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Well we are not going to great this year. pretty busy at the moment as the Blue Mountains are a mess. Springwood just up the road from me has lost over 100 homes with another 200+ badly damaged. My daughter just below Springwood has been evacuated twice now but thankfully it has so far not reached them. Just watched on the news one couple who only moved in to their new house 2 weeks ago have lost the lot, and all those whose pets got left behind - all dead - must be bloody heart breaking. I don't think people know how fast this thing goes, you would never outrun it as its pushed by the speed of the winds and even the fire fighters have to run for their lives at times, some never make it and die in the trucks which are found totally gone.
I've already got jobs up there but no access yet allowed so will have to wait and see. Its still blazing in several locations from the top to the middle mountains and most of the problem stems from the bloody Greenies who won't let them back burn in the past years so all the leaves have built up and its a tinderbox with the heat we have had lately and the strong 100kph winds.

This is the view from the new deck we are building at the back of my daughters house (its an acre and goes down into a valley of bush)
Start of it as it was coming across

About an hour later


Last night as we sat and watched - your could hear the fire - totally weird. Just wonder how many animals lost as we had stacks of roos and possums down there in the gully plus all the other wildlife.

Sorry to hear about the suffering and loss there. Somehow it hadn't made the news here, at least what I read and watch. You all are in my prayers.

Alan

Hi Mick , Ivé been watching it on the news and I thought about you . I hope your daughter and you are ok . Get all your and your daughters photo's and stuff that can't be replaced together ready to go in a heartbeat , just incase . Stay safe .

Latest news here.
Mrmoko's right. Look to save those photo albums first - if the worst comes to the worst and you haven't made the necessary arrangements, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.

All are already saved as well as hard drives with pics on etc. They won't go back till it is all over and done with. Just heard it has jumped past their place and on its way down now so only one way up and that is the Gt. Western Hwy but that is impassable at Lithgow way at the top of the mountains. Also people in Berambing area been told to do what they can as no way out as the roads are to dangerous ( WTF - how do you hide from a huge fire which they now think was started by the Aus army on a training exercise firing shells !!!! )

When I look out the sun is dark red and the air is full of smoke which keeps the heat in - it was really stifling today even though the temperature wasn't high but told it will hit 38 tomorrow and for the next few days - God help them all up there.

Blimey Mate, there are no words that can make things better I know, but here's hoping things turn out ok for you and yours. I might whinge about the snow & ice over here, but I'll take it over what you've got at the moment any day. Good luck with it mate.

YYS4BOB wrote:Blimey Mate, there are no words that can make things better I know, but here's hoping things turn out ok for you and yours. I might whinge about the snow & ice over here, but I'll take it over what you've got at the moment any day. Good luck with it mate.

I SECOND THAT.
Try and keep safe over there will you, Family first OK mate. Were all keeping our fingers crossed for you.

GHOSTHUNTER.

Stay safe mate, there are a lot of people thinking about you right now.