saying that the smoke from a big bushfire south of Perth is making everyone cough. They are offering a really big reward for anyone giving info on whoever started it. Half the bushfires these days are deliberate. Stay safe

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 04:20 AM

May you have the best of luck, and keep cool heads.

Keeping a cool head is the best thing, but a little bit of luck your way is useful too.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: gnu
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 04:21 AM

Yes... stay safe and keep in touch if you can. Thoughts and prayers.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 04:46 AM

Frightening stuff Joybell, be safe.
I spent a bit of time in Lisbon Portugal, and we had big forest fire problems there, and most of the tree there are/were eucalyptus. The newspapers blamed property developers for starting a lot of the fires, as the only way they could get a foothold on that reserved land, was when it became a scorched unbeautiful area.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 04:55 AM

In hot weather, eucalyptus trees breathe lots of the oil vapour - it's like the whole countryside is a giant one of those military 'vapour bombs'.

It's considered safer to protect the house, hide from the radiated heat, and then clean up any minor fires after the major heat burst passes over. Homes burn down if you can't extinguish the ember fires, especially in the roof, or fires started inside by radiated heat thru the windows.

Of course you need to stay calm and focused, and on the ball knowing what to do - panic merchants should just leave. If you get caught outside in 1000 deg heat, you don't last long.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 05:17 AM

So far there's no further progress of the fires in our direction. I worry about our friend who has a wildlife shelter in the heart of the burning area. She's holding on with a house full of kangaroos, lizards and possums. Last week she spent her daylight hours searching a burnt area for injured animals. It's hard to keep your focus on the few you can help but that's what you have to do. As soon as we can we'll try to get to her with whatever help we can give.
Most (if not all) of the many fires burning in the State were deliberatly lit it seems. Our nearest may have started with a lightning strike but we all have our doubts. The sun turned to blood this afternoon. For now it's a bit cooler.
Already I feel a bit calmer. Thank you for the thoughts and messages. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: rich-joy
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 06:22 AM

Our thoughts are with you both, Joy!


Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Morticia
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 07:17 AM

blimey Joybell, stay safe! And there was me a bit miserable cos it's raining again! I'll just shut up and count my blessings, shall I?

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 08:02 AM

love & hugs from me, Joybell

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: JennyO
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 08:25 AM

I only just saw this thread! Thinking of you and all the poor critters out there. Hope you all stay safe!

Sending cool wet thoughts to you, and by the way, I'll wish you Happy Birthday here too! It's hard to get a post to take at the moment :-(

Love, Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: artbrooks
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 08:47 AM

Keep safe, and I hope "they" get the people who set the fires.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 02:58 PM

Well it's morning and the smoke is thicker. The few stars we could see last night were red. So far the fire front hasn't moved our way and the air is still. The ash that's raining on us is dead but we're watchful.
Morticia, yes please! Rain and lots of it.

So far so good. More than I can say for our beautiful mountains and their wild residents.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 03:08 PM

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers, Joybell. Perhaps it's best not to light a candle for this one.
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Janie
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 03:16 PM

Be safe as you can be. Will keep you and all the other living beings in harm's way in my thoughts and prayers.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 04:12 PM

Candles in the rain probably OK Mary.
Thanks again all.
We just cancelled out on going to our nearby town to sing for Australia Day. The smoke makes breathing a problem outside. The barometer is dropping!! Maybe the change will come sooner than expected and bring some rain. The wind is not as strong as predicted. We're doing well. Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 05:58 PM

Latest update from the fire authorities: "The fire area is now estimated at 116,380 hectares. The perimeter of the fire has stretched to 350 kilometres." There's more depressing news of home, stock and property loss. Our safest place to be is here at home. Towns people have the option of going to evacuation areas. In many of the small towns near us people who haven't left already now have to stay were they are. Roads in and out of many of these towns are now closed. Our local voluteer fire fighters (Hildebrand is one)haven't been called on yet, presumably because they may be needed here.
Should get off the phone line. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: My guru always said
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 05:58 PM

Sending positive thoughts to you and all in your area, be safe!

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: hilda fish
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 06:07 PM

Survive well and take great care. obviously many are thinking of you. A little story to cheer you up maybe? Recently while travelling back south got a text from younge daughter staying at central coast saying surrounded by bushfires, ses couldn't get in, water run out and perhaps this was goodbye as flames licked through nearby bush and onto roof of house. beach only 5 mins away but flames prevented an escape. we couldn't get through the highway as it was closed due to the fires. oh dear. eventually daughter rescued by amphibian after fireys broke through but it was touch and go. a truly terrible situation. i was a nervous wreck as was she. they'd gone up there to sing to dance to party! anyway, finally could get through to sydney so said i would pick her up. she said, 'nah, going back. we haven't finished our party'. so there among the ruins of the fire these youngies finished their singing their dancing and their partying. young and alive. it all ultimately prevails.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 06:51 PM

A great story hilda fish. Maybe we should start the party now.
Just had a call from our wildlife-carer friend in the thick of things. She and her animals are well prepared. Wet blankets on the windows lots of food and water. She's on call to take injured animals but this fire is so intense nothing has a chance. I need to try and take some of her lizards but I can't breathe outside even if I could get through. Said I'd be then as soon as I could. She promised to meet me on the other side if it comes to that. It won't though. If anyone can survive it's her. The wildlife losses aren't being counted but there are many of us who think of them.

East and West the fire will roll hide Thou me....
Keep singing! There! Now it's a music thread. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 11:36 PM

Just an update. We have just been placed on "high alert" Means we have to prepare for the approaching fire front. Be back when I can. Cheers Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: JennieG
Date: 25 Jan 06 - 11:53 PM

It is very scarey - thinking of you, even if you can't read this!

Hugs and cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Janie
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 09:03 AM

Time for the rest of us to take deep breaths and think good thoughts....Wish we could teleport them out of there!

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: SINSULL
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 09:07 AM

Wish I could teleport a downpour in.
M.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: freda underhill
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 09:14 AM

Joybell - good luck with it all - relatives in Duffy in the ACT were caught in the fires there three years ago - the houses on either side of them were burnt to the ground, their house was left standing among a strip of blackened street.

They were up on the roof with the hose - keeping the roof and gutters wet.

keep safe - my thoughts are with you.

freda

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 09:29 AM

Gosh Joy, that sounds dreadful. As many positive thoughts as possible winging their way on the ether.

Stay safe

Hugs

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Janie
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 09:55 AM

I wonder if this article is about Joy's friend.

It is hard not to fret for their safety.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 04:27 PM

Yesterday I tried to post this:
Can still take time to make contact. H up on roof filling gutters. Nothing to be seen from there but the fire keeps jumping containment lines. Just taped the windows, filled buckets, put on wool clothing. For anyone with a map, the front has crossed the highway to Hamilton at Dunkeld. We are in a direct line South from there. Wind is strong, blowing the front towards us. Still have power but don't know how long that will last. If that goes so does our water. Needs a pump. Got my trusty mop and buckets. It's worked before for others. Hose the house they say! Ha! ha! Feeling slightly mad. Seems unreal. Cheers, Joy
...
Then the wind changed. We got some rain. (how did you do it SINSULL?)Not much and it didn't help the fire fighters North of us much but it stopped the advance in our direction. Today it's quite still and should be much cooler. I'll try to reach our friend with the shelter.

Thanks Janie. That's another of the wildlife carers I know slightly. Wonderful lady. I was worried about how she was going too. She's quite a way from us in the middle of a different fire. What she says about the wildlife around her pretty much covers the situation here. Our mountain range is more rugged and was home to so many animals, birds and plants. Many are rare and endangered. Of course the suffering is the same whether you're rare or common. Our special problem is that because our mountains are like an island, in a sea of grazing land, there will be nowhere for animals and birds to come from to re-colonize them. The area is unique in that it's a granite and sandstone outcrop with unique flora and fauna. It ranges from swampland to rocky alpine peaks. The whole range is burning. Like a bomb went off right in the middle and spread outwards. Never been so wide-spread before. It's never going to be so species-rich again.
Good news is I think we are out of danger. Our lucky birds are singing happily.
Thank you so much for your thoughts and concern. It really helped to check in here and talk. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Peace
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 04:37 PM

Great to hear you are both OK, Joybell.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Little Hawk
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 04:39 PM

What an ordeal. It's amazing what life can toss in our faces, isn't it?

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 04:42 PM

Oh, I do hope you are out of it! I've been single-handedly overloading the Mudcat server checking up on this thread. So good to hear from you. Cooling, dampening thoughts -- and prayers if you'll have 'em.

Claire

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 26 Jan 06 - 05:40 PM

Thank you again everyone. It was scary.
Claire we gratefully accept all thoughts, prayers and anything anyone is willing to send via Mudcat. Mudcatters are very, very wise and loving. You never know we might be wrong about the prayer thing. It might be all of you who arranged the rain.

Our friend's last words to me were, "See you on the other side if it comes to it! I'm going to wash my hair with the last of the tank water."
Off to see if I can get through. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: SINSULL
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 08:15 AM

I tried, Joybell. Give us an update when you can.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Hollowfox
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 05:21 PM

Yes, Sinsull's one of the best. I just read the thread, and I'm glad you're alive to tell the tale. I watch BBC News in the early morning, and when I saw those huge flames I wondered if there were any 'Catters involved. i don't think I'm going to do a #@!$-reduction candle for you until the flames go out. Until then you have my prayers and good soggythoughts.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 05:29 PM

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.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: SINSULL
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 09:07 PM

HMMMMM Any point in hitting up GEICO for some money to help the lizards?

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 09:23 PM

The real scary thing is when the fire gets hot enough to start 'fire willies' - small tornado like fingers of whirling flame that leap upwards. An amazing and breathtaking sight for me. And then if it get hotter and bigger, it can form a firestorm, like a larger version of them.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 11:27 PM

I've jumped to the "reply" box without reading all remarks, so I hope this isn't too non sequitur. Joy, do you remember the prairie you and Hildebrand walked in with me when you visited us in Texas? That side of the road is still intact, but the other side burned last week. It was in two areas, and it looks intentional, like two cigarette butts were thrown out of car windows. (We've had a severe drought since last summer.) The ignition points were next to the road. In their own way those areas are beautiful, with the grass burned and the cactus showing, the mesquite and acacia trees standing there untouched. I know that now the duff has been singed that lots of seeds will sprout. We had a hard rain last weekend, and with the fire and the rain I'll be sure to have my camera ready soon. We should have a marvelous spread of flowers in those burned fields come March.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 29 Jan 06 - 04:38 PM

Yes SRS. I remember that area well. I'd love to see the pictures next Spring. It's a happy image and very welcome. Thank you.
Our mountains will be full of wildflowers next Spring too. The sad thing is that not all Australian plants can recover from bushfire. Some whole large areas are not adapted to burning. There were areas like that involved in our fires.
That's sweet, SINSUL. Thank you for the thought. The lizards in care at the time of the fire will be OK. Today crews of dedicated people will start combing the fire areas for any sign of life. I'll pass on all your thoughts to them. It's raining and raining now. Can't remember when we had so much. Our little oasis is safe. Not that it is anything like the Grampians of course, but good news for us and our small group of wild things. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Jan 06 - 06:41 PM

Rain! Wonderful....That is such a relief. May all be well again....

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 29 Jan 06 - 10:44 PM

I rather thought I'd be picking baked apples off our trees. It's the first year we've got our own fruit too. I feel so sad about the wild mountains but I can't help feeling good about us being safe here on the plain. Cheery thoughts and thank you all so much again. Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 30 Jan 06 - 03:18 PM

Glad beyond belief that you are safe Joybell.

To add a lighter note, you have produced the first thread in several years with the word bush in the title which was not about US politics.

I'll leave now.

God bless
Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Bushfires all around us - Victoria, Aus.
From: Joybell
Date: 30 Jan 06 - 05:59 PM

Don, Do you know I'd thought about that. Glad I punctuated the title carefully. - "Bush fires all around us" would have been interesting wouldn't it?

Lizards are in their new home. Free! on a great property covered with trees and scrub. Filled them full of snails first. Took them on a car ride. Blue-tongues have distint markings on their backs so that you can draw or photograph them and know them again when you see them. Each one is different. Like human fingerprints.
Cheers, Joy