Bushfires

[kiwisue]

I'm listening to the growling of water-bombing aircraft in the skies – there's a bushfire up near Blackheath (50 km away by road, less as the kookaburra flies) that the firefighters are trying to bring under control before we get some strong winds early tomorrow. Smoky air, grey skies … no ash in the air though, a very good thing. I remember fires back in '93', I think, when I was living in western Sydney suburbia, and we got a lot of ash particles then, from Winmalee, which was about the same distance away. I hope the fires are confined and no-one's homes are damaged or destroyed this year.

I've hosed down my gutters, because they're full of jacaranda fronds (again! yes they've been cleaned out recently, but the buggers just accumulate), with a view to cleaning them out properly tomorrow.

Comments

[agentxpndble.livejournal.com]

Eek! Hope you (and your house) are safe!

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

*lol* on the iconage!

We're a decent ways away. The main danger is burning leaves and after the wind picked up, later than expected, the smoke seems to be mostly north of us. I have an lj friend up in Lawson which is much closer, and she's been (rightfully) worried, although the nearest spot fires jumping out of the main one in the Grose Valley are 5km away. A friend of hers says the predicted cool southerly hit Nowra, down the coast, about an hour ago now, so it should reach us soon, I hope!

[shaw012145.livejournal.com]

On the news here last night they said the fire had 'jumped' containment lines, so hopefully it was not too windy over night and the firefighters have had some luck.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Thanks! The big wind gusts have been around this afternoon - up to 100 km/hour. I'm low enough on the mountains not to be too worried, now I've cleaned up a bit (more to do, but it's too hot atm), and the smoke drift seems to be well north of us now. The fire has breached the lines, there are spot fires about as well and they've taken the aircraft out of service because the conditions are unpredictable.

But there should have a southerly tonight, which will increase the humidiity and give the firefighters a chance.

[shaw012145.livejournal.com]

I have been keeping an eye on the ABC website. Was talking to Peggy and runriggers earlier and Australia could so with some nice cold Canadian weather at the moment. And to think it was snowing over east just recently.

We are so stuffed up weather/climate wise.

Fingers crossed the weather bureau is right about the southerly coming tonight and this fire does NOT change direction and head your way.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

I know! I thought the cool might last a little longer - the switch to dry and heat over these past few days took me by surprise. The smoke plume has wavered a bit over the past couple of hours. It's to the north of us again now. Maybe that southerly will get here soon. I'm hoping so, especially for the sake of friends further up the mountains.

[shaw012145.livejournal.com]

Your friends might be in for a sleepless night, unfortunately.