I have been a way for a week, and returned home Saturday.
Sitting in Melbourne airport on Saturday I was talking to Barry as he prepared our place in response to a bushfire down below. He was checking the generator, sorting out pumps, extending hoses. Friends came around with extra hoses, friends offered to pick me up from the airport so Barry could stay and keep an eye on things and friends offered us a bed if we needed. The emergency bag was packed and in the car, and the bath was filled with water.
It was no fun being so far away and unable to stand alongside as we worried about our place.
He did a grand job preparing to protect our home.
As I flew north from Melbourne I watched the firefront from Newcastle north. It felt at times like every ridge was joined in fire and some were severe. I wept as I read a story of how a nursing home in Noosa couldn't be evacuated, so police and firies formed a human shield around it through the night to keep the folk safe.
Clouds amongst the dense smoke.
I was collected and delivered home just after the wind had changed direction and taken the fire away and to the side of us.
Fortune.
The tension of the afternoon watching the fire, hearing the relentless waterbombing helicopters collect water, dump, return, and into the evening as the red line was ever present, has left me tired and not up to much creating; so I simply unpacked my bag, did some washing, put things away in the studio, folded some cards and got some thoughts together. Not much creativity flows from anxious times.
This morning the fire had been dampened and the wind had dropped.
This afternoon the wind roared again and it took off once more - across grasslands towards us, but then was stopped. It's a stop start, up down, worry relax dance we have going on, but we are safe, unlike so many others.
There redline dance last night...
I am in awe of, and full of gratitude for, the front line fire fighters and the helicopter pilots who have kept us safe. The fire remains active about 2km away from us and we remain on watch. But we are safe.
It was no fun being so far away and unable to stand alongside as we worried about our place.
He did a grand job preparing to protect our home.
As I flew north from Melbourne I watched the firefront from Newcastle north. It felt at times like every ridge was joined in fire and some were severe. I wept as I read a story of how a nursing home in Noosa couldn't be evacuated, so police and firies formed a human shield around it through the night to keep the folk safe.
Clouds amongst the dense smoke.
I was collected and delivered home just after the wind had changed direction and taken the fire away and to the side of us.
Fortune.
This morning the fire had been dampened and the wind had dropped.
This afternoon the wind roared again and it took off once more - across grasslands towards us, but then was stopped. It's a stop start, up down, worry relax dance we have going on, but we are safe, unlike so many others.
There redline dance last night...
I am in awe of, and full of gratitude for, the front line fire fighters and the helicopter pilots who have kept us safe. The fire remains active about 2km away from us and we remain on watch. But we are safe.
(((Fiona & Barry)))
ReplyDeleteThank you Mo - we feel so cared for and supported from afar...
DeleteTake care.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen, it has certainly kept us aware and wary...but we are safe. Go well.
Deleteso glad you are safe. 'go well'
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Annick, and we shall!
Deletethe scale of such fires beggars comprehension ... may you be safe ... and I join you in gratitude for those who fight fires wherever they be ...
ReplyDeleteIt was an awesome sight in the true sense of that word Liz; hundreds of kilometres of firefronts it seemed. And yes, the firefighting crews are amazing.
DeleteWe have been watching out and reading about the fires over so much of eastern Australia in the last few days and I had wondered how you were faring. Your photos are alarming, though you sound well prepared. I so hope you stay safe ...
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Margaret. It's a really big country so it can be hard to know what is happening where and to whom. We are well out of the way of the worst, but we all understand how fickle fire can be. We are watching, but no great changes today. Go well.
DeleteMay the wind stay down and the fire sleep deep.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your gentle and kind words Patty - it is just how I would like the fire to be. Go well.
DeleteThank you for finding the space to post this.
ReplyDeleteI know of others who are too much on alert to let me know.
Yesterday the Highway north of us was closed and the wind was scary. It's calm now, but expected to blow again today. We are "safe" here, but the worry is for many others...
Thinking of all of you in the "fire line."
Joining in with others, stay safe. Stay alert.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much LT - we are safe and still wary, but are feeling hopeful for a bit. The next two days are supposed to be worse so we remain alert for what might happen next. Hot, smoky, windy never feels that great! Go well.
DeleteI'd been watching the news here in the UK and wondering if the fires were near you. Stay safe
ReplyDeleteThanks Jac - the worst are further away, but our relatively small and local one was enough for me. We shall definitely be working to stay safe, go well.
DeleteSo happy to hear you and your home are safe! So sad and shocking about the devastating fires which seem to get worse every year! Stay safe! 💕
ReplyDeleteThank you Bessie - yes each year it seems to be earlier and worse and we are all struggling to understand it - sub tropical greenery never used to burn...Thanks so much, go well.
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