Thank you so much to everyone who has left messages for me expressing their concern about the folks at home. It’s pretty crazy and confusing the way it’s being reported here in the northern hemisphere, but luckily Australia’s a pretty big place so it is possible for a lot of it to be burning down while still leaving other bits relatively safe (I say relatively because, with wild fire in these climate conditions you really can never know what will happen. I’m not relaxed yet).
This link will take you to the fire map for Victoria. You can see that the fires around the east and north east of Melbourne are pretty bad, this is where most of the casualties have been I believe. When I first checked the map I was concerned for my Dad, who lives not far from Warragul. I called him and yes, the fire had got to within 1km of the town, but no closer. He had to watch for burning embers falling most of Saturday, but they’re reasonably calm now.
My Mum is up a little to the north of Bairnsdale, and you can imagine my relief when I saw how clear the map is around that area. The danger is not past yet of course, and they know many people who have been affected by the fires to the north of them and near Orbost.
Luckily, temperatures have been much lower the last day or so and are forecast to remain so for a little while. Hopefully this will give people a good chance to prepare for another bout of bad weather if there is one, and for the fire-fighters to get the worst of it under control.
If you wish to leave a message for anyone in my family, then please feel free to do it here - Mum and Dad both read the blog and the comments and I know they will be very glad to know you are thinking of them. And please, if it’s your way, keep all affected Australians in your thoughts and prayers this week.
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