This photo was taken from a plane that was about to land at Melbourne airport.
Now, I'm not currently living in Melbourne, though I was there yesterday morning, hours before this photo was taken. I didn't think to check the Country Fire Authority website before I left, and if I had, I would have stayed where I was, because it would have been safer than the three hour trek home. I very nearly couldn't get all the way home and if I'd taken the later train like I had originally intended, I would have been stuck on the other side of a closed train track and freeway forty minutes from home overnight. By that point, even the back roads had been closed. Luckily, I took the earlier train, and the back roads were still open and a few good souls were carting buses full of stranded passengers from one side of the fire to the other via the back roads while they still could. It was all low visibility and lots of smoke. Hours after I made it home, the areas we'd passed through on buses were told to evacuate.
Yesterday was the worst fire danger day since the Black Saturday bushfires in Feb 2009. My hometown remained safely out of the way... the fire kind of did an arch around us. There is an open cut coal mine on fire one town over, which can't be good news, but I'm relieved that conditions didn't get as bad as they did in '09, at least not as near to me, because that shit was just terrifying.
Conditions are heaps better in my area today, but other places are still in trouble, and things could get worse again any moment.
So basically, don't come to Australia. Especially not Victoria. Everything is on fire.
And the moral of this story? Check the CFA website next time!
So... how are you all doing? :)
- Bonnee.
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We're pretty darn cold up in this corner of the world, though the temperature DID stay above 0 (F) last night, so that's a plus. About fifteen years ago, we had a very large fire very close to where we lived. While it went in the opposite direction from our house, it was a very nervous time. Stay safe, Bonnee.
ReplyDeleteThat basically sums up every summer ever for me haha, there's always something nearby on fire, though this has been one of the worse years. Thanks for the sentiment and I hope things warm up for you!
DeleteThat looks like quite a devastating blaze. Is there any word of the fire's origin?
ReplyDeleteThere are so many fires at the moment (over 30 in the state on Sunday when the photo was taken) I'm not sure what started which, but some have been arson, some have been accidents, and some have just been mother nature all on her own. I few weeks ago, a lightning storm started some, but I'm not sure if any of the current ones are from back then.
DeleteOh my gosh, that's terrifying. I hope everyone stays safe!!
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely not the worst we've ever experienced! Well, the day wasn't given a nickname that I'm aware of for starters (we've already got a Black Saturday and an Ash Wednesday). Thanks for the sentiment! Things are looking much better.
DeleteI'm kinda grateful I'm in Sydney at the moment. We aren't on fire.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear the conditions are easing for you though.
Haha maybe I should come visit :p
DeleteOh No. I hope that the air in the sky where you live is clean for beathing. Here we are covered in snow, so no chance for fire. I really respect all firefighters now working hard to calm the fire. Internet says that fire on Melbourne edge is still uncontrolled. Be safe
ReplyDeleteThe air has been worse for smoke in previous summer bushfires (Black Saturday, for one). But the next town over from mine had a bit of an explosion (my guess is at the paper mill) so residents were told to stay indoors because of the asbestos in the air. Melbourne was still very hazy yesterday and today while I was there, but conditions are getting better and the area affected by that particular is on alert but no longer in huge trouble. Thanks for the sentiment and keep warm in the snow!
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