Thinking of our friends in New South Wales

[Sue Mackay]

To all our members in New South Wales, from one in Old South Wales, I hope you are safe as the bush fires rage. I wish I could send you some of our Welsh rain!

Make sure all your family history files are backed up elsewhere, such as the Cloud, and if you can't get out and about because of the smoke in Sydney, get yourself a cuppa and spend all day on BG

Fingers crossed it will all be under control soon

[sandiep]

just been watching the fires on the news............hope as Sue says its all over soon
thinking of you all

[christanel]

Thank you for your thoughts.

We are 100 miles up the coast from Sydney, in the Hunter, so the dreadful fires that are raging in the Blue Mountains area are far away but we have had some here that have destroyed some homes. So much devastation and loss but no deaths thank goodness.
These scenarios do tend to make us actually focus on the need to have a plan if something like this does hit us. We are very close to town but our particularly large block is full of gum trees which of course at this time of year are shedding their old dry bark which adds to the fuel source.

Today is cooler which will make conditions a little better for the fire service as they continue to fight to contain the fires in the Blue Mountains area. They are an amazing group of men and women.

Some Welsh rain would be most welcome Sue.

Christanel

[lawsue]

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts.
As a matter of fact I'm just about to welcome some "asylum seekers" from the mountains who have decided that enough is enough and will be staying with Grandma until it is all over. No good waiting until your told to go...just go.
Thank goodness we found emergency accommodation for their cat (Jack Russell's and cats do NOT go)
Beds are made up. Fridge has been topped up. Bickie barrel filled and full cream milk purchased.
Tomorrow is supposed to a "catastrophic" day. So we are not looking forward to that.
We live back towards Sydney from the Blue Mountains but we have lots of burnt leaves in our garden blown down from there.
This happens often but not too often. Thank goodness.

[spison]

Thanks Sue.
I flew into Sydney at 9.00am the morning the fire started. We were pushed along right across Australia by a 150km/h tail wind and on landing we had a really strong crosswind (which made landing VERY interesting). As we flew over the Blue Mountains there was one small fire visible - which was probably what became the Springwood blaze. It was the wind that made the day so horrible! We lost one heritage house and another heritage pier was dreadfully damaged but our Newcastle fires are now under control. Hopefully it will stay that way today but temperatures are going to be high. This is spring for crying out loud.
Jane